The clinical characteristics of alcohol-related ocular rupture.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of drunken patients treated for ocular rupture, and to compare these results to patients injured without alcohol consumption. DESIGN AND METHODS: The medical records of 182 patients with or without alcohol consumption before injury who were treated and followed up because of ocular rupture at the Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University from October 2007 to October 2011 were evaluated retrospectively. The characteristics and outcomes of 45 alcohol-related injury patients were compared with the rest in the cohort. The clinical data included in this study were: anatomic sites and length of the wound, involvement of ocular adnexa injuries, evisceration rate, and final mean visual acuity. RESULTS: Wound locations were significantly different between the alcohol-related group and the non-alcohol-related one. Compared with the non-alcohol-related ocular rupture population, the anatomic sites of the drunken patients were more likely to be located at zone I and zone II (60.0 vs 40.1 %; χ2 = 5.39,P < 0.05). The difference of wound length between the alcohol-related group and the non-alcohol-related one was significant. The alcohol-related patients had a longer wound length (Z = -8.590,P < 0.05). Compared with the non-alcohol population, the alcohol-consuming patients were more likely to suffer adnexa injuries (84.4 vs 59.8 %; χ2 = 5.86,P < 0.05), and had worse final visual acuities (Z = -7.195,P < 0.05). The evisceration rate of the alcohol-related patients was significantly higher than the non-alcohol patients (24.4 vs 9.4 %; χ2 = 6.62,P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Drinking more easily leads to injury of the front part of eyes. Moreover, the drunken patients had a worse visual acuity outcome, longer wound length, higher evisceration rate, and were more prone to endure adnexa injuries. The importance of prevention and education to recognize the hazards of drinking cannot be overemphasized.

Are alcohol-related acute surgical admission rates falling?

BACKGROUND: Alcohol-related admissions (ARA) represent a significant burden on hospital resources. The study objectives were to assess alcohol-related acute surgical admissions to a District General Hospital over a 5-year period, to determine the cost of these admissions and to consider strategies to affect future admission rates. METHODS: A prospective observational study was completed from October 2007 to March 2008. A daily review of acute surgical admissions determined whether alcohol was a factor for patients admitted. Data recorded included patient demographics, clinical presentation, investigations and final outcomes. This data was then compared with a previously completed prospective study between November 2002 and March 2003. RESULTS: Overall emergency surgical admissions during the study period were 1,125 (10.4%) compared to 838 (11.02%) in 2002. There was a 1.1% reduction in ARA from 9.5% (80/838) in 2002 to 8.4% (94/1,125) in 2007. The majority of ARA were male (82.8%) and 59.8% of ARA were under 40 years of age. ARA secondary to road traffic collisions (RTC) were reduced in 2007 compared to 2002 (12.5% to 8.5%). However, head injuries (30.0% to 48.9%) and pancreatitis (3.8% to 19.1%) secondary to alcohol had increased (p=0.27). 79.3% of admissions occurred out of hours. Although use of plain x-rays had decreased (70% to 54.3%, p=0.018), CT imaging (11.3% to 20.2%, p=0.67) and upper GI endoscopy had increased (2.5% to 7.4%, p=0.82). Blood alcohol levels increased with 83.0% of patients in 2007 compared to 60.9% in 2002 admitted with a level greater than 151mg/100mls (p=0.10). The overall cost of ARA over one year was calculated at £341,796. CONCLUSION: Alcohol-related admissions have reduced at this District General Hospital. However, despite recent government initiatives it still remains unclear how these factors affected ARA, as blood alcohol levels, alcohol-related head injuries and pancreatitis admissions all increased. Our findings highlight the relevance of the implementation of an inpatient alcohol policy combined with the availability of an alcohol liaison nurse in all acute surgical units.