An awareness campaign decreases distracted driving among hospital employees at a rural trauma center.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether an educational campaign on distracted driving will have an impact in a given community. METHODS: Investigators were stationed in an employee parking lot of a 256-bed hospital to determine baseline distracted driving followed by a 4-week hospital-wide distracted-driving awareness campaign. The campaign included signs/posters in the hospital, a booth outside of the cafeteria with flyers, a large banner in the employee lot and an opportunity for people to sign a pledge form to drive distraction free. The same employee lot was observed at the same time of the day to re-assess distracted driving immediately following the campaign. The observations were repeated again one year later to evaluate the short and long-term impact of the campaign. RESULTS: A total of 485 vehicles were observed pre-campaign, identifying 170 (35%) distracted drivers at baseline. The awareness campaign resulted in 525 people pledging to drive distraction free. Following the campaign, 495 vehicles were observed and the number of distracted drivers was 64 (12.9%), showing a significant decrease in the number of distracted drivers by 22.1% (p \u3c 0.01). One year later, 530 drivers were observed with 150 (28%) displaying one form of distraction. CONCLUSIONS: A local distracted driving educational campaign resulted in a significant decrease in the number of distracted drivers immediately following the campaign. However, one year after the campaign, there was an increase in distracted driving. The proportion of distracted drivers was still significantly lower than the initial rate of distracted-drivers

Management of a posterior mediastinal Gardner fibroma causing critical airway stenosis in a resource limited setting

In developed countries, surgeons and anesthesiologists approach the mediastinal mass causing airway compression with prudence and trepidation. Resource-limited settings provide unique challenges in the diagnosis and management of patients with critical airway compression. We report the successful treatment of a patient in Port-au-Prince, Haiti with a posterior mediastinal mass that filled the left chest cavity and caused critical airway stenosis. The pathology revealed a Gardner Fibroma, which is rarely associated with mediastinal airway obstruction. •RLS provide unique challenges in the diagnosis and management of patients with a critical airway.•The successful treatment of a patient in Haiti with a large intrathoracic Gardner Fibroma causing critical airway stenosis.•A mass causing critical airway compression was successfully treated with corticosteroids, endotracheal intubation and resection

A novel protocol to maintain continuous access to thawed plasma at a rural trauma center.

BACKGROUND: Early administration of plasma improves mortality in massively transfused patients, but the thawing process causes delay. Small rural centers have been reluctant to maintain thawed plasma due to waste concerns. Our 254-bed rural Level II trauma center initiated a protocol allowing continuous access to thawed plasma, and we hypothesized its implementation would not increase waste or cost. METHODS: Two units of thawed plasma are continuously maintained in the trauma bay blood refrigerator. After 3 days, these units are replaced with freshly thawed plasma and returned to the blood bank for utilization prior to their 5-day expiration date. The blood bank monitors and rotates the plasma. Only trauma surgeons can use the plasma stored in the trauma bay. Wasted units and cost were measured over a 12-month period and compared with the previous 2 years. RESULTS: The blood bank thawed 1127 units of plasma during the study period assigning 274 to the trauma bay. When compared with previous years, we found a significant increase in waste (p \u3c 0.001) and cost (p = 0.020) after implementing our protocol. It cost approximately US $125/month extra to maintain continuous access to thawed plasma during the study period. DISCUSSION: A protocol to maintain thawed plasma in the trauma bay at a rural Level II trauma center resulted in a miniscule increase in waste and cost when considering the scope of maintaining a trauma center. We think this cost is also minimal when compared with the value of having immediate access to thawed plasma. Constant availability of thawed plasma can be offered at smaller rural centers without a meaningful impact on cost. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Economic and Value-based Evaluations, Level III

Acute Brachial Artery Occlusion in an Elderly Patient With Acute Myocardial Ischemia.

We present a case of left upper extremity paresis secondary to acute brachial artery occlusion in an elderly female with active non-ST segment elevation myocardial ischemia (NSTEMI) in the setting of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. The patient was initially suspected to have a cerebrovascular attack (CVA); however, computed tomography (CT) head was negative for acute stroke. The diagnosis was confirmed by computed tomographic angiography (CTA) of the upper extremity, confirming the diagnosis of acute left brachial artery occlusion. In evaluating a patient with concern for acute stroke with atypical presentation, it is essential to obtain a complete history and perform a rapid and thorough examination. Acute limb ischemia (ALI) should be considered in the differential diagnosis of CVA with atypical presentation

Anorectal malformation in a 46,XY patient with a de novo stop-loss variant in PPP1R12A and associated difference in sexual development: A case report

Introduction: Here we report an infant with a 46,XY karyotype and novel de novo PPP1R12A stop-loss variant with a concomitant anorectal malformation (ARM) and difference in sex development (DSD). Case report: This is an infant born with ambiguous genitalia and rectoperineal fistula. Genetic testing confirmed a 46,XY chromosomal complement and whole exome sequencing demonstrated a novel de novo heterozygous PPP1R12A stop-loss variant. The infant underwent tapering jejunoplasty, proximal jejunostomy and mucous fistula creation for jejunal atresia and posterior sagittal anorectoplasty for the ARM. The gonad will be addressed with a biopsy and orchiopexy when the infant reaches six months of age. Conclusion: Although Müllerian anomalies and hypospadias may be common with ARM, a true DSD of this nature is exceedingly rare. Multidisciplinary care with urology, endocrinology, genetics, and colorectal surgery is paramount to providing optimal care for this patient

Management of a posterior mediastinal Gardner fibroma causing critical airway stenosis in a resource limited setting

In developed countries, surgeons and anesthesiologists approach the mediastinal mass causing airway compression with prudence and trepidation. Resource-limited settings provide unique challenges in the diagnosis and management of patients with critical airway compression. We report the successful treatment of a patient in Port-au-Prince, Haiti with a posterior mediastinal mass that filled the left chest cavity and caused critical airway stenosis. The pathology revealed a Gardner Fibroma, which is rarely associated with mediastinal airway obstruction