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Scandinavian Journal of Trauma,... Aug 2019Traumatic spinal cord injury is a relatively rare injury in Denmark but may result in serious neurological consequences. For decades, prehospital spinal stabilisation...
Traumatic spinal cord injury is a relatively rare injury in Denmark but may result in serious neurological consequences. For decades, prehospital spinal stabilisation with a rigid cervical collar and a hard backboard has been considered to be the most appropriate procedure to prevent secondary spinal cord injuries during patient transportation. However, the procedure has been questioned in recent years, due to the lack of high-quality studies supporting its efficacy. A national interdisciplinary task force was therefore established to provide updated clinical guidelines on prehospital procedures for spinal stabilisation of adult trauma patients in Denmark. The guidelines are based on a systematic review of the literature and grading of the evidence, in addition to a standardised consensus process.This process yielded five main recommendations:A strong recommendation against spinal stabilisation of patients with isolated penetrating trauma; a weak recommendation against the prehospital use of a rigid cervical collar and a hard backboard for ABCDE-stable patients; and a weak recommendation for the use of a vacuum mattress for patient transportation. Finally, our group recommends the use of our clinical algorithm to ensure good clinical practice.
Topics: Adult; Algorithms; Denmark; Evidence-Based Emergency Medicine; Humans; Immobilization; Moving and Lifting Patients; Orthotic Devices; Spinal Cord Injuries; Stretchers; Triage; Wounds, Penetrating
PubMed: 31426850
DOI: 10.1186/s13049-019-0655-x -
Optics Letters Jun 2023Piezoelectric stretching of optical fiber is a technique that enables the creation of optical delays of a few picoseconds; this is useful in a variety of applications in...
Piezoelectric stretching of optical fiber is a technique that enables the creation of optical delays of a few picoseconds; this is useful in a variety of applications in interferometry or optical cavities. Most commercial fiber stretchers involve lengths of fiber of a few tens of meters. Using a 120-mm-long optical micro-nanofiber, we can create a compact optical delay line that achieves tunable delays of up to 19 ps at telecommunication wavelengths. The high elasticity of silica and the micron-scale diameter allow this significant optical delay to be achieved with low tensile force while keeping the overall length short. We successfully report both static and dynamic operation of this novel, to the best of our knowledge, device. It could find application in interferometry and laser cavity stabilization, where short optical paths and strong resistance to the environment would be required.
Topics: Nanofibers; Stretchers; Equipment Design; Lasers; Optical Fibers
PubMed: 37319091
DOI: 10.1364/OL.492600 -
Revue Medicale Suisse Oct 2020
Topics: Emergencies; France; Humans; Stretchers
PubMed: 33085264
DOI: No ID Found -
AORN Journal Feb 2021Moving the surgical lights over a sterile field Key words: surgical lights, light handles, sterile field contamination, surgical site infection (SSI). Transport...
Moving the surgical lights over a sterile field Key words: surgical lights, light handles, sterile field contamination, surgical site infection (SSI). Transport stretchers in the OR Key words: transport stretcher, bed linens, cross-contamination, sterile field, infectious disease. Using positive-pressure ORs for patients who require airborne precautions Key words: airborne precautions, positive-pressure airflow, positive-pressure OR, anteroom. Discontinuing the use of intraoperative bacitracin irrigation Key words: bacitracin for injection, antibiotic irrigation, antimicrobial irrigation, surgical site infection (SSI).
PubMed: 33534165
DOI: 10.1002/aorn.13319 -
Annals of Biomedical Engineering Oct 2020The unique resource constraints, urgency, and virulence of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has sparked immense innovation in the development of barrier devices to...
The unique resource constraints, urgency, and virulence of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has sparked immense innovation in the development of barrier devices to protect healthcare providers from infectious airborne particles generated by patients during airway management interventions. Of the existing devices, all have shortcomings which render them ineffective and impractical in out-of-hospital environments. Therefore, we propose a new design for such a device, along with a pragmatic evaluation of its efficacy. Must-have criteria for the device included: reduction of aerosol transmission by at least 90% as measured by pragmatic testing; construction from readily available, inexpensive materials; easy to clean; and compatibility with common EMS stretchers. The Patient Particle Containment Chamber (PPCC) consists of a standard shower liner draped over a modified octagonal PVC pipe frame and secured with binder clips. 3D printed sleeve portals were used to secure plastic sleeves to the shower liner wall. A weighted tube sealed the exterior base of the chamber with the contours of the patient's body and stretcher. Upon testing, the PPCC contained 99% of spray-paint particles sprayed over a 90s period. Overall, the PPCC provides a compact, affordable option that can be used in both the in-hospital and out-of-hospital environments.
Topics: Betacoronavirus; COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Humans; Intubation, Intratracheal; Pandemics; Periodicals as Topic; Pneumonia, Viral; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Pragmatic Clinical Trials as Topic; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 32856180
DOI: 10.1007/s10439-020-02599-6 -
Journal of Medical Engineering &... Feb 2021A stretcher is a lightweight and portable apparatus used to facilitate the movement of patients who require medical care. While its design and functions have been known... (Review)
Review
A stretcher is a lightweight and portable apparatus used to facilitate the movement of patients who require medical care. While its design and functions have been known to man for over 600 years, there is still much room for improvement with regard to comfortability, mobility and ergonomics aspects. This study aims to synthesise design features from patents, journals and products for the conceptualisation of multifunctional stretchers. Based on the conceptual synthesis of this study, if a stretcher is redesigned to be foldable, then less storage space would be required, thus allowing the paramedic or medical person to store more stretchers and attend to multiple patients at a time. In comparison to a regular stretcher, a foldable stretcher would not only be smaller and more portable but would also help medical personnel reach the patient in a timelier manner. A reduction in response time for emergency medical services might increase the survival rate among patients who are in critical conditions. In the aspect of multifunctionality, the medical person may also be able to respond to different types of medical transportation needs. Multifunctional stretchers can increase the versatility of emergency medical service teams in adapting to different situations at a reduced cost.
Topics: Emergency Medical Services; Equipment Design; Stretchers
PubMed: 33539247
DOI: 10.1080/03091902.2021.1873442 -
Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics May 2021How cells respond to mechanical forces from the surrounding environment is critical for cell survival and function. The LINC complex is a central component in the... (Review)
Review
How cells respond to mechanical forces from the surrounding environment is critical for cell survival and function. The LINC complex is a central component in the mechanotransduction pathway that transmits mechanical information from the cell surface to the nucleus. Through LINC complex functionality, the nucleus is able to respond to mechanical stress by altering nuclear structure, chromatin organization, and gene expression. The use of specialized devices that apply mechanical strain to cells have been central to investigating how mechanotransduction occurs, how cells respond to mechanical stress, and the role of the LINC complexes in these processes. A large variety of designs have been reported for these devices, with the most common type being cell stretchers. Here we highlight some of the salient features of cell stretchers and suggest some key parameters that should be considered when using these devices. We provide a brief overview of how the LINC complexes contribute to the cellular responses to mechanical strain. And finally, we suggest that stretchers may be a useful tool to study aging.
Topics: Animals; Cell Nucleus; Cytoskeleton; Humans; Mechanotransduction, Cellular
PubMed: 33716002
DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2021.108829 -
Journal of Emergency Nursing Sep 2022
Topics: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; Humans; Stretchers
PubMed: 36084980
DOI: 10.1016/j.jen.2022.07.003 -
Proceedings of the Institution of... May 2024Emergency ambulances play a vital role in medical rescue and patient transportation, but their transit can impact patient health due to vehicle dynamic forces and...
Emergency ambulances play a vital role in medical rescue and patient transportation, but their transit can impact patient health due to vehicle dynamic forces and vibrations. This study evaluates patient transport conditions on a stretcher subjected to vertical vibration excitation from road unevenness. Using an eight-degree-of-freedom numerical model, we analyze the construction parameters of a medical stretcher's support and vehicle suspension. Actual experimental data from an emergency vehicle were utilized to assess the vibration conditions experienced by both the stretcher and the ambulance floor. The model is adjusted based on measurements, specifically targeting the main vibration modes. The investigation involves determining temporal responses for vertical accelerations and characterizing vibration modal parameters under various transportation conditions. Notably, several system natural frequencies fall within the range of human body frequencies, making them susceptible to mechanical excitation, particularly in the human neck, abdomen, and spine. A sensitivity analysis underscores the influence of medical stretcher support structure parameters on patient comfort. Increasing support stiffness, which alters the stretcher's natural frequency, and damping coefficient reduce vibration propagation between the vehicle and the patient. Additionally, the research predicts the model's dynamic behavior on roads with low-quality pavement, indicating vibrational amplitudes that could potentially be discomforting and unhealthy for individuals. The study illustrates a vibration exposure period on a class E road, revealing that transportation longer than 25 min may cause damage to patient health.
Topics: Ambulances; Vibration; Humans; Transportation of Patients; Stretchers; Models, Theoretical
PubMed: 38562010
DOI: 10.1177/09544119241240908 -
American Journal of Otolaryngology 2022Adenotonsillectomy (T&A) is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in the United States. Several studies have defined the safety of laryngeal mask airway...
OBJECTIVES
Adenotonsillectomy (T&A) is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in the United States. Several studies have defined the safety of laryngeal mask airway (LMA) during this surgery, and conflicting evidence exists describing the role it plays in reducing intraoperative times. Our objective is to describe the role LMA and operating on a stretcher have on reducing intraoperative time during pediatric T&A.
METHODS
This is a retrospective review between October 2017 and January 2020. We included patients between the ages of 4-18 years old undergoing T&A. We excluded medically complex patients with chromosomal, craniofacial, and metabolic abnormalities, patients with cerebral palsy, and those who were tracheostomy dependent. Patient demographics included surgical indication, age, sex, obesity, use of preoperative midazolam, type of airway used, use of traditional operating room (OR) bed versus transport stretcher, surgeon type, and intraoperative times. Data was analyzed with univariate t-test and multivariate linear regression.
RESULTS
One hundred seventy-nine patients were included with an average age of 7.2 years. LMA and stretcher were used on 46.4% and 40.2% of patients, respectively. On multivariate linear regression LMA reduced emergence time by 4.4 min (p ≤ 0.001, 95% CI -6.7 to -2.1) and transport stretcher reduced induction time by 2.5 min (p = 0.04, 95% CI -4.9 to -0.1). Use of LMA and stretcher did not have a statistically significant difference on actual procedure time.
CONCLUSION
Our study further supports the role LMA has in reducing intraoperative times in addition to describing a novel method of reducing intraoperative time by operating on a transport stretcher for healthy children undergoing T&A.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
3.
Topics: Adenoidectomy; Adolescent; Age Factors; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Laryngeal Masks; Linear Models; Male; Operative Time; Retrospective Studies; Stretchers; Time Factors; Tonsillectomy
PubMed: 34520971
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2021.103195