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Biomedical subjects

R F Edlich

Publications and source records attributed to R F Edlich.

At least 397 records · Page 22Linked to original sources

Scavenging high-voltage copper wire, a hazardous petty larceny.

With the current emphasis on recycling and the establishment of markets for sale of used copper wire, scavenging of copper wire from old buildings and equipment has become common. Although scavenging without permission constitutes theft, a more significant risk to the perpetrator is the potential for electrical burn injury in attempting to remove "hot" wire. A severe high-voltage electrical burn injury sustained while attempting to scavenge wire from an old house is reported. The circumstances surrounding the injury, the clinical management of the case, and the long-term consequences to the patient are presented and discussed.

Adult↗

Influence of emergency physician's tying technique on knot security.

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of emergency physician's tying technique on knot security using 2-0 and 4-0 monofilament and multifilament nylon sutures. Using an Instron Tensile Tester and a portable tensiometer, knot security was achieved with these sutures using four-throw square knots (1 = 1 = 1 = 1). After didactic and psychomotor skill training, medical students were taught to construct the four-throw square knot using either a two-hand tie or an instrument tie. Using the portable tensiometer, their knot tying techniques were judged to be superior to those used by emergency physicians. The emergency physician's faulty technique can easily be corrected by didactic information and psychomotor skill training.

Emergency Medicine↗

New, innovative packaging system for surgical sutures and needles.

A new, innovative packaging system for surgical needles and sutures has been developed that meets the special needs of emergency physicians, surgeons, and operating personnel. This packaging system consists of an overwrap, or breather pouch, as well as an innerwrap containing the needle swaged to a surgical suture. The flaps of the overwrap are offset and serrated to facilitate the opening and sterile transfer of the inner packet to the sterile field. The inner packet contains either a plastic labyrinth or craft board that maintains the suture as straight as possible until knot construction. The needle swaged to a suture is parked in foam to protect its sharp cutting edges and point.

Emergency Service, Hospital↗

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy after a minor electric shock.

A 37-year-old right-handed female sustained a minor electric shock to her right hand while changing a bulb in a Kodak Reliant Intelligent Microfilmer 2000. She noted a progressive onset of parasthesias of her right hand that became associated with throbbing pain at rest, as well as swelling and profound weakness of her hand during the next two months. Plethysmography demonstrated arterial vasoconstriction of her right hand. Her reflex sympathetic dystrophy was successfully treated with cervicothoracic sympathetic blocks.

Adult↗

Immersion scald burns: strategies for prevention.

Tap water scald burns are common injuries to persons with disabilities, young children, and the elderly. A case is reported of an elderly woman with a physical and neurological handicap who while bathing received partial and full thickness (tap water) scald burns covering 20% of her total body surface area. This life-threatening injury could have been prevented with a Shower Safe, Inc. temperature-controlling water valve.

Accidents, Home↗

Technical considerations in the selection of a personal emergency response system.

It is the purpose of this report to provide an internal review of the personal response system (PRS) in our hospital. Our system is coordinated by volunteers without emergency physician supervision. It uses antiquated equipment in the client's homes and emergency response center. Calls are answered by individuals who have not been trained as dispatchers, and who do not record pertinent performance data. The technical considerations involved in the selection and operation of an ideal PRS system are described.

Aged↗

Gas-fired gravity floor furnace contact burns.

Infants and toddlers are at particular risk for contact burns from the registers of gas-fired floor furnaces. We report 11-month-old and 12-month-old boys who sustained the classic grid-like pattern of burns to their skin after contracting the registers of gas-fired floor furnaces. The depth of these burns were judged to be partial thickness and healed without the application of skin grafts. Manufacturers must devise safe registers for gas-fired furnaces that will not cause contact burn injuries.

Burns↗

Stress fracture of the femoral neck in a long distance runner: biomechanical aspects.

With the rising public interest in physical fitness, emergency physicians are seeing an increasing number of stress fractures. Early diagnosis, followed by conservative management, allowed a long-distance runner with a compression type stress fracture of the femoral neck to return to running. The biomechanical cause of this injury may be related to erosion of the sole of the running shoe that reduced its shock absorption and increased the potential for injury.

Adult↗

Biomechanical performance of microsurgical spatula needles for the repair of nail bed injuries.

The purpose of this study was to determine the mechanical performance of microsurgical spatula needles for repair of nail bed injuries. Standard biomechanical tests have been devised to evaluate the performance of microsurgical spatula needles. Two comparable groups of microsurgical spatula needles were selected from two different manufacturers for these biomechanical studies. The results of this testing demonstrated that needle point geometry and needle composition were important determinants of needle performance. When needles of comparable size were evaluated, the biomechanical performance of the CS160-8 spatula needle (Ethicon, Inc., Somerville, NJ) was superior to the C-5 spatula needles (Alcon, Inc., Fort Worth, TX). While the development of these biomechanical tests has allowed the evaluation of these microsurgical spatula needles, these same tests can be used to assess the performance of new microsurgical spatula needles.

Alloys↗

My last lecture.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Education, Medical↗

Steam vaporizer burn injuries.

Steam vaporizers increase indoor relative humidity by releasing steam into the air. The temperature of the steam is sufficiently high to cause severe burns. We report two cases of children who received partial thickness burns from steam vaporizers. Because of the high risk of burn injury, the manufacturers should be required to label the surface of the boiling chamber of the vaporizer with a warning statement.

Burns↗

A new hazard of cornstarch, an absorbable dusting powder.

Cornstarch is currently the only powder used in the manufacture of surgical and examination gloves. The purpose of this study was to determine if cornstarch damages local tissue defenses in contaminated wounds. It was found that in contaminated wounds, cornstarch enhanced the growth of bacteria and elicited exaggerated inflammatory responses as measured by wound induration. As a result of this investigation, we do not recommend the use of gloves with cornstarch powders.

Animals↗

Model rocket engine burn injuries: the need for stricter regulation.

During the 18-year period from 1975 to 1992, the Consumer Product Safety Commission's National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database received reports of 18 burn injuries caused by model rocketry sets and their engines. Children in the age range of 11 to 15 years, who frequently use the products inappropriately, are the pediatric population most at risk. Unfortunately, current regulations do not impose age restrictions on the purchase or use of these products; consequently, the industry sets its own age limits. The current regulations appear to be inadequate and need to be altered to cover the population at risk. Specific recommendations include imposing an adequate age limit and improving the labelling of these products. Two case reports are presented that exemplify the typical burn injuries sustained from model rocket engine accidents.

Adolescent↗

Tissue adhesive wound repair revisited.

The purpose of this experimental study was to compare the effect of a tissue adhesive, N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate, on the wound's ability to resist infection and gain strength to the effect of percutaneous polypropylene suture. Percutaneous sutures damaged host defenses, inviting the growth of bacteria to a level that was significantly greater than that encountered with the tissue adhesive. Immediately after wound closure, percutaneous sutures provided a more secure closure, as measured by breaking strength, than did tissue adhesives. Seven days later, the breaking strengths of wounds closed by tissue adhesives did not differ significantly from those repaired with percutaneous sutures. Tissue adhesive closure requires less psychomotor skills than suture closure and is accomplished more rapidly than suture closure.

Animals↗

Joseph Larner's personal odyssey: search for the cause and cure of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Over the last five decades, Joseph Larner has tirelessly pursued scientific studies of the mechanism of insulin action, which are now providing new insight into the cause, diagnosis, and cure of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Larner demonstrated that D-chiro-inositol (D-CI) is virtually absent in the urine of patients with NIDDM. Consequently, he suggested that the insulin resistance seen in such patients is related to the absence of one of the mediators of insulin action containing D-CI. Moreover, Larner demonstrated that this D-CI deficiency and insulin resistance could be corrected by the administration of D-CI to experimental diabetic and insulin-resistant animals. From this pioneering research, the potential for therapy using D-CI in NIDDM is evident and must be evaluated expeditiously.

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2↗