[Reduction of injuries related to manual handling of patients: two preventive methods used in five Ferrara district hospitals]. / Riduzione degli infortuni relativi alla movimentazione carichi/pazienti in un'Azienda Sanitaria Locale: analisi degli interventi preventivi prima e dopo.

AIMS: To evaluate the effectiveness of two training programs on the reduction of injuries from manual handling of patients in five hospitals under the district of Ferrara. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed injuries that occurred between 2002 and 2010. In 2004/2005 and 2008/2010 the health-care workers underwent to two different training programs. In 2007, the hospitals purchased assistive devices. RESULTS: In 2006 there were 82 accidents. After the acquisition of the assistive devices (2007) and the new training program (2008/2010), the accidents dropped to 32. CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the effectiveness of the combined training programs and assistive devices in reducing the number of accidents.

Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction.

Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO) is a severe functional digestive syndrome characterised by a derangement of gut propulsive motility which resembles mechanical obstruction. It may be associated with disabling and potentially life-threatening complications. CIPO can be secondary to a variety of diseases, but it is more frequently idiopathic. Most cases are sporadic, but familial forms have also been described. Based on histological features CIPO can be classified into three major entities: neuropathies, mesenchymopathies, and myopathies depending on the predominant involvement of enteric neurones, interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) or smooth muscle cells, respectively. Mitochondriopathies may be responsible for a syndromic form of CIPO, i.e. mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy. Management of CIPO involves nutritional, pharmacological and surgical therapies, but the long-term outcome turns out to be poor in the vast majority of cases. The main pathogenetic and clinical features of the syndrome, together with current management recommendations are reviewed in this chapter.