Bicycle helmets are protective against facial injuries, including facial fractures: a meta-analysis

Cycling is a popular activity. However there are risks associated with cycling, including facial injury. Helmets are often worn to prevent head injury. Evidence for their protection against facial injury is limited. This meta-analysis investigated the effect of bicycle helmets on the incidence of facial injury. The PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library databases were searched. Studies included were observational and involved adult participants. Paediatric studies, studies on helmet legislation, and those combining facial injuries with other injury types were excluded. The studies were evaluated by two reviewers. Risk of bias was assessed using the RevMan bias assessment tool. Odds ratios (OR) were extracted for facial injuries and facial fractures. Two meta-analyses were performed using these categories. Nine of the 102 studies identified were included. Helmets were protective against facial injury (OR 0.69, 95% confidence interval 0.63-0.75, P<0.0001). Five studies reported facial fracture rates; helmets were protective against these also (OR 0.79 95% confidence interval 0.70-0.90, P=0.0003). There are no randomized controlled trials on this topic and the number of studies available is small. Bicycle helmets offer protection against facial injuries and this should be considered by cyclists when deciding whether or not to use one.

Autologous blood use in reduction mammaplasty: is it justified?

A study was undertaken to evaluate the current use of autologous blood predonation within 3 weeks of reduction mammaplasty in our institution. A retrospective study of 153 consecutive patients undergoing reduction mammaplasty between April of 1987 and October of 1992 was analyzed. Nine patients were excluded because of inadequate data, leaving 81 patients in the autologous blood predonation study group and 63 patients in the control group. The two groups were similar with regard to age, preintervention hemoglobin levels, technique of reduction mammaplasty, average number of grams excised per side, estimated blood loss, and duration of hospital stay. Those in the study group, despite preoperative iron therapy initiated just prior to the time of autologous blood donation, had significantly lower preoperative hemoglobin levels (p < 0.001). Seventy-two percent of those patients who donated blood preoperatively received all their blood intraoperatively or within 1 day of surgery. Eleven percent received 1 of their 2 units donated, and the remaining 17 percent were not transfused. Despite 83 percent of the study group patients receiving all or some of their predonated blood, their postoperative hemoglobin levels were not significantly different from those of the control group. We concluded that under our current program, autologous blood predonation for reduction mammaplasty is not beneficial to the patient in the immediate perioperative period.

Major burns managed without blood or blood products

Four major burns (two flame, one scald, one electrical) were managed without administration of blood or plasma. Serial changes in hemoglobin, and serum albumin and total protein measurements were compared with those of controlled patients matched in age and total body surface area burned who were treated by standard methods. Hemoglobin values were lower but within one standard deviation, although serum protein and albumin measurements fell more than one standard deviation below mean values observed in control patients at comparable times after burn injury. Important treatment principles that were instrumental to recovery include a high-calorie, high-protein diet, iron supplementation, use of pediatric blood sampling techniques, and monitoring for and prophylaxis against infection while allowing eschar to separate spontaneously rather than performing early debridement. Amputation of mummified electrically burned limbs at more proximal levels, including marginally viable muscle, is recommended to minimize infection and decrease blood loss associated with customary conservative serial debridements.

Preoperative localization of low-density foreign bodies under CT guidance

A simple technique for the localization of foreign bodies using a spring hook wire under computed tomographic (CT) guidance is described. The advantages of CT in detecting foreign bodies of near water density and in planning a surgical approach which avoids important anatomical structures are emphasized.

Ruptured breast implant: computed tomographic and mammographic findings

We report the computed tomographic and mammographic findings in a patient with a ruptured breast implant. The diagnosis was made by recognition of alteration in prosthesis contour, collapse of the prosthesis envelope, and the presence of free silicone in the breast and axillary region.