In the Treatment of Patients With Knee Joint Osteoarthritis, Are Platelet Rich Plasma Injections More Effective Than Hyaluronic Acid Injections?

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not In the treatment of patients with knee joint osteoarthritis, are Platelet Rich Plasma injections more effective than Hyaluronic acid injections? Study Design: Review of one randomized double-blind trial, one randomized cohort study, and one randomized control trial published in the English language in the year 2012. Data Sources: All studies were published in peer-reviewed journals found via the use of PubMed. Outcome(s) Measured: Patients were divided into two groups: those who received platelet rich plasma injections (PRP) and those who received hyaluronic injections (HA). Efficacy of PRP injections was compared to the efficacy of HA injections. Outcomes were measured at baseline and various monthly intervals post treatment using WOMAC scores. In addition, outcomes were measured by giving the 11 point pain intensity Numeric Rating scale (NRS), IKDC, and KOOS scores. Results: In two studies, results of PRP injections versus HA injections reached statistical significance and proved to be an effective form of treatment in patients with knee osteoarthritis (p \u3c 0.01). In the third study, however, there was no statistical significance indicated in the use of PRP injections as compared to HA injections. More research studies are necessary to understand the full effect of PRP injections in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Conclusion: Overall, PRP injections alone cannot be the first line of treatment used for knee osteoarthritis. However, PRP injections are a safe and viable option for patients who do not benefit from other treatments like HA injections. They also tend to have a better effect on patients with lower-grade knee osteoarthritis

E-Healthcare Android Application based On Cloud Computing

The Online Healthcare System can be enhanced significantly by including most recent Information technology. The use of smartphones is increasing every day and is available with the people spread across different demographics. People can access health records online by just one click. This paper proposes a model of designing flexible e-healthcare management system based on Cloud Computing. The elastic nature of cloud permits infinite number of users to access the cloud simultaneously without any limitations. The Healthcare System is implemented in two interfaces: the patient interface and the doctor interface. The patient’s interface allows patients to create, manage, control and share their health information with respective doctors. Finally, the system proposed is efficient as it improves cost management, time, storing patients profile, and provides security to patient’s medical records, book appointments and consult the right doctor online

Thromboelastograph Guided Management of a Patient Requiring Abiomed Biventricular Support with Consumptive Coagulopathy

A 69-year-old male, who underwent cardio-pulmonary bypass surgery, required biventricular support using the Abiomed. The patient subsequently developed a consumptive coagulopathy. The thromboelastograph was used to administer NovoSeven and guide allogenic transfusions to achieve a hematocrit of greater than 30% and a platelet count greater than 100,000 per μL. Disseminated intravascular coagulation was resolved and the patient was transported to a tertiary care center within 72 hours. The Abiomed BVS 5000 provided a bridge to the native heart recovery and was successfully explanted