Initiation of Inhaled Nitric Oxide by an Air Transport Team in Adult Coronavirus Disease 2019 Respiratory Failure.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a significant increase in the volume of critical care flight transports between outlying referral hospitals and tertiary care facilities. Because of the tropism of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, flight crews are often asked to transport mechanically ventilated patients in refractory hypoxemic respiratory failure. The authors present a case series of 5 patients with COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) who were initiated on inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) by the transport team before rotor wing transport and survived the journey in stable or improved condition upon arrival.

Return to Golf, Tennis, and Swimming After Elective Cervical Spine Surgery.

Background After surgery for degenerative cervical spine problems, most patients hope to return to non-competitive sports and other leisure activities. Limited data are available to counsel patients about return to play (RTP) in non-competitive sports after cervical surgery. Methods Participants had cervical surgery for degenerative diagnoses from April 1, 2007, to April 1, 2018.

Ninety-Day Readmission in Elective Revision Lumbar Fusion Surgery in the Inpatient Setting.

Study Design: Retrospective review.

Objectives: (1) Identify the 90-day rate of readmission following revision lumbar fusion, (2) identify independent risk factors associated with increased rates of readmission within 90 days, (3) and identify the hospital costs associated with revision lumbar fusion and subsequent readmission within 90 days.

Methods: Utilizing 2014 data from the Nationwide Readmissions Database, patients undergoing elective revision lumbar fusion were identified.

Standardized Ventriculostomy Protocol without an Occlusive Dressing: Results of an Observational Study in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Background: Catheter-related infections are a potentially life-threatening complication of having an external ventricular drain (EVD). Patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) are at increased risk of infection associated with prolonged ventricular drainage, with a reported mean infection rate of 6%. We report the EVD-associated infection rate among patients with aSAH managed with a unique standardized treatment protocol without an occlusive EVD dressing.

Epidemiology of Cervical Injuries in NCAA Football Players.

Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiology of cervical spine injuries in collegiate football players.

Summary Of Background Data: The incidence and etiology of cervical spine injuries in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football players has not been well defined in recent years.

90-day Readmission in Elective Primary Lumbar Spine Surgery in the Inpatient Setting: A Nationwide Readmissions Database Sample Analysis.

Study Design: Secondary analysis of a large administrative database.

Objective: The objectives of this study are to: 1) identify the incidence and cause of 90-day readmissions following primary elective lumbar spine surgery, 2) offer insight into potential risk factors that contribute to these readmissions, and 3) quantify the cost associated with these readmissions.

Summary Of Background Data: As bundled-payment models for the reimbursement of surgical services become more popular in spine, the focus is shifting toward long-term patient outcomes in the context of 90-day episodes of care.