Presence Of Spinal Cord Research Articles

The prevalence and risk factors of pressure ulcers among residents of long-term care institutions: a case study of Kazakhstan

Limited information is available regarding the prevalence of pressure ulcers (PUs) in residential homes in Central Asia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the prevalence rates and risk factors associated with PUs among residents of long-term care medical institutions in the Republic of Kazakhstan. This cross-sectional study was conducted in four long-term care institutions in Kazakhstan. The study sample consisted of 640 patients who were assessed for the presence of PUs and associated risk factors. The evaluation was performed using the International Prevalence Measurement of Care Quality (Landelijke Prevalentiemeting Zorgkwaliteit, LPZ), the Braden scale, and the Care Dependency Score (CDS). The overall prevalence of PUs, classified as categories I–IV, was found to be 37%. When excluding category I PUs, the prevalence decreased to 35.6%. The odds ratios (ORs) for presenting with PUs were as follows: history of stroke (OR 5.22), diseases of the digestive system (OR 10.01), presence of spinal cord lesions/paraplegia (OR 20.50), recent reported confusion within the last 7 days (OR 184.00), and limited extent dependency according to the CDS (OR 4.44; 95%CI 1.31–16.1). It is imperative to establish specialized training programs aimed at equipping medical personnel, relatives, and patients themselves with the necessary skills to provide optimal care for individuals affected by PUs.

P.107 Primary clear cell chondrosarcoma of the thoracic spine

Background: Clear cell chondrosarcoma (CCC) is a rare, low-grade, subtype of chondrosarcoma. It arises most commonly in the epiphyses of the certain longbones. Spinal involvement is extremely rare, but when present it most frequently involves the thoracic spine. Complete surgical resection is the best curative treatment, with radiation therapy being a consideration for inoperable tumours. Methods: We report a case of a 70-year-old gentleman with CCC of the T7-8 thoracic spine. Gross en-bloc spondylectomy of the T6-8 vertebral bodies with expandable cage reconstruction and T3-11 instrumented fusion were performed. Results: Histological examination revealed a cellular neoplasm composed of well-defined, round to oval cells with abundant clear cytoplasm embedded in a loose cartilaginous matrix with large numbers of admixed osteoclast-type giant cells and scattered bone trabeculae between the lesional cells. The patient experienced significant improvement in neurological function and was discharged from hospital in stable condition seven days after surgery. Conclusions: CCC is a rare variant of chondrosarcoma that rarely involves the osseous spine. In this location, treatment may be challenging given the presence of spinal cord and nerve roots. Given the lack of effective chemotherapy and radiation therapy for CCC, en-bloc resection of CCC involving the spine should be considered.

On-line real time aid to the verification of CCP compliance in beef slaughter HACCP systems

This study investigated the use of an on-line monitoring and display system in a beef slaughtering plant. The objective was to determine what information was possible and what benefits could be forthcoming that would assist compliance with HACCP requirements. The system was to be low tech, user friendly and economical. The study was carried out over eleven days, spread over 13 weeks; 75 cattle were observed each day for visible faecal, rumen and ingesta contamination over six sites per carcass side. Spinal cord presence in the exposed spinal channel was also observed. Over the course of the study the number of carcasses with visible contaminated was reduced from 76% to 33.33%; visible contamination attributed to dehiding operations was reduced from 54.67% to 24.00%, visible contamination attributed to evisceration operations was reduced from 44% to 16.67%. A significant reduction in the magnitude of visible contamination per carcass was also observed. Spinal cord presence was reduced from 6% to 0%. The system facilitated the identification of the most probable causative process stages, the implementation of on-line real time immediate and long term corrective action and the establishment of a single process CCP.