This adult cohort determined the incidence and patients' short-term outcomes of severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) in Switzerland and age-related differences. A prospective cohort study with a follow-up at 14 days was performed. Patients ≥16 years of age sustaining sTBI and admitted to 1 of 11 trauma centers were included. sTBI was defined by an Abbreviated Injury Scale of the head (HAIS) score >3. The centers participated from 6 months to 3 years. The results are presented as percentages, medians, and interquartile ranges (IQRs). Subgroup analyses were performed for patients ≤65 years (younger) and >65 (elderly). sTBI was observed in 921 patients (median age, 55 years; IQR, 33-71); 683 (74.2%) were male. Females were older (median age, 67 years; IQR, 42-80) than males (52; IQR, 31-67; p<0.00001). The estimated incidence was 10.58 per 100,000 inhabitants per year. Blunt trauma was observed in 879 patients (95.4%) and multiple trauma in 283 (30.7%). Median Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) on the scene was 9 (IQR 4-14; 8 in younger, 12 in elderly) and in emergency departments 5 (IQR, 3-14; 3 in younger, 8 in elderly). Trauma mechanisms included the following: 484 patients with falls (52.6%; younger, 242 patients [50.0%]; elderly, 242 [50.0%]), 291 with road traffic accidents (31.6%; younger, 237 patients [81.4%]; elderly, 54 [18.6%]), and 146 with others (15.8%). Mortality was 30.2% (24.5% in younger, 40.9% in elderly). Median GCS at 14 days was 15 (IQR, 14-15) without differences among subgroups. Estimated incidence of sTBI in Switzerland was low, age was high, and mortality considerable. The elderly had higher initial GCS and a higher death rate, but high GCS at 14 days.

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BackgroundSuggested guidelines for nutritional support after pancreaticoduodenectomy are still controversial. Recent evidence suggests that combining enteral nutrition (EN) with parenteral nutrition (PN) improves outcome. For ten years, patients have been treated with Early Combined Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ECPEN) after PD. The aim of this study was to report on rationale, safety, effectiveness and outcome associated with this method.MethodsConsecutive PD performed between 2003 and 2012 were analyzed retrospectively. Early EN and PN was standardized and started immediately after surgery. EN was increased to 40 ml/h (1 kcal/ml) over 24 h, while PN was supplemented based on a daily energy target of 25 kcal/kg. Standard enteral and parenteral products were used.ResultsSixty-nine patients were nutritionally supplemented according to ECPEN. The median coverage of kcal per patients related to the total caloric requirements during the entire hospitalization (nutrition balance) was 93.4% (range: 100%–69.3%). The nutritional balance in patients with needle catheter jejunostomy (NCJ) was significantly higher than in the group with nasojejunal tube (97.1% vs. 91.6%; p < 0.0001). Mortality rate was 5.8%, while major complications (Clavien-Dindo 3–5) occurred in 21.7% of patients. Neither the presence of preoperative malnutrition nor the application of preoperative immunonutrition was associated with postoperative clinical outcome.ConclusionThis is the first European study of ECPEN after PD. ECPEN is safe and, especially in combination with NCJ, provides comprehensive coverage of caloric requirements during the postoperative phase. Clinical controlled trials are needed to investigate potential benefits of complete energy supplementation during the early postoperative phase after PD.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Delirium is a frequent intensive care unit (ICU) complication, affecting 26% to 80% of ICU patients, often with serious consequences. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness, costs and benefits of following a standardised multiprofessional, multicomponent delirium guideline on eight outcomes: delirium prevalence and duration, lengths of stay in ICU and hospital, in-hospital mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, and cost and nursing hours per case. It also aimed to explore the associations of delirium with length of ICU stay, length of hospital stay and duration of mechanical ventilation.

Genital findings in sexually abused prepubertal girls. Childhood sexual abuse is defined as the involvement of dependent, developmentally immature children and adolescents in sexual activities that they do not fully comprehend, to which they are unable to give informed consent or that violate the social taboos of family roles. Essential to the diagnosis of sexual abuse is an awareness of the problem and acknowledgement of its manifestations. The evaluation of the sexually abused girl usually is performed in a pediatric and adolescent gynecology outpatient department. Thus, the gynecologist will be part of a multidisciplinary approach to the problem and will need to be competent in the basic skills of history taking, physical examination, selection of laboratory tests und differential diagnosis. Findings secondary to sexual abuse are often subtle. Acute tears or bruisings are rare, because force is seldom part of sexual acts committed against a child. A vaginal opening of greater than 5 mm is not common and may indicate vaginal penetration. An intact hymen not necessarily exclude vaginal intercourse. Lack of physical evidence never rules out abuse because sexual acts may leave no physical findings.