The PAWPER tape and the Mercy method outperform other methods of weight estimation in children at a public hospital in South Africa.

Background: A rapid, accurate weight-estimation method is essential in paediatric emergency care, when it may not be possible to weigh a child, as drug dose calculations cannot be completed without weight.

Objectives: To determine and compare the performance of the Broselow tape, PAWPER (Paediatric Advanced Weight Prediction in the Emergency Room) tape, Mercy method, Wozniak method and three age-based formulae in estimating the weight of children. A secondary objective was to assess whether the addition of a figural rating scale to assess body habitus improved the performance of the PAWPER tape.

Thirty one-year durability of a Starr-Edwards aortic prosthesis.

We report the case of a 57-year old man who was admitted to our department because of worsening dyspnea - orthopnea and whose aortic valve had been replaced 31 years previously, with a Starr-Edwards caged-ball prosthesis. His symptoms' deterioration was due to a recent myocardial infarction which in combination with the chronic mitral regurgitation of rheumatic origin led to heart failure. As assessed by echocardiography the mechanical prosthesis did not show signs of significant dysfunction and except for mild regurgitation, it had a good performance.