A failure in the medication delivery system-how disclosure and systems investigation improve patient safety.

A recent medication error at Vanderbilt University Medical Center contributed to the death of a patient. The ensuing criminal indictment of the administering nurse has shaken the medical community. This has led to clinical staff questioning whether they can disclose patient safety incidents without fear of criminal prosecution.

Assessment of the TASER XREP blunt impact and penetration injury potential using cadaveric testing.

TASER International's extended range electronic projectile (XREP) is intended to be fired from a shotgun, impact a threat, and apply remote neuromuscular incapacitation. This study investigated the corresponding potential of blunt impact injury and penetration. Forty-three XREP rounds were deployed onto two male human cadaver torsos at impact velocities between 70.

Viscoelastic and failure properties of spine ligament collagen fascicles.

The microstructural volume fractions, orientations, and interactions among components vary widely for different ligament types. If these variations are understood, however, it is conceivable to develop a general ligament model that is based on microstructural properties. This paper presents a part of a much larger effort needed to develop such a model.

Viscoelastic properties of the cervical spinal ligaments under fast strain-rate deformations.

The mechanical response of ligaments under fast strain-rate deformations is a necessary input into computational models that are used for injury assessment. However, this information frequently is not available for the ligaments that are routinely injured in fast-rate loading scenarios. In the current study, experiments were conducted at fast strain rates for the cervical spinal ligaments: the anterior longitudinal ligament, the posterior longitudinal ligament and the ligamentum flavum.

The temperature-dependent viscoelasticity of porcine lumbar spine ligaments.

Study Design: A uniaxial tensile loading study of 13 lumbar porcine ligaments under varying environmental temperature conditions.

Objectives: To investigate a possible temperature dependence of the material behavior of porcine lumbar anterior longitudinal ligaments.

Summary Of Background Data: Temperature dependence of the mechanical material properties of ligament has not been conclusively established.

Failure properties of cervical spinal ligaments under fast strain rate deformations.

Study Design: The failure responses of the anterior longitudinal ligament, posterior longitudinal ligament, and ligamentum flavum were examined in vitro under large strain-rate mechanical loading.

Objective: To quantify the failure properties for 3 cervical spinal ligaments at strain rates associated with traumatic events.

Summary Of Background Data: There exists little experimentation literature for fast-rate loading of the cervical spine ligaments.

Injury risk in behind armor blunt thoracic trauma.

First responders and military personnel are particularly susceptible to behind armor blunt thoracic trauma in occupational scenarios. The objective of this study was to develop an armored thorax injury risk criterion for short duration ballistic impacts. 9 cadavers and 2 anthropomorphic test dummies (AUSMAN and NIJ 0101.