Biomedical subjects

Jan Biert

Publications and source records attributed to Jan Biert.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Treatment of distal tibial fractures: plate versus nail: a retrospective outcome analysis of matched pairs of patients.

A study of 24 patients who sustained an extra-articular fracture of the distal third of the tibial shaft was performed to determine the effect of the type of treatment, open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) or closed reduction and intramedullary (IM) nailing, on the occurrence of malalignment. All patients were treated in our clinic between 1993 and 2001 for a fracture in the distal third of the tibia. Twelve patients treated with ORIF were matched to 12 patients treated with IM nailing, with regard to gender, age decade, and the AO classification of the fracture. The group treated with IM nailing was assessed after a mean 6.0 years versus ORIF after a mean of 4.5 years. Two patients treated with ORIF versus six patients treated with IM nailing had a malalignment of the tibia. Furthermore, we found no difference with regard to time to union, non-union, hardware failure or deep infections between ORIF and IM nailing. Our results suggest that control of alignment is difficult with IM nailing of distal tibial fractures. For optimal alignment we advise considering the use of ORIF for closed and type I open extra-articular fractures in the distal third of the tibia.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Recovery from mild traumatic brain injury: a focus on fatigue.

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is one of the most frequently reported symptoms after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI). To date, systematic and comparative studies on fatigue after MTBI are scarce, and knowledge on causal mechanisms is lacking. OBJECTIVES: To determine the severity of fatigue six months after MTBI and its relation to outcome. Furthermore, to test whether injury indices, such as Glasgow Coma Scale scores, are related to higher levels of fatigue. METHODS: Postal questionnaires were sent to a consecutive group of patients with an MTBI and a minor-injury control group, aged 18-60, six months after injury. Fatigue severity was measured with the Checklist Individual Strength. Postconcussional symptoms and limitations in daily functioning were assessed using the Rivermead Post Concussion Questionnaire and the SF-36. RESULTS: A total of 299 out of 618 eligible (response rate 52%) MTBI patients and 287 out of 482 eligible (response rate 60%) minor-injury patients returned the questionnaire. Ninety-five MTBI patients (32%) and 35 control patients (12%) were severely fatigued. Severe fatigue was highly associated with the experience of other symptoms, limitations in physical and social functioning, and fatigue related problems like reduced activity. Of various trauma severity indices, nausea and headache experienced on the ED were significantly related to higher levels of fatigue at six months. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, one third of a large sample of MTBI patients experiences severe fatigue six months after injury, and this experience is associated with limitations in daily functioning. Our finding that acute symptoms and mechanism of injury rather than injury severity indices appear to be related to higher levels of fatigue warrants further investigation.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

First aid and basic life support of junior doctors: A prospective study in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

According to the Dutch medical education guidelines junior doctors are expected to be able to perform first aid and basic life support. A prospective study was undertaken to assess the level of first aid and basic life support (BLS) competence of junior doctors at the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre (RUNMC), the Netherlands. Fifty-four junior doctors (18%), of the medical students in their final years, were submitted to a theoretical test, composed of multiple-choice questions concerning first aid and basic life support. This test was followed by a practical test consisting of two out-of-hospital first aid and basic life support scenarios including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). In total, 19% of the junior doctors passed the theoretical test. The first scenario was performed correctly in 11%. The CPR situation was correctly performed by 30% of the students as observed by the examiners but when assessed by the checklists of Berden only 6% of the students performed correct CPR. It is concluded that the level of first aid and basic life support of the junior doctors at the RUNMC is low and does not meet the required level as stated in the guidelines for practice of medical education in the Netherlands.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation↗

PubMed2006

Impact of additional extracranial injuries on outcome after mild traumatic brain injury.

Many patients with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) concurrently sustain extracranial injuries; however, little is known about the impact of these additional injuries on outcome. We assessed the impact of additional injuries on the severity of postconcussional symptoms (PCS) and functional outcome 6 months post-injury. A questionnaire (including the Rivermead Post-Concussion Questionnaire and SF-36) was sent to consecutive MTBI patients (hospital admission Glasgow Coma Score 13-15; age range 18-60 years) admitted to the emergency department of a level-I trauma center, and, to serve as a baseline for PCS, a control group of minor-injury patients (ankle or wrist distortion). Of the 299 MTBI respondents (response rate 52%), 89 had suffered additional injuries (mean Injury Severity Score [ISS] of 14.5 +/- 7.4). After 6 months, 44% of the patients with additional injuries were still in some form of treatment, compared to 14% of patients with isolated MTBI and 5% of the controls. Compared to patients with isolated injury, MTBI patients with additional injuries had resumed work less frequently and reported more limitations in physical functioning. Overall, they did not report higher levels of PCS, despite somewhat more severe head injury. Regardless of the presence of additional injuries, patients that were still in treatment reported significantly more severe PCS, with highest rates in patients with isolated MTBI. In conclusion, many patients with additional extracranial injuries are still in the process of recovery at 6 months after injury. However, despite more severe impact to the head and inferior functional outcomes, these patients do not report more severe PCS.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Trauma resuscitation time.

Documenting the timing and organisation of trauma resuscitation can be utilised to assess performance standards, and to ensure a high quality of trauma resuscitation procedures. Since there is no European literature available on trauma resuscitation time (TRT) in the emergency room, the aim of this descriptive study is to evaluate TRT in the Netherlands. The introduction of an ATLS-trained prehospital mobile medical team (MMT) in the Nijmegen area initiated the on-site advanced trauma life-support for the prehospital management of trauma patients. We studied TRT in two groups of patients, one with, the other without on-site care by a MMT. In the emergency room the use of videotape recording was chosen to document trauma resuscitation (22 actions) and TRT. A specially flow-chart was used to define the TRT-procedures. We studied 43 patients; 27 without MMT treatment and 16 with MMT treatment. The activities were divided into the ABCDE's of trauma care. Significant more patients of the MMT group were intubated before arrival in the hospital (12/16 (75%) versus 2/27 (2%), P<0.05). Eleven definitive airway management interventions (intubation) and one thoracic drainage in the non-MMT group were demanded by the protocol, but not performed before arrival in the hospital. Sixteen out of 22 actions that were documented were carried out at an earlier stage in the MMT group. There was no significant difference between the resuscitation times; in both groups the recorded median time was approximately 43 min. This prospective analysis demonstrates the timing of resuscitation procedures in a resuscitation room and provides some insight into the timing of ATLS initial assessment.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Endovascular management of a gunshot wound injury to the innominate artery and brachiocephalic vein.

Surgical repair of penetrating injuries of the thoracic outlet with combined arterial and venous involvement is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. A 37-year-old man presented to the emergency room with a left-sided penetrating zone I neck injury caused by a close-range handgun shot. This had resulted in an injury to the innominate artery and the origin of the right common carotid artery, with shunting to the brachiocephalic vein. This was managed endovascularly by stenting of the innominate artery and by coiling of the origin of the carotid artery. An endovascular approach to this injury is feasible and has the advantage of appropriate visualization of the vascular lesions with limited blood loss during the repair.

Adult↗