Scoring systems Score type Brief description Score interpretation Revised trauma score (RTS) Physiologic RR + SBP + GCS Each parameter is scored 0-4 (Total range = 0-12) Lower score indicates more severe injury (RTS 12 = <1% mortality; RTS 0 = >99% mortality) Score <11 – transfer to trauma center…
Tag: General concepts

Drug Elimination Kinetics : Mnemonics
Zero-order First-order Amount of drug eliminated per unit time Constant amount Constant fraction (Mnemonic: first = fraction) Rate of elimination with plasma concentration Independent Directly proportional (greater the drug, greater is elimination) Elimination Capacity-limited, i.e. liver/kidney are saturated/maxed out on how much they can eliminate Flow-limited, i.e. liver/kidney are not…

Electrosurgery Notes
Terminologies Electrosurgery modalities Modality Electrode configuration Waveform Indications Remarks DC Electrocautery Patients with ICDs and pacemakers No current passes through patient (direct heat transference to tissue) AC Unaltered sine wave a. High voltage, Low ampere Can be tolerated in patients with pacemakers at low dosage Electrodessication Monoterminal Markedly damped Superficial…

Stress, Strain, Viscoelastic behavior
Stress or load: Force over area (has units of Newton per square metre) Strain or deformation: Change in length over original length caused by applied stress or load (unitless and expressed as ratio or percentage) Mnemonic: If your boss is under a lot of stress, his personality changes (strain) A….

Pressure Sores and Bed Sores
A pressure injury is localized damage to the skin and underlying soft tissue usually over a bony prominence or related to a medical or other device. Normal capillary refill is 16-33 mmHg. Ischemia occurs with prolonged pressure >33 mmHg: Ischial tuberosity: >100 mmHg during sitting Sacral region: 40-60 mmHg in…

Enzyme Inducers and Inhibitors : Mnemonic
Cytochrome P450 Inducers Mnemonic: SCRAP GP Sulfonylureas, Smoking Carbamazepine, Corticosteroids Rifamycins (Rifampicin, Rifabutin) Alcohol (Chronic) Phenytoin Griseofulvin Phenobarbital Cytochrome P450 Inhibitors Mnemonic 1: VIDEOCASE Valproate Isoniazid Disulfiram Erythromycin, Clarithromycin (not Azithromycin) Omeprazole Cimetidine Allopurinol Sulfonamides Ethanol (Acute) Mnemonic 2: SICKFACES.COM Sodium valproate Isoniazid Cimetidine Ketoconazole Fluconazole Alcohol (Acute) Chloramphenicol Erythromycin…

Opioid Adverse Effects – Mnemonic
Mnemonic: MORPHINES 1. Miosis Mechanism: Stimulation of Edinger-Westphal nucleus of Cranial nerve III 2. Orthostatic hypotension Mechanism: Vasodilation due to – Direct action decreasing tone of blood vessels Histamine release Depression of vasomotor center 3. Respiratory depression Mechanism: Inhibits respiratory center in a dose-dependent manner (neurogenic, hypercapneic and hypoxic drives…

L-PRF for Chronic Wounds
L-PRF (Leukocyte-platelet rich fibrin) is a second generation platelet reach concentrate where autologous platelets and leukocytes are present in a 3D fibrin mesh which is used as a scaffold by surrounding host cells and which slowly releases growth factors and glycoproteins (≥ 7 days). It is processed without the anticoagulant,…