Urgent Bite 147 – Thinking about golf injuries
For such a seemingly sedate and passive game played by old people, golf must be considered in a number of injuries.
Surviving a 400 m Fall on Mount Everest
Author: Dr Dinesh Deonarain
Type: Other research
Date: Sep 2022
Abstract:
Mountaineering is a dangerous recreational activity with falls causing severe injuries and deaths. Survival from falls longer than 100 m is uncommon. We present a case of a high-altitude porter on Mount Everest who fell 400 m and survived. He slipped from a ridge at 7000 m (22,900 ft). A rescue party found him above Camp 2 (6600 m, 21,600 ft) and arranged a helicopter rescue. The Everest ER medical team at Everest Base Camp (5400 m, 17,700 ft) received the climber. They identified a head injury without signs of other serious trauma. A doctor provided manual inline stabilization of the cervical spine, airway support, and ventilation for the patient during the helicopter and ground transport to a tertiary hospital in Kathmandu. The time from the fall to definitive hospital care was 2.5 h. The hospital emergency team diagnosed an epidural hematoma and subarachnoid hemorrhage without midline shift and right parietal, orbital, and maxillary fractures. The neurosurgical team evacuated the intracranial bleed. The patient spent 6 d in the hospital. He had a positive neurological outcome. He had mild cognitive impairment and vision loss in his left eye but could perform activities of daily living. He returned to physical work, but not to climbing. This case report provides evidence that survival is possible after falls from extreme heights and sheds light on the challenges of an evacuation from austere environments.
X-ray misinterpretation in urgent care: where does it occur, why does it occur, and does it matter?
Author: Dr Crispian Wilson
Type: Other research
Date: April 2022
Abstract:
Aims: To assess the error rate in plain film interpretation amongst urgent care doctors in the context of minor trauma, to determine where such errors occur and whether they affect patient care, and to identify possible causative factors. Methods: Five thousand X-ray interpretations occurring between March and August 2021 across six urgent care clinics were included in this retrospective study. Data analysis focused on demographic data, site of injury, the experience of the doctor interpreting the X-ray, and whether any change in management occurred following an error. Results: Six hundred and seventy-three X-ray interpretation errors occurred (13.5%), with 171 of these (3.4%) resulting in a change in patient management. Chest and elbow X-rays were misinterpreted most often. Both the age of the patient and training of the urgent care doctor had a significant effect on this error rate. The main impacts on patient management were cast removal and recall for review in the urgent care centre or an orthopaedic clinic. Conclusions: X-ray misinterpretation occurs at equivalent rates in urgent care when compared to the emergency department. Errors occur more commonly with paediatric patients and for doctors with less urgent care-specific training. These errors rarely result in any serious impact on patient management.
Urgent Bite 146 – Lost contact lenses
A person had 23 contact lenses under their eyelid.
Whakarongorau abdominal pain review
Author: Dr Matt Wright, Dr Fiona Pienaar
Type: Other research
Date: Oct 2022
Abstract:
aims: The purpose of this study was to compare the frequency and profile of abdominal pain calls to Healthline with that from other national healthcare providers; to evaluate the outcomes for this symptom against international telehealth providers; and to explore any inter-clinician variation in the response to abdominal pain that could be part of a quality improvement cycle. methods: Data routinely collected about abdominal pain calls to Healthline from 2017 to 2019 were extracted, analysed; and compared to the literature, hospital, and ambulance data and international telehealth providers. A specialist group was convened to review the profile of Healthline callers and outcome data. Variation in outcome changes and acuity grouping was evaluated at an individual level. results: Approximately 50,000 abdominal pain calls to Healthline over three years were analysed, with three-quarters from women, mostly of childbearing age. The majority call afterhours, with NZ European and, to a lesser extent, Māori, and callers from smaller geographical areas are over-represented. One quarter of patients had a hospital outcome (including 4% receiving an ambulance), which was found to be less acute than comparable health systems. Whakarongorau’s Clinical Governance Committee and the Specialist Group both supported the relative distribution of outcomes given by Healthline for abdominal pain. There was found to be variation in the outcomes given to abdominal pain callers at an individual clinician level. This was both in their changes to the disposition given by the Odyssey decision support tool and in their overall outcome distribution. conclusion: Healthline should be considered a key part of New Zealand’s healthcare system, as illustrated by the volume of calls that it receives and the fact that presentation types are similar to general practice and emergency departments. Given that abdominal pain is a difficult symptom to accurately address without in-person examination and investigation, the findings support Healthline’s outcomes as appropriate with hospitalisation rates lower than comparable healthcare systems. Whakarongorau’s (the organisation which runs Healthline) ability to identify individual clinician behaviours gives it a unique opportunity to improve care through decreasing variation..
Urgent Bite 145 – Perichondritis of the Pinna
A few important things to remember about perichondritis of the pinna.
COVID-19 Safety Pledge
The COVID-19 Safety Pledge (covidpledge.co.nz) initiative was launched to help and encourage businesses and organisations to protect their staff from COVID-19 as well as other airborne illness. We encourage readers to visit the site and consider signing up to the pledge.
Urgent Bite 144 – Long Drives and Differentials
Watching the recent World Long Drive competition highlighted how sometimes a history can be misleading.
Maternal Birth Injury Cover
In the coming days, Parliament will undertake the final reading of an amendment to our legislation. This expands accident cover to include certain maternal birth injuries experienced during labour and childbirth from 12.00am on 1 October 2022.
This is a significant change for ACC, but more importantly represents a positive step for the health of birthing parents and improving equity of access to the Accident Compensation scheme. This change means those with a covered maternal birth injury will be eligible for ACC-funded support, treatment, and care to help them in their recovery.
In preparation for this, our focus has been to make sure health practitioners across the motu can begin lodging claims from 1 October and our systems and people are ready to process them.