Uma nova ambulância para transporte de doentes e acidentados / A new ambulance for transportation of patients and accident victims

Apresenta-se um novo veículo para transporte de pacientes acidentados, com aumento de 30% da área interna útil e teto elevado, que possibilita massagem cardíaca externa e maior facilidade para manutençäo de via venosa. As condiçöes de segurança para os socorristas, durante o transporte, foram aumentadas pela utilizaçäo de assentos escamoteáveis dotados de cintos de segurança. Foi acrescida uma maca destinada especialmente ao transporte de suspeitos de fraturas. Os testes, realizados com pessoal treinado, confirmaram a possibilidade de realizaçäo contínua e efetiva das medidas de reanimaçäo durante o transporte. A possibilidade de execuçäo de massagem cardíaca externa e demais medidas de reanimaçäo cardiopulmonar, pela reduçäo da necessidade de desenvolver grandes velocidades, aumentou significativamente a segurança dos socorristas e dos pacientes

Halo traction with the Circolectric bed in the treatment of severe spinal deformities: a preliminary report.

The role of preoperative traction has long been recognized in the treatment of patients with severe spinal deformities. However, the many complications associated with halo-femoral and halo-pelvic types of traction have led us to develop a program of halo traction combined with the use of a Circolectric bed. Between 1974 and 1979, 18 patients were treated in this manner. Results were analyzed by dividing the patients into three groups, based on the severity of deformity and the specific traction program employed. Results have been very encouraging, both with preoperative traction for curve correction and postoperative traction for maintaining correction.

Evaluation of the operative treatment of syndactyly.

A review of the records of 61 patients with 176 surgically treated webs was completed to evaluate the results of the different operative techniques used to separate the fingers. The postoperative follow-up period averaged 14 years, with a range from 2 to 38 years. The patients were assessed in two groups: those with major associated anomalies and those in whom syndactyly was the principal anomaly. Recurrence of the webs and flexion and extension contractures occurred more often when split-thickness grafts were used. To obtain a satisfactory result, a second procedure was necessary in 59% of patients with major associated anomalies, and in 30% of the patients who had syndactyly as the principal abnormality. Two types of patients were found to require subsequent operations: children treated prior to 18 months of age and those with complex syndactyly.

Severe complication of surgical treatment of congenital pseudarthrosis of the clavicle.

Congenital pseudarthrosis of the clavicle, as observed in a review of the literature, is a rare condition of uncertain etiology which usually presents on the right side. Four of 10 cases were treated by surgical repair of the pseudarthrosis with excision of the non-union and internal fixation with a Steinmann pin and cancellous bone graft. A major postoperative complication in one case consisted of an acute massive neuropraxia of the brachial plexus (recognized 6 hours postoperatively), and was successfully treated by immediate removal of the internal fixation. Ten months postoperatively, the patient was experiencing only minimal weakness of the right opponens muscle. Roentgenograms at this time showed that the pseudarthrosis had healed but with angulation of the clavicle.