BACKGROUND While some regard the flail arm syndrome as a variant of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), others have argued that it is a distinct clinical entity. Consequently, the present study applied novel central and peripheral nerve excitability techniques to further explore disease pathophysiology in flail arm syndrome. METHODS Cortical and peripheral nerve excitability studies were und...

As a part of a longitudinal study in the highlands of Guatemala to elicit the chronic health effects of wood smoke from cooking, mean area and personal 48 h concentrations of 2.5 microm particulate matter (PM2.5) and carbon monoxide (CO) were measured every 3 months over 19 months. Monitoring was conducted in 63 households, 28 using traditional open wood fires and 35 using wood cookstoves with ...

Opinion on the management of stove-in chest appears to be converging on intermittent positive pressure respiration as a definitive line of treatment. Since Barrett (1960) summarised the emergency treatment as comprising tracheo-bronchial clearance, tracheostomy and intercostal drainage of pleural cavities with an underwater-seal, a more positive attitude to the treatment ofthese patients has de...

OBJECTIVE To identify the predictors of residential fire deaths in the Ontario pediatric population using systematically collected data from the Office of the Chief Coroner. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING Ontario. PARTICIPANTS Children younger than 16 years of age who died in accidental residential fires in Ontario between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2006. MAIN OUTCOME...

Burns continue to be a major environmental factor responsible for significant morbidity and mortality in developing countries and, in particular, burns due to stove bursts are a major problem. Two types of stoves are available in Pakistan: gas stoves and kerosene stoves. The state is considered of patients burned by stove bursts in general, and also with specific reference to 34 adult patients ...

Chest wall reconstruction after rib resection is essential to ensuring chest wall stability, avoiding flail chest and pulmonary hernia, and improving pulmonary function. Traditionally, a synthetic mesh and a musculocutaneous flap have been used to bridge the chest wall defect. However, a risk of secondary prosthesis infection exists. Acellular dermal collagen mesh implants (PermacolTM) are indi...

Lack of normal mitral leaflet apposition and abnormal pointing of the flail component into the left atrium (LA) during systole are typical features of mitral leaflet flail which generate haemodynamically relevant mitral regurgitation (MR). The most common reason for mitral leaflet flail is chord rupture. Rarely, severe prolapse with the leaflet tip bulging into the LA causing severe MR can also...