Comparing the Outcome of Immobilizing Lower Limb Injuries Using Standard-Sized and Half-Length Short Leg Splints

Background: Soft tissue injuries (STIs) of lower extremities are considered as a very common complaint in those patients that were admitted to the emergency department. One of the main purposes in these patients' treatment strategies is early returning to work and regular activities. This study purpose was to compare the results of two lower limb (leg) splinting methods: standard-sized short leg splinting, and also half-sized short leg splinting. Methods: In this randomized controlled clinical trial research, we enrolled those patients with STI of the lower limb and without bone fracture. The setting was Haftom Tir trauma center and all patients signed the written consent before the study starting. We categorized participants into two groups: standard-sized short leg splint and halfsized short leg splint. The data were entered into SPSS 18 software and also were analyzed using that. Results: 300 patients were included in this study totally. The splinting complications were similar in two groups, but the splint fracture and skin burn frequency were significantly lower in half-sized short leg splint (p value <0.005). The mean score of pain and swelling frequency had no significant differences in both groups (P>0.005). Conclusions: The results indicated that the performance of standardsized and half-sized short leg splinting was similar in lower limbs STIs. The difficulties were less in half-sized short leg splint. Therefore, this study recommend that emergency physicians could consider half-sized short leg splinting in STIs, but the recommendation may be considered as valuable when this study results reassess in other clinical trials with multicenter researches and more sample size

Comparing the Outcome of Immobilizing Lower Limb Injuries Using Standard-Sized and Half-Length Short Leg Splints

Background: Soft tissue injuries (STIs) of lower extremities are considered as a very common complaint in those patients that were admitted to the emergency department. One of the main purposes in these patients' treatment strategies is early returning to work and regular activities. This study purpose was to compare the results of two lower limb (leg) splinting methods: standard-sized short leg splinting, and also half-sized short leg splinting. Methods: In this randomized controlled clinical trial research, we enrolled those patients with STI of the lower limb and without bone fracture. The setting was Haftom Tir trauma center and all patients signed the written consent before the study starting. We categorized participants into two groups: standard-sized short leg splint and halfsized short leg splint. The data were entered into SPSS 18 software and also were analyzed using that. Results: 300 patients were included in this study totally. The splinting complications were similar in two groups, but the splint fracture and skin burn frequency were significantly lower in half-sized short leg splint (p value <0.005). The mean score of pain and swelling frequency had no significant differences in both groups (P>0.005). Conclusions: The results indicated that the performance of standardsized and half-sized short leg splinting was similar in lower limbs STIs. The difficulties were less in half-sized short leg splint. Therefore, this study recommend that emergency physicians could consider half-sized short leg splinting in STIs, but the recommendation may be considered as valuable when this study results reassess in other clinical trials with multicenter researches and more sample size

Electrocardiographic Changes in Scuba Divers: A Quasi-Experimental Study in Iran

Background: Cardiac arrhythmias, conduction abnormalities, congenital and acquired heart disorders could threat the human life in scuba diving. This study purpose was to investigate and analyze the electrocardiographic changes in scuba divers. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was accomplished on scuba divers of saltwater in the Persian Gulf. Electrocardiogram (ECG) was taken during 10 min before, immediately and also by passing 60 min from diving. All ECGs were interpreted by an emergency medicine specialist regarding heart blocks, sinus arrhythmia and the heart rate changes, QT and PR intervals, QRS complex, ST segment and T wave. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software ver19. Significant level was set at 0.05. Results: 37 males with the mean age of 35.7±4.27 years old were enrolled in this study. There was observed no significant change in the mean of the heart rate, mean of the QT interval and T wave change between two age groups cases (<35 and >35 years old), BMI groups (<25 and >25 kg/m2), depth of water groups (<25 and >25 m) and water temperature groups (14 to 15 and 16 to 17 ̊C), in the studied time periods (p value>0.05, in all of the cases); but the mean of the pulse rate, mean of the QT interval and T wave change indicated significant difference between the studied time periods (p value=0.005, 0.001 and 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: This study indicated significant changes in pulse rate, QT intervals and T waves between studied periods in scuba divers; consequently, special attention to these changes is required

Electrocardiographic Changes in Scuba Divers: A Quasi-Experimental Study in Iran

Background: Cardiac arrhythmias, conduction abnormalities, congenital and acquired heart disorders could threat the human life in scuba diving. This study purpose was to investigate and analyze the electrocardiographic changes in scuba divers. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was accomplished on scuba divers of saltwater in the Persian Gulf. Electrocardiogram (ECG) was taken during 10 min before, immediately and also by passing 60 min from diving. All ECGs were interpreted by an emergency medicine specialist regarding heart blocks, sinus arrhythmia and the heart rate changes, QT and PR intervals, QRS complex, ST segment and T wave. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software ver19. Significant level was set at 0.05. Results: 37 males with the mean age of 35.7±4.27 years old were enrolled in this study. There was observed no significant change in the mean of the heart rate, mean of the QT interval and T wave change between two age groups cases (<35 and >35 years old), BMI groups (<25 and >25 kg/m2), depth of water groups (<25 and >25 m) and water temperature groups (14 to 15 and 16 to 17 ̊C), in the studied time periods (p value>0.05, in all of the cases); but the mean of the pulse rate, mean of the QT interval and T wave change indicated significant difference between the studied time periods (p value=0.005, 0.001 and 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: This study indicated significant changes in pulse rate, QT intervals and T waves between studied periods in scuba divers; consequently, special attention to these changes is required