Sevdegul Karadas

Review of Van earthquakes form an orthopaedic perspective: a multicentre retrospective study

PurposeThis is a descriptive analysis, of victims of Turkey’s October 23, 2011 and November 21, 2011 Van earthquakes. The goal of this study is investigated the injury profile of the both earthquakes in relation to musculoskeletal trauma.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed medical records of 3,965 patients admitted to in seven hospitals. A large share of these injuries were soft tissue injuries, followed by fractures, crush injuries, crush syndromes, nerve injuries, vascular injuries, compartment syndrome and joint dislocations. A total of 73 crush injuries were diagnosed and 31 of them were developed compartment syndrome.ResultsThe patients with closed undisplaced fractures were treated with casting braces. For closed unstable fractures with good skin and soft-tissue conditions, open reduction and internal fixation was performed. All patients with open fracture had an external fixator applied after adequate debridement. Thirty one of 40 patients with compartment syndrome were treated by fasciotomy. For twelve of them, amputation was necessary. The most common procedure performed was debridement, followed by open reduction and internal fixation and closed reduction-casting, respectively.ConclusionsThe results of this study may provide the basis for future development of strategy to optimise attempts at rescue and plan treatment of survivors with musculoskeletal injuries after earthquakes.

Indications of brain computed tomography scan in children younger than 3 years of age with minor head trauma

Objective. To investigate the indications to receive brain computed tomography (CT) scan and to define the pathological findings in children younger than three years of age with minor head trauma in emergency departments. Methods. In this study, hospital case notes of 1350 children attending the emergency department of Bitlis State Hospital between January 2011 and June 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. 508 children under 3 years of age with minor head trauma were included in this study. We also asked 37 physicians about the indications for requiring CT in these children. Results. This study included 508 children, 233 (45,9%) of whom were female and 275 were male. In 476 (93,7%) children, the brain CT was completely normal. 89,2% of physicians asked in the emergency department during that time interval reported that they requested CT scan to protect themselves against malpractice litigation. Conclusion. In infants and children with minor head trauma, most CT scans were unnecessary and the fear of malpractice litigation of physicians was the most common reason for requesting a CT.

High prevalence of chronic hepatitis D virus infection in Eastern Turkey: urbanization of the disease

Introduction Both hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection play an increasingly important role in liver diseases. The main objective of this study was to investigate the socio-epidemiological, laboratory and radiological aspects of both HBV and HDV infection near the Iranian border of Turkey. Material and methods The study included 3352 patients with HBV and HDV infection. Socioepidemiological, laboratory and radiological aspects of the study subjects were retrospectively examined. Comorbid metabolic diseases were not assessed due to the retrospective design of the study. Results Most of the study subjects were HBe antigen negative. No significant difference in terms of HBV-DNA levels or HBe antigen seropositivity was detected between the city centre and rural areas (p > 0.005). The mean HBV-DNA level in the anti-HDV-positive group was significantly lower than in the anti-HDV-negative group (p < 0.001). The rate of HDV-RNA positivity in women was higher than in their male counterparts (p = 0.017). Anti-HDV-IgG was detected in 18.4% of tested subjects who came from an urban area. In contrast, 12.5% of subjects of the rural group had a positive result for anti-HDV-IgG. Among 134 ultrasonographically evaluated delta hepatitis patients, 37.3% had liver cirrhosis. On the other hand, in 1244 patients with hepatitis B monoinfection, there were 90 patients with liver cirrhosis. Radiologically, the rate of hepatic steatosis in delta hepatitis patients was lower than in those with HBV monoinfection. Conclusions Hepatitis D virus infection was particularly prevalent among the urban population as well as in female subjects. More broadly, the current observations are the first to suggest an inverse correlation between delta hepatitis and ultrasonography-proven hepatic steatosis.

Serum prolidase enzyme activity and oxidative stress levels in patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke

Abstract Background. It has been indicated that oxidative damage contributes to secondary brain injury in both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients. Collagen is a major component of the extracellular matrix, and prolidase plays a role in collagen synthesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum prolidase activity, nitric oxide (NO) levels, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidant status (TOS) in patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke. Methods. Twenty-five patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke and 25 controls were enrolled. Serum prolidase activity, catalase activity, NO levels, TAC and TOS were measured spectrophotometrically. Oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated. Results. Serum TAC levels and catalase activity were significantly lower in acute hemorrhagic stroke patients than controls (both, p < 0.001), while NO levels, TOS levels, OSI values and prolidase activity were significantly higher (all, p < 0.01). When patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke were divided according to gender, no differences were observed between females and males in respect to serum prolidase enzyme activity, NO levels, TAC levels, TOS levels and OSI values (all, p > 0.05). Conclusions. Findings from the study suggest an association between increased oxidative stress levels, decreased antioxidant levels and increased prolidase enzyme activity in patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke compared with controls. More studies are needed to elucidate mechanistic pathways on oxidative stress in patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke.

The Syndrome of Inappropriate Secretion of AntiDiuretic Hormone in Patients With Brucellosis.

Various studies have shown that a number of infectious disease causes syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). However, the relationship between infectious disease and SIADH is not yet fully known. In this prospective study, we aimed to assess the presence of SIADH in patients with brucellosis.

Effectivity of one session charcoal hemoperfusion treatment in severe carbamazepine poisoning.

A carbamazepine intoxication with suicide attempt is a relatively common clinical problem that presenting with coma, respiratory depression, arrhythmia, hemodynamic instability and even death. We report a case of severe carbamazepine poisoning that was successfully treated with one session charcoal hemoperfusion. On admission, the patient was comatose and required ventilator support. Hemoperfusion with coated activated charcoal successfully decreased the serum carbamazepine concentration from 45 µg mL−1 to 21 µg mL−1 within 2 h, with subsequent clinical improvement.

Pregnancy and trauma: analysis of 139 cases.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine the diagnoses and treatment methods and demographical and clinical characteristics of pregnant women who were exposed to trauma and in additon, review of the literature was carried out in this regard. MATERIAL AND METHODS One hundred thirty-nine pregnant women who presented at the Yüzüncü Yıl University between January 2006 and September 2009 with local or general body trauma complaints were analysed retrospectively. RESULTS The average age of the cases was 26.72±6.29 years and the age group ranging from 21-34 composed the majority. When they were studied according to their etiologies, falls during daily activities formed 43.9%. When they were analyzed in terms of their gestational weeks, 64.46% were in the 3(rd) trimester. Pregnant cases with trauma resulted in maternal (3 cases) and fetal (9 cases) loss. It was found that 19 cases who had imaging techniques involving radiation and whose gestation was continuing had a problem-free gestation period and healthy children. CONCLUSION It is mandatory to evaluate both mother and fetus together when trauma exposure is in question, the general well-being of the fetus should be provided and the mother should be informed about the presence of advanced trauma life support.

The effects on complications and myopathy of different voltages in electrical injuries

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to investigate the demographic and clinical characteristics of electrical injuries, laboratory findings, complications, and mortality and morbidity rates of these injuries. METHODS Patients with electrical injuries admitted to the emergency department between January 2006-2010 were retrospectively analyzed. The cases were evaluated by age, gender, source of electrical power (low-high voltage), seasonal distribution, ECG changes, laboratory findings, clinical care units, complications, and mortality rate. RESULTS Eighty-four (57.1%) of the cases were exposed to low-voltage electricity (Group I), while 63 (42.9%) of the cases were exposed to high-voltage electricity (Group II). The majority of cases with electrical injuries were aged 26-45 years. Thirty of the women (85.7%) were wounded by low-voltage while 58 of the men (51.8%) were wounded by high-voltage electricity. Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, and CK-MB levels were higher and the level of calcium was lower in Group II. Complications (pathologies due to fall from high levels, cardiac dysrhythmias, compartment syndrome) and the mortality rate were higher in Group II. CONCLUSION In cases with high-voltage electrical injuries, cardiac complications, complications due to fall from high levels and the mortality rate increase in conjunction with the degree of the muscle damage.

A retrospective analysis of acute poisoning during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to investigate and analyse pregnant women who were admitted to our emergency service due to acute poisoning. MATERIAL AND METHODS All cases were retrospectively collected from our computer records and emergency record book between 01.01.2006 and 01.01.2010; the registration data on age, gravidity, gestational week, whether the poisoning was deliberate or accidental, causative agent, admission time, treatment results and mortality outcome were collected and analyzed. RESULTS Eighty eight women admitted with acute poisoning were known to be pregnant and the poisoning was accidental in 23% of the cases, while 77% were suicidal intoxications. 74% of patients were in the 21-34 age group. Accidental intoxications were due to carbon monoxide, foods and cleaning products. 75.4% of the suicidal poisonings were caused by medical drugs, with analgesics, multiple drugs and psychiatric drugs being the top culprits and accounted for 53%, 31% and 16% of drug poisonings respectively. In terms of gestational week, 47.4% of suicidal poisonings were within the first trimester and the relationship between suicidal attempt and gestational week was found to be statistically significant (p<0.015). However, the relationship between gravidity and the rate of suicidal attempts was not statistically significant (p=0.214). All patients were followed up and treated in the emergency service and no mortality was observed in the study. CONCLUSION Most cases of acute poisonings during pregnancy were suicidal. Pregnant women attempted suicide mostly within the first trimester of gestation. The most common agents used for suicidal attempt were medical drugs.

Brucellosis-related acute pancreatitis: A rare complication of a universal disease.

Objectives To determine the prevalence and determinants of acute pancreatitis in patients with acute brucellosis. Methods Adult patients with brucellosis were retrospectively recruited. Brucellosis and acute pancreatitis were diagnosed according to standard criteria. Laboratory analyses included Wright agglutination titre, serum biochemical parameters and blood count. Results Patients with acute pancreatitis (n = 21) had significantly higher Wright agglutination titres, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, amylase, lipase and serum glucose concentrations, and significantly lower haemoglobin concentrations and haematocrit than patients with brucellosis alone (n = 326). Conclusions Hyperglycaemia, anaemia, and liver transaminase and cholestatic enzyme concentrations may represent new approaches for assessing disease severity in patients with brucellosis and acute pancreatitis.