A prospective trial of hyperbaric oxygen for chronic sequelae after brain injury (HYBOBI).

Objective: Some practitioners advocate hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) for sequelae following brain injury. This study assessed recruitment, tolerance and safety in preparation for a randomized clinical trial.

Design: Prospective, open-label feasibility study.

Difficult airway simulator intubation success rates using Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport systems training standards.

Objectives: This study was undertaken to evaluate difficult airway simulator intubation success rates using Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS) initial and maintenance intubation training standards on transport-RN novice intubators over a 1-year period.

Methods: Twelve transport nurses were blinded to and randomly assigned five or six of 64 different difficult airway simulator scenarios. Intubation success rates were measured 1 month before training, 1 month after training, and 1 year later, following CAMTS initial and maintenance intubation standards.

Research and quality improvement experience and knowledge: a nursing survey.

Aim: To assess nursing staff's background and research and quality improvement (QI) experience.

Background: In this corporation, participation in research and QI is encouraged, but little is known about nurses' experiences.

Methods: A web-based survey was distributed.

Does wearing a surgical facemask or N95-respirator impair radio communication?

Purpose: This study evaluated the impact wearing a surgical facemask or N95 air purifying respirator (N95) has on radio reception.

Methods: We compared the ability of a flight crewmember and a layperson sitting in a Bell 407 crew compartment and a dispatcher sitting in a communication center to accurately record 20 randomized aviation terms transmitted over the radio by a helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) pilot wearing a surgical facemask and six different N95s with and without the aircraft engine operating.

Results: With the aircraft engine off, all terms (100% accuracy) were correctly identified, regardless of the absence or presence of the surgical facemask or N95 studied.

Expanding laparoscopic cholecystectomy to rural Mongolia.

Background: Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy was first introduced in Mongolia in 1994, the benefits of the laparoscopic approach have been largely unavailable to the majority of the population. The burden of gallbladder disease in Mongolia is significant. Despite the barriers to expanding laparoscopic surgery in Mongolia (lack of physical resources and adequate training opportunities, a difficult political situation, and an austere environment), the Health Sciences University of Mongolia (HSUM) began looking for ways to further the development of laparoscopy for the entire country, including the rural areas where half the population resides.

Intermountain life flight preflight risk assessment score and transport outcomes.

Purpose: in 2005, the Federal Aviation Administration recommended helicopter emergency medical systems implement a pre-flight risk assessment score (PRAS) to help pilots assess flight risks. To date, there are no studies evaluating the PRAS. This study examined the transport outcome (successful, aborted or turned-down) associated with our PRAS.

Image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) for prostate cancer comparing kV imaging of fiducial markers with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Purpose: To present our single-institution experience with image-guided radiotherapy comparing fiducial markers and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) for daily localization of prostate cancer.

Methods And Materials: From April 2007 to October 2008, 36 patients with prostate cancer received intensity-modulated radiotherapy with daily localization by use of implanted fiducials. Orthogonal kilovoltage (kV) portal imaging preceded all 1244 treatments.

Air medical transport personnel experiences with and opinions about research.

Introduction: This study examined air medical transport (AMT) personnel's experiences with and opinions about prehospital and AMT research.

Methods: A Web-based questionnaire was sent to eight randomly selected AMT programs from each of six Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) regions. Responders were defined by university association (UA) and AMT professional role.

The measure of treatment agreement between portable and laboratory blood gas measurements in guiding protocol-driven ventilator management.

Background: Portable blood gas analyzer and monitor devices are increasingly being used to direct ventilator therapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the "measure of treatment agreement" between portable and laboratory blood gas measurements used in guiding protocol-driven ventilator management.

Materials And Methods: Using National Institutes of Health Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome network ventilator management guidelines to manage patient care, measurements taken from the Nonin 8500 M pulse oximeter (SpO2), the Novametrix-610 end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2) detector, and the i-STAT 1 (SaO2, PO2, pH, PCO2) were compared with the recommended treatment from paired laboratory ABL-725 (SaCO2, PO2, pH, PCO2) measurements.

Outcomes of pediatric trauma patients transported from rural and urban scenes.

Objectives: Mortality differences exist between victims of urban and rural trauma. It is unknown if these differences persist in those patients who survive to HEMS transport. This study examined the in-hospital mortality, hospital LOS, and discharge status of pediatric blunt trauma victims transported by HEMS from rural and urban scenes.

Outcomes of blunt trauma victims transported by HEMS from rural and urban scenes.

Objective: Mortality differences exist between victims of urban and rural trauma; however, it is unknown if these differences persist in those patients who survive to HEMS transport. This study examined the in-hospital mortality, length of hospital stay, and discharge status of adult blunt trauma victims transported by HEMS from rural and urban scenes to regional trauma centers.

Methods: Retrospective review of all adult (age >/= 15) HEMS transports in 2001; 271 urban and 141 rural blunt trauma patients were identified from HEMS transport records and the trauma registries at three level one trauma centers.

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy using implanted fiducial markers with daily portal imaging: assessment of prostate organ motion.

Purpose: To assess our single institutional experience with daily localization, using fiducials for prostate radiotherapy.

Methods And Materials: From January 2004 to September 2005, 33 patients were treated with 1,097 intensity-modulated radiation treatments, using three implanted fiducials. Daily portal images were obtained before treatments.

Sleep and cognitive performance of flight nurses after 12-hour evening versus 18-hour shifts.

Background: Inadequate rest can result in disastrous medical and aviation errors. Using a prospective within-subjects design, this study compared the amount of daily sleep and the cognitive performance in flight nurses working 12-hour evening versus 18-hour shifts during a 72-hour duty schedule.

Methods: Ten flight nurses who worked two different duty schedules participated in the study.

Scene transport of pediatric patients injured at winter resorts.

Objective: To examine the characteristics of pediatric patients (age =16 years) injured at winter resort scenes and transported by helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) or ground EMS (GEMS) ambulance services to regional trauma centers.

Methods: Between 1997 and 2001, a total of 119 patients (GEMS = 69; HEMS = 50) were identified from trauma registries and HEMS transport records. Demographic data, initial vital signs, hospital interventions, and discharge status of the two groups were examined.

Transport of winter resort injuries to regional trauma centers.

Introduction: This study examined the epidemiology of winter resort injuries presenting to regional trauma centers by helicopter (HEMS) or ground (GEMS) ambulance.

Methods: Five hundred seventy-five patients (GEMS 289; HEMS 286) were identified from trauma registries and HEMS transport records. Demographic data, hospital interventions, and discharge status were examined.

Correlation between human epidermal growth factor receptor family (EGFR, HER2, HER3, HER4), phosphorylated Akt (P-Akt), and clinical outcomes after radiation therapy in carcinoma of the cervix.

Objective: To investigate prognostic significance of and correlations between HER1 (EGFR), HER2 (c-erb-B2), HER3 (c-erb-B3), HER4 (c-erb-B4), and phosphorylated Akt (P-Akt) in patients treated with radiation for cervical carcinoma.

Methods: Fifty-five patients with stages I-IVA cervical carcinoma were treated with definitive radiotherapy. Tumor expression of each biomarker was quantitatively scored by an automated immunohistochemical imaging system.

Measuring medical complexity during inpatient rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury.

Objective: To compare the performance of 3 severity of illness (SOI) indices--the Comprehensive Severity Index (CSI), All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Groups Severity of Illness, case-mix group (CMG)--and 5 well-known neurologic parameters, as measures of medical complexity.

Design: Retrospective chart review.

Setting: Inpatient rehabilitation center within a level I trauma center.

Computed tomography without oral contrast solution for blunt diaphragmatic injuries in abdominal trauma.

Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value (PPV) of computed tomography (CT) without oral contrast for diaphragm injuries (DIs) in blunt abdominal trauma.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 500 consecutive "trauma-one" patients who received CT imaging and interpretation (CT-Read1) of the abdomen within 45 minutes of their arrival from July 2000 to December 2001. All patients were imaged without oral contrast but with intravenous contrast.

Comparison of late rectal toxicity from conventional versus three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for prostate cancer: analysis of clinical and dosimetric factors.

Objectives: To compare late rectal toxicity (LRT) after definitive radiotherapy (DR) and salvage radiotherapy (SR) in prostate cancer using conventional (CONV) or three-dimensional conformal (3-D) techniques.

Methods: The outcomes and clinical factors of 212 patients with Stage T1a-T4 prostate cancer were evaluated (separated into DR and SR groups). The median prescribed dose was 66, 74, 66, and 70 Gy, for the CONV-DR, 3-D-DR, CONV-SR, and 3-D-SR groups, respectively.

Good and poor mobilizing patients differ in mobilized CD34+ cell adhesion molecule profiles.

Background: Alterations in expression of adhesion molecules are important in the trafficking of hematopoietic progenitors and probably in the mobilization process. Relatively little and conflicting data are currently available on the differences in expression between good and poor mobilizing patients.

Study Design And Methods: In this study, the expression of eight adhesion molecules on the collected CD34+ cells from 36 patients undergoing mobilization was determined.

Adverse drug events in trauma patients.

Background: Adverse drug events (ADEs) are noxious and unintended results of drug therapy. ADEs have been shown to be a risk to hospitalized patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the rate and nature of ADEs in trauma patients and to characterize the population at risk.

The laparoscopic management of appendicitis and cholelithiasis during pregnancy.

Background: Laparoscopic management of appendicitis and symptomatic cholelithiasis during pregnancy remains controversial. We report the single largest series of laparoscopic cholecystectomies and appendectomies during pregnancy.

Methods: Medical records of all pregnant patients who underwent open or laparoscopic management of appendicitis/cholelithiasis at LDS Hospital from 1990 to 1998 were reviewed.

Calf-thigh sequential pneumatic compression compared with plantar venous pneumatic compression to prevent deep-vein thrombosis after non-lower extremity trauma.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of calf-thigh sequential pneumatic compression devices with the effectiveness of plantar venous intermittent pneumatic compression devices in prevention of venous thrombosis after major trauma.

Subjects And Methods: We evaluated 181 consecutive patients after major trauma without lower extremity injuries that precluded the use of pneumatic compression devices. We randomly assigned 149 patients to either calf-thigh sequential pneumatic compression or plantar venous pneumatic compression.

Effect of prophylactic antiarrhythmic therapy on time to implantable cardioverter-defibrillator discharge in patients with ventricular tachyarrhythmias.

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are being used increasingly for treatment of malignant ventricular tachyarrhythmias. However, ICD discharge is associated with significant morbidity. Antiarrhythmic therapy could reduce the frequency of ICD discharge, but its effect is uncertain.