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At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

The epidemiology of 2056 remote site infections and 1966 surgical wound infections occurring in 1865 patients: a four year study of 40,923 operations at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Hospital, Chicago.

Over a 4-year period 40,923 operations and 44,716 surgical admissions were monitored for both community and hospital onset infections. One thousand eight hundred sixty-five patients had 1966 surgical wound infections and 2056 remote infections including 1652 hospital onset and 404 community onset infections. One thousand one hudnred forty-four patients with multiple infections averaged 40 days in the hospital contrasted with 24 days for 721 patients with a single wound infection. The total excess cost of hospitalization for these patients was $951,150. A statistically significant reduction occurred for urinary tract infections, lower respiratory infections and clean and contaminated surgical wound infections. It is suggested that these are all inter-related and a significant reduction in surgical wound infections can be achieved through control of infections at remote sites, particularly those associated with medical devices. The coagulase positive staphylococcus is still the most important single bacterial species in the primary etiology of surgical wound infections. When the gastrointestinal tract is entered or "supra" infecting organisms appear, gram negative bacteria and mixed gram negative and gram positive infections are dominant. Reduction in remote site infections occurring in surgical patients is necessary to reduce the incidence of surgical wound infections, suggest preventive and control measures, and document the effectiveness of such measures.

Adolescent↗

Bilateral primary choroidal melanoma treated with bilateral plaque radiotherapy: a report of three cases.

PURPOSE: To report three cases of bilateral primary choroidal melanoma treated with bilateral plaque radiotherapy. METHODS: Retrospective, single-center case series. RESULTS: Case 1: In 1981, a 50-year-old man was diagnosed with a 5-mm-thick choroidal melanoma in the right eye (OD) and treated with plaque radiotherapy. In 1994, a 6.8-mm-thick choroidal melanoma in the left eye (OS) was treated with plaque radiotherapy. Final visual acuity was light perception OD and 20/20 OS at 24 years follow-up. Case 2: In 1983, a 53-year-old woman was diagnosed with a 3.5-mm-thick choroidal melanoma OS and treated with plaque radiotherapy. In 2001, an enlarging 2.5-mm-thick choroidal melanoma OD was treated with plaque radiotherapy. Final visual acuity was 20/30 OD and 20/20 OS at 22 years follow-up. Case 3: In 2001, a 92-year-old man was diagnosed with a 7.9-mm-thick choroidal melanoma OD treated with plaque radiotherapy. In 2003, an enlarging 2.8-mm-thick juxtapapillary choroidal melanoma was treated with plaque radiotherapy. Final visual acuity was 20/70 OD and 20/60 OS at 2.5 years follow-up. No patient showed ocular melanocytosis. Stable tumor regression was achieved in all six eyes. Metastatic disease did not develop in any case over 16 years of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Monitoring of both eyes of patients with uveal melanoma is important for the remote possibility of melanoma in the second eye. In these three patients, plaque radiotherapy allowed for preservation of the globes and some vision.

Aged, 80 and over↗

Pediatric chest imaging.

The highlight of recent articles published on pediatric chest imaging is the potential advantage of digital imaging of the infant's chest. Digital chest imaging allows accurate determination of functional residual capacity as well as manipulation of the image to highlight specific anatomic features. Reusable photostimulable phosphor imaging systems provide wide imaging latitude and lower patient dose. In addition, digital radiology permits multiple remote-site viewing on monitor displays. Several excellent reviews of the imaging features of various thoracic abnormalities and the application of newer imaging modalities, such as ultrafast CT and MR imaging to the pediatric chest, are additional highlights.

Child↗

ECG telephone transmission for monitoring pacemakers and cardiac arrhythmias.

A network of ECG telephone transmission has been established which uses simple and inexpensive equipment, and which is aimed particularly at arrhythmia monitoring. Hospitals in areas remote from major medical centers are able to transmit to the Toronto General Hospital for expert advice. 400 patients in their homes may transmit to any of these hospitals for monitoring of pacemaker function or intermittent cardiac arrhythmia. Any patients in the Toronto General Hospital not admitted for a cardiac problem may be monitored via telephone by the expert nurses in the coronary care unit if a cardiac arrhythmia should arise. Equipment for the system has been carefully designed to minimize cost and to make it simple to use, particularly for the old or infirm patients in their homes. Transmissions between hospitals meet American Heart Association specifications for ECG recording. Transmissions of arrhythmias from patients' homes are carried out with a reduced low-frequency response. Expert cardiologists find both transmissions acceptable for their particular purpose. Standards should be set for simple, economic transmission systems as well as for those meeting the most stringent criteria.

Amplifiers, Electronic↗

Reducing home nursing visit costs using a remote access infusion pump system.

The use of a remote access infusion pump system in patients receiving intravenous therapy in the home provided a method to monitor patients and to reduce the number of unscheduled and after-hours nursing visits. Option Care of Rockwall, Texas, a locally owned IV company that is part of a national network, was able to avoid 13 nursing visits during a 4-month period with patients receiving pain management or continuous heparin therapy with the use of an infusion pump system that allowed remote access by telephone. An appreciable cost savings was documented with the use of this device.

Adult↗

Remote console for virtual telerehabilitation.

The Remote Console (ReCon) telerehabilitation system provides a platform for therapists to guide rehabilitation sessions from a remote location. The ReCon system integrates real-time graphics, audio/video communication, private therapist chat, post-test data graphs, extendable patient and exercise performance monitoring, exercise pre-configuration and modification under a single application. These tools give therapists the ability to conduct training, monitoring/assessment, and therapeutic intervention remotely and in real-time.

Rehabilitation↗

Telecardiology for effective healthcare services.

Continuous monitoring of the electrocardiogram (ECG) and other signals related to current heart activity are necessary for patients who are suffering from cardiac diseases. This paper deals with the work that has been carried out to transmit ECGs from remote sites. Software has been developed which enables the uploading of ECG data from a patient so that the physician can monitor the state of the patient from a distance and at the same time may consult other experts for a second opinion. Records can only be examined by the authorized physician after proper registration and diagnosis or prescription may be sent back to the referring site. Further consultation with the patient through a 'chat' facility is also possible. The suitability of the system over transport control protocol (TCP), internet protocol (IP), local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN) and World Wide Web (WWW) has been assessed. The bandwidth, latency, availability, security and ubiquity have also been discussed. A study has also been undertaken in order to make the system compatible with available bandwidths and to find out which one out of a number of available techniques is most efficient for ECG data compression. The results indicate that the scheme is suitable for telecardiology and can form part of an overall telemedicine system in a health care network.

Computer Security↗

A new hermetic antenna for wireless transmission systems of implantable medical devices.

In implantable medical devices (IMDs), the need of telemetry systems able to provide wireless bidirectional communication to interrogate and remotely program the device, as well as to monitor the physiological status of the patient, is growing. The object of the present study was to evaluate a new hermetic antenna for wireless short-range transmission system for IMDs which would assure reliable long-term functioning due to the high level of hermeticity of antenna's housing that limits the influence of body tissue environment on transmitted signals. Experimental tests were conducted on three different prototypes to evaluate the most efficient antenna configuration for transmission both in the air and through a mixture simulating the human thorax. Further tests were performed to assess the influence of electro-catheters connected to IMDs on transmitted signals. Results showed that the hermetic antenna guarantees a good wireless transmission both in the air and through the human thorax simulator. The results also show that the presence of an electro-catheter can influence the effective radiated power (ERP) transmitted depending on its position in relation to the telemetric circuitry. Both a controlled increase of the ERP without exceeding the limits imposed by rules and the optimization of the tuning between the antenna and the transmitter can assure a reliable short-range transmission (several meters) using the new hermetic antenna proposed.

Equipment Design↗

Reduction in radiation exposure to nursing personnel with the use of remote afterloading brachytherapy devices.

The radiation exposure to nursing personnel from patients with brachytherapy implants on a large brachytherapy service were reviewed. Exposure to nurses, as determined by TLD monitors, indicates a 7-fold reduction in exposure after the implementation of the use of remote afterloading devices. Quarterly TLD monitor data for six quarters prior to the use of remote afterloading devices demonstrate an average projected annual dose equivalent to the nurses of 152 and 154 mrem (1.5 mSv). After the implementation of the remote afterloading devices, the quarterly TLD monitor data indicate an average dose equivalent per nurse of 23 and 19 mrem (0.2 mSv). This is an 87% reduction in exposure to nurses with the use of these devices (p less than 0.01).

Brachytherapy↗

[Unstable stenocardia: prognostic significance of painless forms of myocardial ischemia during hospitalization and in the remote period].

Variants of unstable angina pectoris were compared upon examination of 366 relevant patients. 24-h ECG monitoring registered painless ST shifts in 75 of them. Treatment at hospital produced results independent of ischemia form (painful or painless). However, the analysis of long-term response for 10 patients demonstrating episodes of ischemia at discharge suggests that in spite of numerous adjustments of treatment in 70% of the patients the risk of unfavorable outcome seems great.

Adult↗

Digital video capture and synchronous consultation in open surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To achieve real-time or simultaneous surgical consultation and education to students in distant locations, we report the successful integration of robotics, video-teleconferencing, and intranet transmission using currently available hardware and Internet capabilities. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Accurate visualization of the surgical field with high-resolution video imaging cameras such as the closed-coupled device (CCD) of the laparoscope can serve to insure clear visual observation of surgery and share the surgical procedure with trainees and, or consultants in a distant location. Prior work has successfully applied optics and technical advances to achieve precise visualization in laparoscopy. METHODS: Twenty-five thyroidectomy explorations in 15 patients were monitored and transmitted bidirectionally with audio and video data in real-time. Remotely located surgical trainees (n = 4) and medical students (n = 3) confirmed 7 different anatomic landmarks during each surgical procedure. The study used the Socrates System (Computer Motion, Inc. [CMI], Goleta, CA), an interactive telementoring system inclusive of a telestration whiteboard, in conjunction with the AESOP robotic arm and Hermes voice command system (CMI). A 10-mm flat laparoscopic telescope was used to capture the optical surgical field. As voice, telestrator, or marker confirmed each anatomic landmark the image parameters of resolution, chroma (light position and intensity), and luminance were assessed with survey responses. RESULTS: Confirmation of greater than 90% was achieved for the majority of relevant anatomic landmarks, which were viewed by the remote audience. CONCLUSION: The data presented in this study support the feasibility for mentoring and consultation to a remote audience with visual transmission of the surgical field, which is otherwise very difficult to share. Additionally, validation of technical protocols as teaching tools for robotic instrumentation and computer imaging of surgical fields was documented.

Education, Medical↗

How frequent is chronic lumbar arachnoiditis following intrathecal Myodil?

Chronic lumbar arachnoiditis has numerous causes, including the introduction of contrast media into the lumbar subarachnoid space. The oily contrast medium Myodil (iophendylate) is often cited but the true incidence of symptomatic lumbar arachnoiditis due solely to the presence of Myodil is unknown. A retrospective review of 98 patients in whom Myodil was introduced by ventriculography or cisternography, i.e. remote from the lumbar spine, revealed no cases of chronic lumbar arachnoiditis. All patients were monitored closely for periods ranging from 1 to 28 years. We conclude that, in these circumstances, it is rare for Myodil to produce symptomatic arachnoiditis.

Adult↗

Innovation in telehealth and a role for the government.

The convergence of information technology and telecommunications, including Internet technologies, is emerging as a key tool to drive increased efficiency and effectiveness in health systems worldwide. With part of its roots in medical research for military and space applications, telemedicine is expected to make it possible to link medical expertise with patients in the most distant locations-providing clinicians with valuable new tools for remote monitoring, diagnosis, and intervention.

Diffusion of Innovation↗

Medical and surgical applications of space biosensor technology.

Researchers in space life sciences are rapidly approaching a technology impasse. Many of the critical questions on the impact of spaceflight on living systems simply cannot be answered with the limited available technologies. Research subjects, particularly small animal models like the rat, must be allowed to function relatively untended and unrestrained for long periods to fully reflect the impact of microgravity and spaceflight on their behavior and physiology. These requirements preclude the use of present hard-wired instrumentation techniques and limited data acquisition systems. Implantable sensors and miniaturized biotelemetry are the only means of capturing the fundamental and critical data. This same biosensor and biotelemetry technology has direct application to Earth-based medicine and surgery. Continuous, on-line data acquisition and improved measurement capabilities combined with the ease and flexibility offered by automated, wireless, and portable instruments and data systems, should provide a boon to the health care industry. Playing a key role in this technology revolution is the Sensors 2000! (S2K!) Program at NASA Ames Research Center. S2K!, in collaboration with space life sciences researchers and managers, provides an integrated capability for sensor technology development and applications, including advanced biosensor technology development, spaceflight hardware development, and technology transfer and commercialization. S2K! is presently collaborating on several spaceflight projects with dual-use medical applications. One prime example is a collaboration with the Fetal Treatment Center (FTC) at the University of California at San Francisco. The goal is to develop and apply implantable chemical sensor and biotelemetry technology to continuously monitor fetal patients during extra-uterine surgery, replacement into the womb, through birth and beyond. Once validated for ground use, the method will be transitioned to spaceflight applications to remotely monitor key biochemical parameters in flight animals. Successful application of NASA implantable biosensor and biotelemetry technologies should accelerate the advancement of this and other modern medical procedures while furthering the exploration of life in space.

Aerospace Medicine↗

Silent ST segment deviations and extent of coronary artery disease.

Fifty patients who underwent coronary and left ventricular angiography for suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) had ambulatory ECG monitoring at a time remote from that of catheterization. After correcting for positional ST segment variation on ambulatory ECG, the amount of time that ST segments deviated more than 1 mm. from baseline without corresponding angina was determined, and these results were correlated with results of angiography. Silent ST segment deviations were seen in patients without significant CAD in 2.2% of observations, but increased significantly with extent of coronary artery disease (2.9%, 8.2%, and 10.1% of observations in the one-, two-, and three-vessel disease groups, respectively). This relationship was independent of ventricular function, resting ECG, and previous symptoms. It is concluded that silent ST segment deviations on ambulatory ECG reflect the presence and severity of coronary artery disease.

Adult↗

Vital signs services for secure telemedicine applications.

Telemedicine using teleconference provides only a part of the picture. The remote patient's electronic medical record and vital signs may often be essential for proper diagnosis and treatment. While there are commercial solutions for telemonitoring, they do not address issues such as security and interoperability leveraging the growing public communications infrastructure. On the other hand there are performance considerations due to the quality of service over available communications media that can hinder real-time operation. The objective of this research effort is to develop secure tele-monitoring facilities that enable healthcare providers to collaborate over public communication networks; to securely convey their patient's vital signs to a remote specialist; and to enable "near real-time" examination of those vital sign data. It is our belief that such applications can help overcome barriers to quality healthcare in the scattered populations of rural areas enabling telemedicine to be a part of the practice of medicine. The authors, who are developing secure telemedicine applications, describe their approach in developing secure vital signs services.

Blood Pressure↗

Virtual center for renal support: technological approach to patient physiological image.

The patient physiological image (PPI) is a novel concept which manages the knowledge of the virtual center for renal support (VCRS), currently being developed by the Biomedical Engineering Group of the University of Seville. PPI is a virtual "replica" of the patient, built by means of a mathematical model, which represents several physiological subsystems of a renal patient. From a technical point of view, PPI is a component-oriented software module based on cutting-edge modeling and simulation technology. This paper provides a methodological and technological approach to the PPI. Computational architecture of PPI-based VCRS is also described. This is a multi-tier and multi-protocol system. Data are managed by several ORDBMS instances. Communications design is based on the virtual private network (VPN) concept. Renal patients have a minimum reliable access to the VCRS through a public switch telephone network--X.25 gateway. Design complies with the universal access requirement, allowing an efficient and inexpensive connection even in rural environments and reducing computational requirements in the patient's remote access unit. VCRS provides support for renal patients' healthcare, increasing the quality and quantity of monitored biomedical signals, predicting events as hypotension or low dialysis dose, assisting further to avoid them by an online therapy modification and easing diagnostic tasks. An online therapy adjustment experiment simulation is presented. Finally, the presented system serves as a computational aid for research in renal physiology. This is achieved by an open and reusable modeling and simulation architecture which allows the interaction among models and data from different scales and computer platforms, and a faster transference of investigation models toward clinical applications.

Aged↗

School nurse, family and provider connectivity in the FITE diabetes project.

The Florida Initiative in Telehealth and Education (FITE) diabetes project includes a system of remote blood glucose monitoring and online education for school personnel, families and providers. Forty-four patients with diabetes (100% of patients), six caregivers, six case managers and 18 school nurses were provided with secure email access, allowing blood glucose and other data transfer. In all, 50% of school nurses and 100% of case managers completed educational modules on the FITE Website. Over 90% of patients and all school nurses received equipment for transmitting blood glucose data to their computers. The data were discussed during clinic appointments. Inclusion of previously unavailable data from school nurses contributed to fine-tuning the diabetes management regimen. Those patients, families and school nurses who chose to transmit blood glucose data and participate in online education expressed satisfaction with the technology, the process and the improved communication.

Blood Glucose↗