[Correlation between work conditions and the occurrence of vibration disease in forestry workers II]. / Zwiazki miedzy warunkami pracy i czestotliwoscia wystepowania choroby wibracyjnej u pracowników zatrudnionych w lesnictwie. Czesc II.

The frequency of occurrence of vibration disease in 460 randomly chosen sawworkers, from 20 to 65 years of age, working with motor-saws of the KBK-3a and Partner R-11 types was determined. The control group consisted of 136 forestry workers non-exposed to vibration. Vibration disease was observed in 22.6% of motor-sawers, and it was suspected in 6.7%. The occurrence of vibration disease is significantly dependent on the age, daily exposure to vibration, working period in years and--especially strongly--(p less than 0.001) on the amount of timber produced and fuel used for the saw. It was discovered that daily exposure to motor-saw vibration with the type BK-3a considered, should not exceed 2 hours a day. The amount of timber produced by the saw-worker as m3 of timber felled, should not exceed 5.000 m3 in a year and 40.000 m3 in the whole employment period.

[Relations between working conditions and occurrence of vibration disease in forestry workers. I]. / Zwiazek miedzy warunkami pracy i czestoscia wystepowania choroby wibracyjnej u pracowników zatrudnionych w lesnictwie. CZ. I.

The level of mechanic vibrations intensity of 20 motor saws of the BK-3a type and 5 saws of the Partner R-11 type was determined and the evaluation of 460 motorsawers' vibration exposure--in case of working on these types of saws--was performed. The evaluation covered saws of various technical conditions, with which felling, cross-cutting and trimming of soft and hard timber were performed. The vibration measured exceeds 3--5 times Soviet hygienic normatives and ISO, especially in octave frequencies of 63 and 125 Hz. The intensity level of vibrations was significantly dependent on the technical conditions of the saw, activities performed with it and the hardness of timber. The evaluation of the woodcutters' exposure to vibration in a day, a year and the whole employment period was performed on the basis of the test-checking, the ammount of timber produced, fuel used for the saw and days of saw-work. Daily exposure to vibration was 2,4 +/- 1,2 hours and was of intermittent, irregular character. Motor-sawers worked with saws from 31 to 296 days a year, producing yearly from 973 to 10.503 m3 of timber as m3 of timber felled.

[Hearing impairment in operators of motor saws]. / Ocena uszkodzenia sluchu u pilarzy motorowych.

An otolaryngological and audiometric examination was performed among 901 motor-sawers occupationally exposed to motor-saw noise, and among 177 persons in a non-exposed control group. Hearing impairment of various degrees was found in 83.7% of motor-sawers examined. In 63.5% of motor sawers hearing impairment was due to noise exposure. The hearing impairment found, was in 88% a reciprocal receptive loss, more intensified in the left ear. It was positively correlated with motor-savers' age, duration of employment in exposure to motor-saw noise, and the amount of wood cut. The average hearing impairment in both ears was significantly higher among motor-sawers with hearing damage due to various causes, than among those with damage due to the motor-saw noise only, which proves a simultaneous overlapping of different factors inducing impairment, including motor-saw noise.

[Morbidity among forestry workers]. / Ocena chorobowosci u pracowników lesnictwa.

The past and presently diagnosed diseases (excluding vibration disease and occupational hearing impairment) were analysed in 1105 sawers operating combustion drive mechanic saws and in 295 controls. The greatest rate, both in the sawers and controls, was that of the diseases of respiratory tract, circulatory system and osseo -- articulo -- muscular system, nervous system and sense organs. These constituted 86% of all diseases that afflicted sawers and controls. No specific general morbidity accompanying vibration disease or occupational hearing impairment was found in the sawers exposed to noise and vibration.

[A patient under the influence of alcohol under acute care in the emergency department]. / Chory pod wplywem alkoholu w praktyce ostrego dyzuru chirurgii urazowej.

The authors of this paper paid special attention to the problem of treatment patients being under influence of drink, which was very often left out in the past. Investigation shows the cases contains patients treated in Clinic of Traumatology CM UJ in years 1990-1994 and pays attention to difference between these patients to the others. The authors included difficulties, that physicians usually meet in process of diagnosis and treatment. Data was analysed under sort of injuries and their causes. Complement data is lawful, toxicological and economical aspect of the question. This work means to make easier taking the decision about diagnosis and treatment for the physicians, who meet such kind of patients during emergency service.

[X-ray changes in the osteoarticular system in sawyers]. / Zmiany rentgenowskie w ukladzie kostno-stawowym u pilarzy.

X-ray test of the osteo-articular system of upper limbs was carried out on 1231 saweyers and 272 controls as well as 50 intellectuals. Three x-ray tests were carried out on 207 sawyers and on a control group of 95 workers, to assess the progression of osseous changes. The same types od changes were found in sawyers and control group workers; besides similar frequency in the examined parts of the upper limb was found in them. The most frequent changes are: osseous cyst, osteoporosis degenerative-deformative changes and calcar of the ulnar. The greatest amounts of changes were observed in the bones and joints of the hand and next in elbow joint and acromioclavicular joint. It was observed that amoungst the sawyers and the control group workers, the greatest amounts of changes occur after 2 years of work. Progression of osseous changes after 3-4 years of work was observed in 30,9% sawyers and 12,6% control group workers.

[Comparison of principles used to establish eligibility for disability pensions for orthopedic cases in Germany and in Poland. II. Polish rules for establishing eligibility in orthopedics]. / Porównanie zasad orzecznictwa rentowego w przypadkach ortopedycznych stosowanego w Niemczech i w Polsce. Czesc II: Zasady orzecznictwa polskiego w ortopedii.

The goal of the present paper is to compare the rules used in Germany and Poland to establish an individual's eligibility for a disability pension in cases of orthopedic disorders. Harmonizing these rules is one of the basic factors needed to create the proper platform for cooperation among health care systems in all the countries associated with the European Union. This second part of the work will discuss the Polish rules for eligibility proceedings in orthopedic cases. The example of spinal disorders is used to explain the format for the examination conducted by an orthopedic specialist in the course of the process of determining the disability group to which the person belongs.

Arterial injures in the Emergency Room Practice of Traumatic Surgery.

Background. Although arterial injuries occur rarely (1,15%), they often lead to serious consequences (13% limb amputation), and can be the cause of patient deaths (9%).
Material and methods. The research involved 23 cases of traumatic injury to arteries in patients admitten for traumatic surgery to the Emergency Room at the Traumatology Clinic of the Jagiellonian University's Collegium's Medicum from 1997 to 2000.
Results. The article presents the surgical methods and outcomes for the various cases reported. In two cases of damage to the abdominal artery the patient did not survive; two patients with damage to the popliteal artery and one patient with a damaged femoral artery, the limb could not be saved. In the remaining cases good results were obtained.
Conclusions. The most important factors influencing outcome in the treatment of traumatic artery damage are the localization and nature of the injury and the time that elapses from the moment of injury until the patient arrives in the operating theater. For this reason it is essential that the trauma team have a physician with experience in vascular surgery.