[Results of a Mexican pre-hospital emergency survey].

Background: Emergency medical services (EMS) in Mexico have only recently been regulated, and they lack standardized training, educational or operating protocols.

Objective: We need to know the current state of these organizations in order to generate future recommendations

Methods: A voluntary, confidential survey was prospectively sent via several internet sites dedicated to EMS. A descriptive analysis of the results was done.

Gallbladder cancer: can ultrasonography evaluate extent of disease?

This study reviews the spectrum of sonographic findings in patients with gallbladder cancer, attempts to determine if sonography can identify patients with potentially resectable disease, and emphasizes the limitations of ultrasonography in the evaluation of -gallbladder cancer. Thirty-five consecutive patients with histologically proven gallbladder carcinoma who had preoperative abdominal ultrasonography and surgery were identified. Involvement of the gallbladder and gallbladder fossa, metastases, bile ducts, portal vein, and adjacent lymph nodes was assessed sonographically.

Accuracy of sonography in the evaluation of calf deep vein thrombosis in both postoperative surveillance and symptomatic patients.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy and to assess the interobserver variability of compression sonography (CS) in detecting isolated calf deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in postoperative and symptomatic patients without clinical or contrast venographic indication of previous lower extremity DVT.

Subjects And Methods: A prospective double-blinded study was undertaken on 287 consecutive legs using contrast venography (CV) as the gold standard. One hundred seventy-nine legs were from the postoperative group, and 108 legs were from the symptomatic group.

Angioplasty for the treatment of visceral ischemia.

Purpose: To evaluate percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in the treatment of visceral ischemia.

Patients And Methods: Over a 14-year period, 25 focal visceral artery stenoses were treated with PTA in 16 patients with acute or chronic visceral ischemia. Thirteen patients were women and three were men, with a mean age of 64.

Renal streak artifact during contrast-enhanced CT: comparison of low versus high osmolality contrast media.

Two hundred abdominal computed tomographic (CT) scans in 200 patients, 100 performed with low osmolality contrast (ioversol 68%, 100 ml) and 100 performed with high osmolality contrast (diatrizoate meglumine 60%, 150 ml), were retrospectively evaluated for the presence of renal streak artifact. Contrast was administered by hand injection at a rate of approximately 1-2 ml/s and sequential scanning was employed. Of the scans performed with high osmolality contrast, 70% had no artifact, 28% had minimal artifact, and only 2% had marked artifact.