Suchergebnisse

Objective. To determine amount of syringes used in the hospital and extent of contact with blood and body fluids of these syringes. Material and Methods. Syringe use was surveyed at a tertiary care center for one week; syringes were classified into the following four categories according to use: a) contained blood; b) contained other body fluids (urine, gastric secretion, cerebrospinal fluid, wound drainage); c) used exclusively for drug dilution and application in plastic intravenous (IV) tubes, and d) for intramuscular (IM), subcutaneous (SC), or intradermic (ID) injections. Results. A total of 7 157 plastic disposable syringes was used; 1 227 (17%) contained blood during use, 346 (4.8%), other body fluids, 5 257 (73%) were used exclusively for drug dilution and application in plastic IV lines, and 327 (4.5%) were utilized for IM, SC, or ID injections. An estimated 369 140 syringes used annually, or eight syringes per patient per in-hospital day. All syringes were disposed of as regulated medical waste, in observance of the law. Conclusions. There is an urgent need to review recommendations for medical waste management by both international agencies and local governments, based on scientific data and a costbenefit analysis, to prevent resource waste and further environmental damage. ; Objetivo. Cuantificar el número de jeringas que se utilizan en el hospital y calcular cuántas de éstas entran en contacto con sangre o fluidos corporales. Material y métodos. Se hizo una encuesta del uso de jeringas en un hospital de tercer nivel de atención durante toda una semana. Se clasificaron, de acuerdo con el uso que se les dio, en cuatro categorías: a) aspiración de sangre, b) otros fluidos corporales (orina, secreción gástrica, líquido cefalorraquídeo, drenaje de herida, etcétera), c) uso exclusivo para diluir medicamentos y administrarlos a través de tubos de terapia intravenosa, d) para aplicación de inyecciones intramusculares (IM), subcutáneas (SC) o intradérmicas (ID). Resultados. Se utilizó un total de 7 157 ...

In Latin America, adult influenza is a serious disease that exacts a heavy burden in terms of morbidity, mortality, and cost. Although much has been written about the disease itself, relatively little information has been compiled on what could be done to reduce its impact across the region, particularly from the perspective of clinicians with firsthand experience in confronting its effects. To fill this data gap, in 2011, the Pan American Health and Education Foundation (PAHEF) and the U.S.-based nonprofit Fighting Infectious Diseases in Emerging Countries (FIDEC) organized a conference and convened a panel of Latin American scientistclinicians with experience and expertise in adult influenza in the region to 1) discuss the major issues related to the disease and 2) develop and produce a consensus statement summarizing its impact as well as current efforts to diagnose, prevent, and treat it. The consensus panel concluded a more concerted and better-coordinated effort was needed to reduce the adverse impact of seasonal influenza and future pandemics, including more surveillance, more active involvement by both governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and a much greater effort to vaccinate more adults, especially those at high risk of contracting the disease. In addition, a new approach for diagnosing influenza was recommended.