The University of Arizona Medical Center, a Level I trauma center in Tucson, Ariz., recently opened a new burn treatment room, according to a hospital press release. The room is equipped with: A shower trolley that enables seriously injured patients to undergo wound cleaning and debridement while laying down. The trolley may go to bedside…
Author: Trauma News
Two recent studies strengthened the case that mild traumatic brain injury can increase a person’s risk of stroke. In Taiwan, a group of researchers used a health insurance claims database to identify patients with mild TBI and patients with ischemic stroke. The study controlled for multiple comorbidities, including diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, atrial fibrillation and other…
A large phase III clinical trial has shown that treatment of acute traumatic brain injury with progesterone provides no significant benefit to patients when compared with a placebo, according to an Emory University press release. The ProTECT III study involved 49 trauma centers across the United States, and it took place between July 2009 and…
Nurses at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, a Level II trauma center in Colton, Calif., began a 48-hour strike on Tuesday. The county hospital is now on diversion, with any injured patients being taken to nearby Loma Linda University Medical Center, according to a San Bernardino County Sun report. Approximately 300 county-employed nurses are taking part…
A group of U.S. Army researchers recently proposed a new diagnosis for sleep disorders related to trauma, according to a Stars and Stripes report. Trauma-associated sleep disorder (TSD) includes disruptive sleep behaviors such as screaming, thrashing, sleepwalking and nightmares. Physicians saw an increase in sleep disturbance among soldiers following combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan,…
A new study in the Journal of Neuroscience shows that traumatic brain injury can disrupt the function of the brain’s “waste removal system,” according to a press release from the University of Rochester Medical Center. When this occurs, toxic proteins may accumulate in the brain, setting the stage for the onset of neurodegenerative diseases such…
American and Swedish researchers have found that elevated blood levels of a brain-enriched protein shortly after sports-related concussion can predict the severity of post-concussion symptoms, according to a University of Pennsylvania press release. The protein is calpain-cleaved αII-spectrin N-terminal fragment, known as SNTF. The complete findings were released in the Journal of Neurotrauma. SNTF is…
Trauma activation fees have skyrocketed in recent years, according to a Tampa Bay Times report. Nearly 20% of centers charge more than $15,000 for a trauma activation. Hospitals in California and Florida top the list of centers charging the highest trauma fees. The report is based on records gathered from 267 hospitals in 30 states.…
Patients with less complex fractures but no insurance were more likely than insured patients to be transferred to a Level I trauma center for definitive care, according to a study in the Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma. The study compared fracture patients taken directly to the Level I center to those arriving by transfer from another…
Spine trauma injuries in infants and toddlers differ significantly from spine injuries in older children, according to a recent study from the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics. The study examined 206 children treated at a Level I pediatric trauma center. Infants and toddlers (ages 0 to 3) were much more likely than older children (ages 4…