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Biomedical subjects

K Boffard

Publications and source records attributed to K Boffard.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Critical decisions in trauma of the thoracic aorta.

Trauma to the thoracic aorta is a significant injury with a high mortality. This mortality is partly due to the delayed recognition of the condition. The increase of motor vehicle accidents and the use of firearms worldwide has resulted in an increase of the incidence of trauma to the thoracic aorta. Certain new developments in diagnosis and management have resulted in traditional methods being questioned. This review analyses current literature and data which we attempt to evaluate.

Aorta, Thoracic↗
PubMed2001

Gunshot injuries of the extrahepatic biliary ducts.

OBJECTIVE: To assess our management of gunshot injuries of the extrahepatic biliary ducts. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Urban teaching hospital, South Africa. SUBJECTS: 17 patients who were found to have gunshot injuries of the extrahepatic bile ducts, January 1993-June 1998. INTERVENTIONS: Packing and damage control, staged repair, or definitive repair. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Morbidity and mortality: Three of the 17 died intraoperatively or postoperatively from causes unrelated to the biliary injury. Of the 14 survivors, 3 were managed initially with packing and damage control, 7 by staged repair, and 4 by definitive biliary repair. Eleven patients had a Roux-en-Y biliary jejunostomy, of whom 1 developed a late biliary stricture related to a postoperative anastomotic leak. End-to-end anastomosis of the bile duct was done for 2 patients and they both developed late biliary strictures. Ligation of the injured duct and cholecystojejunostomy was done for I patient. CONCLUSION: Roux-en-Y biliary-jejunal anastomosis is appropriate in the treatment of gunshot injuries of the extrahepatic biliary ducts as there is always a degree of tissue loss and some debridement is required, making it difficult to do a tension-free anastomosis.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Duodenal injuries.

BACKGROUND: The worldwide increase in road traffic accidents and use of firearms has increased the incidence of duodenal trauma. METHODS: The English language literature on duodenal trauma over the period 1970-1999 was reviewed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Upper gastrointestinal radiological studies and computed tomography may lead to the diagnosis of blunt duodenal trauma. Exploratory laparotomy remains the ultimate diagnostic test if a high suspicion of duodenal injury continues in the face of absent or equivocal radiographic signs. The majority of duodenal injuries may be managed by simple repair. More complicated injuries require more sophisticated techniques. High-risk duodenal injuries are followed by a high incidence of suture line dehiscence and they should be treated by duodenal diversion. Pancreaticoduodenectomy should be considered only if no alternative is available. 'Damage control' should precede definitive reconstruction.

Duodenum↗
PubMed2000

Transmediastinal gunshot injuries.

BACKGROUND: Transmediastinal gunshot injuries are a rarely reported injury. Until recently, assessment of the thoracic aorta by angiography preceded the investigation of the esophagus. This order has been recently debated. METHODS: There were 118 patients with potential transmediastinal injuries included in this retrospective study. Unstable patients who were unresponsive to resuscitation were taken to the operating room without previous investigation. Stable patients were routinely investigated initially for injury of the aorta and then for injury of the esophagus. RESULTS: There were 51 patients who underwent urgent thoracotomy/sternotomy. In 27, the hemorrhage was of mediastinal origin; 17 of these patients died of intraoperative bleeding. Eight of the patients had aortic injury, and only one of this group survived. There were 57 stable patients who were investigated initially for injury of the aorta by angiography. It was positive in only one patient who underwent an operation with good results. An investigation of the esophagus followed and revealed esophageal injury in 17 patients. All of them were treated operatively, 15 of them with satisfactory outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Angiography should at present precede esophageal investigations. There is a need for shortening the time between admission and operation. Other modalities that could expedite the investigation of the thoracic aorta and the esophagus should be prospectively evaluated in multi-center studies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

AKA unknown male Foxtrot 23/4: alias assignment for unidentified emergency room patients.

OBJECTIVES: To introduce a unique system of alias assignment for patients whose identity is initially unknown at time of admission to the emergency unit; to prevent confusion and cases of mistaken identity. METHODS: At the triage area the "unknown" patient is given a "forename" using the phonetic alphabet according to the stage of the current name cycle. The sex of the patient is included as well as the unknown status and a "surname" is added as the numerical date. Thus an unknown male patient admitted on the 24th of April at the start of a new name cycle would be known as "unknown male Alpha 24/4". RESULTS: Ten thousand alias assignments have been issued to patients since the introduction of the system in 1985. CONCLUSION: This system is a simple yet effective, tried and tested method for the unique identification of unknown patients, which allows easy communication and retrieval of data for inquiries.

Emergency Service, Hospital↗