Evaluating soft collars in pre-hospital cervical spine immobilisation: A cohort study on neurological outcomes, patient comfort and paramedic perspectives.

Objective: Cervical spinal immobilisation procedures often include rigid cervical collars which, despite associated complications, may provide less immobilisation than previously thought. The present study reports the incidence of worsening neurological outcomes following soft collar application, and additionally reports patient comfort, compliance with spinal immobilisation, and paramedic perspectives on usage.

Methods: This was an observational cohort study conducted in selected metropolitan and regional areas of NSW Ambulance between 1 May 2022 and 31 March 2023.

Multidisciplinary Management of Rett Syndrome: Twenty Years' Experience.

Over the last 20 years, the understanding and natural history of Rett syndrome has advanced, but to date no cure has emerged, with multidisciplinary management being symptomatic and supportive. This study provides a comprehensive review of the clinical features, comorbidities and multidisciplinary management of a well-characterized cohort of females with classical Rett syndrome. We aim to improve awareness and understanding of Rett syndrome amongst pediatricians, pediatric subspecialists and allied health professionals to enable early diagnosis and a streamlined enrolment approach for future clinical trials.

Surgically Acquired Vocal Cord Palsy in Infants and Children with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD): Description of Feeding Outcomes.

Impaired swallowing in infants can impact upon the ability to feed orally, often resulting in dependency on supplementary feeding. Such difficulties can lead to an increased burden of care and associated costs. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the impact of vocal cord palsy (VCP), acquired intraoperatively during cardiac surgery, on the feeding outcomes of infants at a tertiary metropolitan children's hospital.

Combination vinblastine and palladia for high-grade and metastatic mast cell tumors in dogs.

High-grade and metastatic canine mast cell tumors carry a guarded prognosis because of their unpredictable biologic behavior. An ideal chemotherapy regime is yet to be established. The aim of this study was to review the efficacy and toxicity of combination vinblastine and toceranib for high-grade and metastatic mast cell tumors.

Thickened Formulas Used for Infants with Dysphagia: Influence of Time and Temperature.

Infant dysphagia is commonly managed using thickened formulas. Substantial research investigates thickening of a variety of beverages for adults and children, yet few studies address the unique considerations of thickened formula for infants. Understanding the consistency and behaviour of thickened formula will guide clinicians and parents to make informed decisions to minimise risk of aspiration.

Neurologic outcomes following the introduction of a policy for using soft cervical collars in suspected traumatic cervical spine injury: A retrospective chart review.

Objective: In trauma patients with potential cervical spine injury, immobilisation with a rigid cervical collar is widely recommended to prevent a secondary spinal cord injury. There is a lack of evidence for the effectiveness of this practice, but increasing evidence for complications from rigid collars. Soft foam collars may mitigate some of these issues and are used in our health service in place of rigid collars in selected patients at risk for traumatic cervical spine injury.

Motor Learning Feeding Interventions for Infants at Risk of Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review.

Feeding difficulties and dysphagia are common in cerebral palsy (CP) and can lead to deficiencies of development and aspiration pneumonia; a leading cause of death in CP. Motor learning interventions have shown positive results in other clinical areas and may be beneficial for this population. This systematic review appraises research that addresses the question: are motor learning-based interventions more effective than compensatory strategies alone in treating dysphagia in infants with, or at risk of, CP?.

Emergency airway management in Australian and New Zealand emergency departments: A multicentre descriptive study of 3710 emergency intubations.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the practice of endotracheal intubation across a range of Australasian EDs.

Methods: We established a multicentre airway registry (The Australian and New Zealand Emergency Department Airway Registry [ANZEDAR]) prospectively capturing intubations from 43 Australian and New Zealand EDs over 24 months using the ANZEDAR form. Information recorded included patient demographics, intubation indications, predicted difficulty, rapid sequence induction and endotracheal intubation preparation technique, induction drugs, airway adjuncts and complications.

LOPP chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for dogs with T-cell lymphoma.

Background: The aim of this study was to describe the use of a lomustine (CCNU), vincristine, procarbazine and prednisolone (LOPP) protocol used for treatment of chemotherapy naive T-cell lymphoma patients and to describe the response rate, toxicity and disease-free interval compared historically to CHOP chemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective case study of 31 dogs with naïve T-cell lymphoma treated with a lomustine (CCNU), vincristine, procarbazine and prednisolone (LOPP) protocol.

Results: Thirty-one dogs with T cell lymphoma were treated.

The Effect of Prehospital Intubation on Treatment Times in Patients With Suspected Traumatic Brain Injury.

Objective: This study examines whether, in patients requiring intubation with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), prehospital intubation compared with emergency department intubation leads to a reduction in treatment times and time to a computed tomographic (CT) scan.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study compared adult patients with a Glasgow Coma Score of less than 14 with a suspected TBI who underwent intubation, either prehospital or on arrival to the emergency department.

Results: Prehospital intubation was associated with a decreased time from emergency department arrival to CT scan compared with emergency department intubation (43 vs.

London Trauma Conference 2015 : London, UK, 8-11 December 2015.

I1: Trauma, Pre-hospital and Cardiac Arrest Care 2015 Pascale Avery, Leopold Salm, Flora Bird A1: Retrospective evaluation of HEMS ‘Direct to CT’ protocol Anja Hutchinson, Ashley Matthies, Anthony Hudson, Heather Jarman A2 Rush hour – Crush hour: temporal relationship of cyclist vs. HGV trauma admissions. A single site observational study Maria Bergman Nilsson, Tom Konig, Nigel Tai A3 Semiprone position endotracheal intubation during continuous cardiopulmonary resuscitation in drowned children with regurgitation: a case report and experimental manikin study Espen Fevang, Børge Hognestad, Håkon B.

X-linked myotubular myopathy in Rottweiler dogs is caused by a missense mutation in Exon 11 of the MTM1 gene.

Background: Congenital and inherited myopathies in dogs are faithful models of human muscle diseases and are being recognized with increasing frequency. In fact, canine models of dystrophin deficient muscular dystrophy and X-linked myotubular myopathy are of tremendous value in the translation of new and promising therapies for the treatment of these diseases. We have recently identified a family of Australian Rottweilers in which male puppies were clinically affected with severe muscle weakness and atrophy that resulted in early euthanasia or death.

Comparison of the C-MAC video laryngoscope with direct Macintosh laryngoscopy in the emergency department.

Objective: To investigate the first pass success rate, airway grade and complications in two tertiary EDs with the C-MAC video laryngoscope (VL), when compared with standard direct laryngoscopy (DL).

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data entered into an airway registry database in the EDs of Royal North Shore and St George Hospitals (SGH) over a 30 month period. Doctors had the choice of using either DL using a Macintosh or Miller blade or a C-MAC VL for the intubation.

The cost-effectiveness of physician staffed Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) transport to a major trauma centre in NSW, Australia.

Background And Context: Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) are highly resource-intensive facilities that are well established as part of trauma systems in many high-income countries. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of a physician-staffed HEMS intervention in combination with treatment at a major trauma centre versus ground ambulance or indirect transport (via a referral hospital) in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

Methods: Cost and effectiveness estimates were derived from a cohort of trauma patients arriving at St George Hospital in NSW, Australia during an 11-year period.

How to talk to doctors--a guide for effective communication.

Background: Nurses and doctors undertake segregated and distinct preparation for clinical practice, yet are expected to communicate effectively with each other in the workplace. Most healthcare facilities have policies relating to written communication, but guidelines for verbal communication, which is used most in times of uncertainty and urgency, are generally less regulated. Poor communication and communication overload are shown to have a direct correlation with patient outcomes, adverse events and stressors among healthcare professionals.

A prehospital paediatric tension viscerothorax presenting as a tension pneumothorax: a diagnostic dilemma.

This article reports a case of a paediatric pre-hospital tension viscerothorax, and it subsequent management. It also discusses the difficulty in diagnosing this condition in the pre-hospital arena.

Google governance: increasing the effectiveness of critical care physicians through the use of an online usergroup.

Aims: The aim of this study was to describe the use of an online user group to enhance communication and productivity by critical care specialists.

Methods: In this article, we provide a description of the first 6 months of use of an online user group by senior retrieval physicians.

Results: Initially developed as a communication and online discussion tool, our online user group evolved to include a number of other utilities that support clinical governance.

Feline extranodal lymphoma: response to chemotherapy and survival in 110 cats.

Objective: To determine response to treatment, survival and prognostic factors for feline extranodal lymphoma in the UK.

Methods: Records of cats diagnosed with lymphoma of extranodal sites at seven referral centres were reviewed and information on signalment, tumour location, prior treatment and chemotherapy protocol recorded. Factors influencing response to treatment and survival were assessed.

Severe exacerbations and decline in lung function in asthma.

Rationale: To evaluate the association between asthma exacerbations and the decline in lung function, as well as the potential effects of an inhaled corticosteroid, budesonide, on exacerbation-related decline in patients with asthma.

Objectives: To determine whether severe asthma exacerbations are associated with a persistent decline in lung function.

Methods: The START (inhaled steroid treatment as regular therapy in early asthma) study was a 3-year, randomized, double-blind study of 7,165 patients (5-66 yr) with persistent asthma for less than 2 years, to determine whether early intervention with low-dose inhaled budesonide prevents severe asthma-related events (exacerbations requiring hospitalization or emergency treatment) and decline in lung function.

Use of recombinant human interferon alpha-2a in the management of a dog with epitheliotropic lymphoma.

An 8-year-old, mixed-breed dog with preputial epitheliotropic lymphoma was initially treated with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisolone. A short-term partial response was followed by disease progression after 4 weeks. Recombinant human interferon alpha-2a was administered starting at week 7.

Gastrointestinal and nutritional problems in severe developmental disability.

The aim of this study was to describe the experience of 452 children and adults with a severe developmental disability who presented to a multidisciplinary clinic with swallowing, nutritional, and gastrointestinal problems. Data were obtained by chart review. Two hundred and ninety-four children (age range 7 mo-19 y, 173 males, 121 females) and 158 adults (age range 18-53 y; 90 males, 68 females) were assessed over 5 years.

The Inhaled Steroid Treatment As Regular Therapy in Early Asthma (START) study 5-year follow-up: effectiveness of early intervention with budesonide in mild persistent asthma.

Background: The Inhaled Steroid Treatment as Regular Therapy in Early Asthma (START) study enrolled 7241 patients aged 5 to 66 years with recent-onset, mild persistent asthma to assess early intervention with the inhaled corticosteroid budesonide on long-term asthma control.

Objective: The open-label phase of the START study was included to determine the effect on lung function and asthma control of adding budesonide to the reference group patients who had not initially received inhaled corticosteroids.

Methods: Patients were randomized to double-blind treatment with budesonide, 200 mug (those aged < 11 years) or 400 mug once daily, or placebo plus the usual asthma therapy for 3 years, after which all patients received 2 years of open-label treatment with budesonide once daily.

Detection of endoparasites with zoonotic potential in dogs with gastrointestinal disease in the UK.

We report a substantial prevalence study in symptomatic pet dogs of important zoonotic parasitic enteric infections. A total of 4526 dogs which had a faecal sample submitted to a diagnostic laboratory in the UK between 2003 and 2005 were included in the study. The most common parasite was Giardia spp.

Owners 'perception of their cats' quality of life during COP chemotherapy for lymphoma.

Questionnaires regarding the perceptions of chemotherapy and its impact on the quality of life (QoL) of their cat were received from owners of 31 cats treated for lymphoma between 2002 and 2006 with COP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisolone) chemotherapy. The QoL scores prior to the onset of cancer (mean 9.5, range 6-10) were significantly higher than the ratings given after the onset of cancer but before commencement of chemotherapy (mean 3.