In-hospital factors associated with improved outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. A comparison between four regions in Norway.

Introduction: While pre-hospital factors related to outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) are well known, little is known about possible in-hospitals factors related to outcome.

Hypothesis: Some in-hospital factors are associated with outcome in terms of survival.

Material And Methods: An historical cohort observational study of all patients admitted to hospital with a spontaneous circulation after OHCA due to a cardiac cause in four different regions in Norway 1995-1999: Oslo, Akershus, Østfold and Stavanger.

Prehospital advanced life support provided by specially trained physicians: is there a benefit in terms of life years gained?

Background: The benefit of prehospital advanced life support (ALS) is disputed, as is the prehospital use of specially trained, hospital-based physicians. The purpose of the study was to assess the health benefit from an anesthesiologist-manned prehospital emergency medical service (EMS), and to separate the benefit of the anesthesiologist from that of rapid transport.

Methods: The anesthesiologist-manned helicopter and rapid response car service at Rogaland Central Hospital assisted 1106 patients at the scene during the 18-month study period.

Familial angiolipomatosis.

Large subcutaneous angiolipomata were observed bilaterally around the wrists, knees, and ankles in an adolescent boy. Growth had been slow since first noted at age 1 year. The tumors extended deeply between muscles, tendons and joint capsules, but without infiltration of these structures.