Paramedics in Switzerland: A Mature Profession.

This paper describes how the profession of paramedics has evolved in Switzerland and takes the perspective of public health. Ambulance drivers play an important role in the health system, not only as a response to emergencies, but also by working in an interprofessional and interdisciplinary manner in response to other public health needs, such as home care, triage, telemedicine and interhospital transfers. This pre-hospital system is rapidly evolving and relies on the work of paramedics.

Identification of ureteral stones at reduced radiation exposure: a pilot study comparing conventional versus digital low-dosage linear slot scanning (Lodox®) radiography.

PURPOSE: Digital low-dosage, linear slot scanning radiography (Lodox®) is an imaging modality that can emit down to one-tenth the radiation of conventional X-ray systems. We prospectively evaluated Lodox® as a diagnostic imaging modality in patients with ureterolithiasis. METHODS: Conventional kidney-ureter-bladder (KUB) X-ray and Lodox® were performed in 41 patients presenting with acute flank pain due to unilateral ureteral stone confirmed by computed tomography. KUB X-ray and Lodox® images were then reviewed by four blinded readers (urology expert/resident, radiology expert/resident). Identification rates were compared using Pearson's Chi square test. The impact of different parameters on stone identification by Lodox® was evaluated using logistic regression and generalized linear mixed models. Inter-reader agreement was tested using Cohen's kappa coefficient. RESULTS: Median stone size was 5 mm (range 2-12), median stone density was 800 HU (range 200-1500). The identification rates of the urology expert were 68% for KUB X-ray and 90% for Lodox® (p = 0.014), and for all four readers 61% for KUB X-ray and 62% for Lodox® (p = 0.8). Radiation exposure for KUB X-ray and Lodox® was 0.45 mSv (SD ± 0.64) and 0.027 mSv (SD ± 0.038), respectively. Multivariable analyses showed an association between stone identification by Lodox® and stone size (p < 0.001), stone density (p = 0.005), lower body mass index (p = 0.005), and reader (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The high identification rates and low radiation doses of Lodox® make it a promising imaging modality for the diagnosis of ureteral stones. Further validation in larger cohorts, including performance evaluation for renal stones, is warranted. TRIAL REGISTRATION: http://www.controlled-trails.com/ISRCTN12915426.

Pain management policies and reported practices in Swiss emergency departments: a national survey.

BACKGROUND: Acute pain is the most common complaint of patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs). Effective pain management is a core ED mission, but numerous studies have pointed to insufficient pain treatment or oligoanalgesia. According to a 1997 national survey in Swiss EDs, a validated pain scale was used in only 14%, an analgesia protocol in <5%, and 1.1% had a nurse-initiated pain protocol. Since then, numerous societal and health care factors have led to improved ED pain care. The aim of this study was to assess the state of ED pain management in Switzerland. METHODS: Hospital-based Swiss EDs open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week in 2013 were surveyed using a questionnaire. Data from 2013 were collected. Questions queried the pain management process by nurses and physicians in each ED. RESULTS: The response rate was 115 of 137 eligible EDs (84%). Pain intensity was assessed with a validated instrument in 71% of waiting rooms and in 99% of treatment areas. A nurse-initiated analgesia protocol was available in 56% of waiting rooms and in 70% of treatment areas. Physician pain protocols were available in 75%, and analgesia-sedation protocols in 51%. CONCLUSION: The pain management processes in Swiss EDs have improved over the last 17 years, and are now equivalent to other western countries. Our study did not, however, assess if these improvements resulted in better analgesia at the bedside, an important topic that will require further study.

Tuberculosis and Migration: A Challenge for Medical Staff and Public Health.

A high number of asylum seekers enter Switzerland every year. They often originate from countries with a high TB prevalence. Our patient from Somalia presented with 2 lipoma-like tumors with pain on palpation on his left chest wall but no symptoms including coughing, fever, night-sweats, or loss of weight. CT scan then showed diffuse infiltrations of his lung and multiple abscesses on his left chest wall. Therefore contagious tuberculosis (TB) was suspected and the patient was put in isolation. In the follow-up the diagnosis of open TB was proofed with bronchial secretion and EBUS-guided biopsy that showed acid-fast rods. This particular case shows how difficult the identification of patients with open TB can be, especially if there are no respiratory or systemic symptoms. Therefore awareness of possible infectious disease is paramount for ED Doctors treating patients from countries with high prevalence. Early and strict isolation measures can help to reduce risk of contagion among staff and patients.

Is a black eye a useful sign of facial fractures in patients with minor head injuries? A retrospective analysis in a level I trauma centre over 10 years.

Orbital blunt trauma is common, and the diagnosis of a fracture should be made by computed tomographic (CT) scan. However, this will expose patients to ionising radiation. Our objective was to identify clinical predictors of orbital fracture, in particular the presence of a black eye, to minimise unnecessary exposure to radiation. A 10-year retrospective study was made of the medical records of all patients with minor head trauma who presented with one or two black eyes to our emergency department between May 2000 and April 2010. Each of the patients had a CT scan, was over 16 years old, and had a Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) of 13-15. The primary outcome was whether the black eye was a valuable predictor of a fracture. Accompanying clinical signs were considered as a secondary outcome. A total of 1676 patients (mean (SD) age 51 (22) years) and minor head trauma with either one or two black eyes were included. In 1144 the CT scan showed a fracture of the maxillofacial skeleton, which gave an incidence of 68.3% in whom a black eye was the obvious symptom. Specificity for facial fractures was particularly high for other clinical signs, such as diminished skin sensation (specificity 96.4%), diplopia or occulomotility disorders (89.3%), fracture steps (99.8%), epistaxis (95.5%), subconjunctival haemorrhage (90.4%), and emphysema (99.6%). Sensitivity for the same signs ranged from 10.8% to 22.2%. The most striking fact was that 68.3% of all patients with a black eye had an underlying fracture. We therefore conclude that a CT scan should be recommended for every patient with minor head injury who presents with a black eye.

State of Emergency Medicine in Switzerland: a national profile of emergency departments in 2006.

BACKGROUND: Emergency departments (EDs) are an essential component of any developed health care system. There is, however, no national description of EDs in Switzerland. Our objective was to establish the number and location of EDs, patient visits and flow, medical staff and organization, and capabilities in 2006, as a benchmark before emergency medicine became a subspecialty in Switzerland. METHODS: In 2007, we started to create an inventory of all hospital-based EDs with a preliminary list from the Swiss Society of Emergency and Rescue Medicine that was improved with input from ED physicians nationwide. EDs were eligible if they offered acute care 24 h per day, 7 days per week. Our goal was to have 2006 data from at least 80% of all EDs. The survey was initiated in 2007 and the 80% threshold reached in 2012. RESULTS: In 2006, Switzerland had a total of 138 hospital-based EDs. The number of ED visits was 1.475 million visits or 20 visits per 100 inhabitants. The median number of visits was 8,806 per year; 25% of EDs admitted 5,000 patients or less, 31% 5,001-10,000 patients, 26% 10,001-20,000 patients, and 17% >20,000 patients per year. Crowding was reported by 84% of EDs with >20,000 visits/year. Residents with limited experience provided care for 77% of visits. Imaging was not immediately available for all patients: standard X-ray within 15 min (70%), non-contrast head CT scan within 15 min (38%), and focused sonography for trauma (70%); 67% of EDs had an intensive care unit within the hospital, and 87% had an operating room always available. CONCLUSIONS: Swiss EDs were significant providers of health care in 2006. Crowding, physicians with limited experience, and the heterogeneity of emergency care capabilities were likely threats to the ubiquitous and consistent delivery of quality emergency care, particularly for time-sensitive conditions. Our survey establishes a benchmark to better understand future improvements in Swiss emergency care.

Using micropower impulse radar technology to screen for pneumothorax: an international bi-institutional study.

BACKGROUND: Pneumothoraces (PTXs) are a common entity in thoracic trauma. Micropower impulse radar (MIR) has been able to detect PTXs in surgical patients. However, this technology has not been tested previously on trauma patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of MIR to detect clinically significant PTXs. We hypothesized that MIR technology can effectively screen trauma patients for clinically significant PTXs. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study in Level I trauma centers in Boston, Massachusetts, and Bern, Switzerland. All trauma patients undergoing a chest computed tomographic (CT) scan were eligible for the study. Consent was obtained, and readings were performed within 30 minutes before or after the CT scan. The patients had eight lung fields tested (four on each side). The qualitative and quantitative MIR results were blinded and stored on the device. We then compared the results of the MIR to the CT scan and the need for chest tube drainage. We defined PTXs as clinically significant if they required a chest tube. RESULTS: Seventy-five patients were enrolled, with a mean age of 46 ± 16 years. Eighty-four percent were male. The screening test took approximately 1 minute. All but two patients had blunt chest trauma. Six true-positives, 6 false-positives, 63 true-negatives, and 0 false-negatives resulted in an overall sensitivity of 100%. CONCLUSION: MIR is an easy to use handheld technology that effectively screened patients for clinically significant PTXs, with a sensitivity and negative predictive value of 100%. MIR may be used for rapid, repeatable, and ongoing surveillance of trauma patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic study, level III.

Could full-body digital X-ray (LODOX-Statscan) screening in trauma challenge conventional radiography?

BACKGROUND: ATLS Guidelines recommend single plain radiography of the chest and pelvis as part of the primary survey. Such isolated radiographs, usually obtained by bedside machines, can result in limited, low-quality studies that can adversely affect management. A new digital, low-radiation imaging device, the "Lodox Statscan" (LS), provides full-body anterior and lateral views based on enhanced linear slot-scanning technology in just over 5 minutes. We have the first LS in Europe at our facility. The aim of this study was to compare LS with computed tomographic (CT) scanning, as the gold standard, to determine the sensitivity of LS investigation in detecting injuries to the chest, thoracolumbar spine, and pelvis from our own experience, and to compare our findings with those of conventional radiography in the literature. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart analysis of 245 patients with multiple injuries examined by full-body LS imaging and CT scans between October 1, 2006 and October 1, 2007 at our facility. Patients under the age of 16 years were not included. LS and CT images of chest injuries, injuries to the thoracolumbar spine, and fractures of the pelvis were compared. At our facility, we no longer perform plain radiography for C-spine and head injury, but perform CT scans according to the Canadian rules. Findings with LS were also compared with those reported for conventional radiography in the literature. RESULTS: Compared with CT scanning, sensitivity and specificity of full-body digital X-ray of blunt chest trauma were 57% and 100%, respectively, thoracic spinal injury 43% and 100%, lumbar spine lesions 74% and 100%, and pelvic injury 72% and 99%. The positive and negative predictive value of LS imaging were 99% and 90% for blunt chest trauma, 100% and 93% for overall spinal injuries, and 90% and 97% for pelvic injuries. CONCLUSION: Full-body radiography with LS visualizes skeletal, chest, and pelvic pathologies "all-in-one." This low-radiation technology detected chest, thoracolumbar spine, and pelvic injuries with an overall sensitivity of 62% and a specificity of 99%. Compared with figures in the literature, LS was more accurate than conventional X-rays. A prospective randomized study is warranted to support these data.

Carotid resection and reconstruction for locally advanced head and neck tumors.

Head and neck surgeons hesitate to resect the carotid artery because of the postoperative risk of neurologic sequelae. However, there is no curative therapeutic option for head and neck neoplasms involving the carotid artery, with the exception of complete tumor removal. To evaluate the benefits and risks of carotid revascularization techniques in locally advanced head and neck tumors we performed a retrospective analysis in an institutional, tertiary care medical center. Seven patients (5 males, 2 females) with a median age of 58 years underwent en bloc removal of locally advanced head and neck tumors, including carotid resection and revascularization, in the University of Vienna General Hospital, over a 15-year period. In six patients carotid reconstruction was accomplished by bypass grafting (five autologous grafts, one synthetic graft) and in one patient angiopatchplasty was used. There were no perioperative neurologic complications or deaths. Survival was > 12 months in 5/7 patients; the other 2 patients died within 6 months due to untractable progression of cancer. We conclude that carotid revascularization techniques offer the possibility of better local control for advanced head and neck tumors without additional risks of neuromorbidity or mortality.