Epidemiology of foot injury in a high-income developing country.

Objectives: To study the epidemiology of foot injuries and factors predicting their severity in a high-income developing country so as to define prevention priorities.

Patients And Methods: All patients admitted to Al-Ain Hospital with foot injury between March 2003 and March 2006 were identified from a prospectively collected Trauma Registry. Injuries were scored using foot and ankle severity scale (FASS).

Management algorithm for intestinal obstruction due to ascariasis: a case report and review of the literature.

Ascaris lumbricoides is the largest and most prevalent of the human helminths. Ascariasis causes a unique type of intestinal obstruction with specific problems, having high morbidity and mortality. There is no management algorithm available in the literature to treat such cases.

Intrahepatic pancreatic pseudocyst.

Intrahepatic pancreatic pseudocyst is an extremely rare complication of acute pancreatitis. Herein, we report the case of a 37-year old diabetic male who presented with mild pancreatitis as predicted by modified Glasgow criteria. Abdominal CT scan showed a left hepatic subcapsular cyst of 9x4 cm that progressively increased in size.

Perforated peptic ulcer: different ethnic, climatic and fasting risk factors for morbidity in Al-ain medical district, United Arab Emirates.

Aim: To evaluate risk factors, morbidity and mortality rates of perforated peptic ulcer (PPU) and to investigate factors affecting postoperative complications of PPU.

Background: The incidence of PPU has remained constant, simple closure with omental patch repair being the mainstay of treatment.

Patients And Methods: One hundred and nineteen patients admitted to Al-Ain Hospital with PPU between January 2000 and March 2004 was studied retrospectively; two with deficient data were excluded from the analysis.

Endometriosis of the appendix.

Endometriosis is a well known cause of infertility. Endometriosis of the appendix is a very rare condition. To highlight this rare entity, we are reporting a case of a young lady who was admitted with recurrent attacks of lower abdominal pain associated with primary infertility.

Non-traumatic perforation of the small bowel.

Background: Non-traumatic perforation of the small bowel is an uncommon serious complication associated with high morbidity and mortality. Diseases that cause small bowel perforation vary in different areas of the world.

Objective: To highlight difficulties in the diagnosis and management of non-traumatic perforation of small bowel.

Factors affecting anatomical region of injury, severity, and mortality for road trauma in a high-income developing country: lessons for prevention.

Objectives: To study the factors affecting anatomical region of injury, severity, and mortality among road users in United Arab Emirates so as to improve preventive measures.

Methods: Data of the Trauma Registry of Al Ain city were collected prospectively over 3 years (2003-2006) at the main trauma hospital. For traffic injuries, the following were assessed: gender, nationality, road user type, anatomical region(s) of injury, systolic blood pressure on admission, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Injury Severity Score (ISS), and mortality.

Severe tyre blast injuries during servicing.

Background: The destructive potential of the tyre explosions has received little attention in the medical literature. Fatal and severely deforming injuries have been reported. These blasts mainly affect the personnel servicing big vehicle tyres such as trucks and buses.

Management algorithm for complete blunt renal artery occlusion in multiple trauma patients: case series.

Objective: To study the management of complete renal artery occlusion in multiple trauma patients so as to develop a management algorithm.

Design: Retrospective study.

Patients And Methods: All blunt trauma patients who had complete renal artery occlusion and were treated at Tawam and Al-Ain Hospitals during 2005-2007 were studied.

Causes of delayed diagnosis of scapular fractures.

Objectives: To study the causes of delayed diagnosis of scapular fractures in blunt trauma cases, and to advise on early fracture detection.

Patients And Methods: Between February 2003 and September 2004, 64 consecutive patients (3 females) with a median (range) age of 35 (8-60) years, treated at Al-Ain Hospital for scapular fractures, were prospectively collected. Fractures diagnosed after more than 24h from admission were considered missed; 8 people with missed scapular fractures were compared with a control group of 56 who had timely diagnosis, regarding the mechanism and distribution of injury, injury severity score, and type and quality of radiological methods used.

Multiple-region scapular fractures had more severe chest injury than single-region fractures: a prospective study of 107 blunt trauma patients.

Background: We aimed to study the relationship between the number of fractured scapular regions, and the severity and distribution of associated injuries in blunt trauma patients.

Methods: One hundred seven consecutive patients with fractured scapulae (100 men) with a mean age of 35 (8-65) years were prospectively studied between January 2003 and December 2005. Mechanism of injury, associated injuries, Injury Severity Score (ISS), and the number of anatomic scapular regions involved in each fracture were studied.

Epidemiology of geriatric trauma in United Arab Emirates.

The mechanisms and outcome of trauma in hospitalized elderly patients were studied. The data of Al-Ain Hospital Trauma Registry were prospectively collected over a period of 3 years (2003-2006). All elderly trauma-patients above 60 years who were admitted to surgical ward or who died on arrival were studied.

Factors affecting severity of bicycle-related injuries: the role of helmets in preventing head injuries.

Objectives: To identify factors that affect the severity of bicycle-related injuries in patients with head injury compared with those without, so as to find whether the effect of using helmets extends beyond head protection, and to explore a direct protective effect of helmets on head injuries.

Methods: A total of 297 patients with bicycle-related injuries were studied. A generalized linear model was used to test the effect of age, sex, helmet use, cause of injury, year of injury, place of injury and whether the injury occurred on public or school holidays on the Injury Severity Score (ISS) in those patients who had head injury and those without.

Botulinum toxin treatment for anal fissure.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of Botulinum toxin injection in the treatment of anal fissure.

Methods: 38 patients (22 males, 16 females; mean age (SD) of 33.3 (8.

Associated injuries and not fracture instability predict mortality in pelvic fractures: a prospective study of 100 patients.

Background: Whether pelvic fracture instability is correlated to mortality in blunt multiply-injured trauma patients is debatable. This is the first prospective study on patients with pelvic fractures aiming at finding whether pelvic fracture type affects mortality.

Methods: There were 100 consecutive patients (77 males, mean age of 31 [3-73] years) studied between September 2003 and October 2004.

Necrotizing fasciitis: a challenging diagnosis.

The objective of the study was to evaluate our recent experience in diagnosis and management of necrotizing fasciitis. Records of patients who were diagnosed as having necrotizing fasciitis at Al-Ain Hospital in the period between March 2003 and August 2005 were studied retrospectively with regard to clinical features, risk factors, diagnosis, causative organisms, treatment, and outcome. Eleven patients, eight of whom were men of low socio-economic status, were studied.

Focussed Assessment Sonograph Trauma (FAST) and CT scan in blunt abdominal trauma: surgeon's perspective.

Background: Diagnosis of blunt abdominal trauma is a real challenge even for experienced trauma surgeons. Diagnostic tools that help the treating doctor in optimum management of blunt abdominal trauma include; Focussed Assessment Sonography for Trauma (FAST), Diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL) and CT scan.

Objectives: the aim of this communication is to define the recent role of FAST and CT scan of the abdomen in the diagnosis of blunt abdominal trauma.

Motor vehicle collisions with large animals.

Motor vehicle collisions MVC with large animals are a worldwide problem. In this review, we aim to analyze the mechanisms and patterns of human injuries caused by MVC with large animals and various ways to prevent them. Reported studies on large animals that can cause such accidents include the moose, camels, deer, and kangaroos.

The effects of early rapid control of multiple bowel perforations after high-energy trauma to the abdomen: implications for damage control surgery.

Background: This study evaluates the effects of early rapid control of multiple bowel perforations on cardiovascular and pulmonary function in high-energy traumatic shock compared with conventional small bowel resection anastomosis.

Methods: Fifteen anesthetized pigs, 10 to 12 weeks old, were exposed to a reproducible high-energy trauma and were divided into two groups. In the first group, the resection anastomosis group (RA, n = 8), small-bowel injuries were treated with resection and anastomosis; in the second group, the multiple bowel ligation group (BL, n = 7), small-bowel injuries were treated by resection and ligation.

Does colostomy prevent infection in open blunt pelvic fractures? A systematic review.

Background: Open pelvic fracture is a rare injury. Our aim in this study is to systematically review the literature to define when diverting colostomy is indicated to protect the patient from infection in open blunt pelvic fractures.

Methods: Papers studying open pelvic fractures and the use of colostomy were retrieved through MEDLINE and PUBMED.