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Daily Archives: March 12, 2020

By Richard

What Are the Causes, Symptoms and Treatment of Infantile Paralysis

Also known as poliomyelitis, infantile paralysis is an acute infectious disease caused by a virus which invades the spinal cord. Children and young adults are most commonly affected with more than 90 percent of those paralyzed less than 5 years old.

The incidence of infantile paralysis has greatly decreased in the past 20 years due to the widespread, effective use of safe oral vaccine, introduced about 1952. It is now possible to prevent poliomyelitis with oral immunization of babies, but epidemics still occurs in areas where this immunization is not undertaken.

Cause

The virus which causes polio has three immunological types. Usually infection by the virus occurs through the nose and mouth. Thereafter the virus lives and multiplies in the walls of the mouth and the gut. It is excreted in the feces for up to six weeks after infection. The virus is liable to enter the grey matter of the spinal cord which contains the nerve cells, leaving paralysis. The lumbar spine is particularly affected causing paralyzed legs but any part of the cord or the brain can be damaged.

In an epidemic, infection of the virus is very common but in only a small proportion of infections (possibly less than 1 percent) is there any illness or paralysis.

Symptoms

At the beginning of the illness there is a slight fever and headache which disappear after a few days. In many people there are no further symptoms. However, in others, a week or so later the headache and fever recur, with a stiff sore neck and feeling of irritability. Pain in the muscles and paralysis of variable extent may occur later. The muscle of swallowing and speech but the most common muscle groups involved are those of the legs.

Treatment

If there is even a suspicion of poliomyelitis, bed rest is imperative. There is no curative treatment but the fever can be reduced with aspirin and plenty of fluids. Muscle pain and spasm can be relieved with hot moist packs directly applied to the affected area.

When the respiratory muscles are paralyzed, breathing is maintained by variety of respirators which assists or takeover completely. The earliest type of machine was the ‘iron lung’ or negative pressure machine. This consisted of a box which completely incased the body and limbs with an air-tight aperture for the neck. Pulmonary ventilation was produced by rhythmical lowering of the pressure inside the box, drawing air into the patient’s lungs. It had two serious disadvantages; difficulty in nursing care and danger of accidental inhalation of food and drinks into the lungs. That is why it is advisable to consult with a spine specialist or any other medical professional that specializes in this type of paralysis.

This led to development of intermittent positive pressure respirators which inflate the lungs at a rate of 14 – 20 cycles per minute, expiration being allowed to occur passively between each phase of positive pressure. Some respirators are driven by an electric motor, others by compressed air or oxygen. More complex machine has a mechanism whereby the action is controlled by whatever spontaneous breathing is still retained (patient-cycled respirators).

The paralysis is at its worst at the end of the first week of its presence. Thereafter, it gradually improves for up to six months. Often other muscle groups take over the function of the paralyzed muscles, minimizing the overall effect of the paralysis.

By Richard

Weight Loss And Surgery

Do you feel that you need to lose weight? Millions of people do, and the numbers increase daily. You might have tried many diets, and need some help accomplishing your weight loss goals. Cosmetic surgery normally is used to correct purely aesthetic issues, but it can also save your life. Obesity can be deadly, and cosmetic surgery may be the only way for you to lose those extra pounds.

Liposuction is one of the most used cosmetic surgery procedures. The procedure removes excess fat from below the skin layers of the patient. This procedure often targets certain areas of the body. The most common areas are the abdominal area, the thighs, and the underarms. Even if you are interested in liposuction, you should know that not everyone is a candidate for this procedure. Most licensed and skilled cosmetic surgeons have an extensive vetting process for their potential patients. For instance, most require that you are at least 18, have an intense need to lose weight, and are in excellent health. Being healthy and keeping to a healthy regimen is required so that no complications will occur after the surgery.

Besides liposuction, there is Coolsculpting that you can go for which is completely safe and have zero recovery time making it a better alternative to surgery. Moreover, you can use CoolSculpting for thighs and armpits making it really effective for you.

Liposuction is rarely an answer for someone who is truly obese. Only small amounts of fat should be removed at any one time because the more you remove the greater the chance that the surgery will cause you long term complications. People who are obese also are more likely to have health problems like heart issues, diabetes, and high blood pressure. All these issues could cause complications, but if you are obese there are other alternatives to liposuction. You could be qualified for one of the more extensive weight loss surgeries, like gastric bypass surgery, or the Lapband. You should speak to your family doctor about your options.

People who lose a great amount of weight, also look into cosmetic surgery in order to improve their “after” photos. Most who lose over 100 pounds or greater amounts of weight you might have extra skin that doesn’t fit your bone frame anymore. This will most likely make you uncomfortable to show off your new body. This goes against everything that probably motivated you to lose weight. Cosmetic surgery can help you make your skin fit your frame again. You can choose to target specific areas, or you can have a lift for your entire body. The side effects and recovery period will take some time to finish, but you will most likely see immediate and gratifying results.

Keep in mind again that not every candidate gets accepted for cosmetic surgery. One of the first things you should do is start researching the local cosmetic surgeons and try to get first-hand accounts from previous patients. Then go in for a consultation appointment and talk to your prospective surgeon. The surgeon will go over your options and talk about the benefits and possible drawbacks of each procedure that you qualify for.

Your first criteria should be, can I afford the procedure I want? If you do not have insurance you will have to pay for the entire surgery, but it’s possible that even if you have insurance if may not cover the procedure you want to have. Elective surgeries like liposuction and removal of your extra skin are usually not covered by most insurance companies. Now, surgeries like gastric bypass also can save your life, so it is more likely that your insurance will cover a procedure like this.

By Richard

What is Ghost Surgery and Can You Sue?

Ghost surgery is a fairly obscure term used to describe the practice of substituting one surgeon for another without the patient’s knowledge. This is growing increasingly common under managed health care regimes where surgeons are spread too thin and often have scheduling conflicts with other procedures. Since the patient is voluntarily unconscious, the surgeon can be interchanged for another, and in most cases the patient is none-the-wiser. But can you sue for ghost surgery if such a procedure results in a complication, or even if it doesn’t?

In most cases, you can sue for ghost surgery if you are harmed in any way, but the difficulty is in discovering whether or not a ghost surgeon was used. Most patients don’t even think to inquire about the surgeon who actually performed the procedure, and even if they do, it might be difficult to learn whether or not it happened to them. Unfortunately, the medical community is frequently as loyal as law enforcement, and an orderly or nurse is unlikely to jeopardize his or her job by testifying for you in court.

To find out if you can sue for ghost surgery, you should hire a lawyer and conduct an investigation together. Talk to everyone present at the hospital on the day of your surgery, and make sure to question receptionists and assistants as well as other physicians. Talk to the surgeon who was supposed to handle your surgery at length; in many cases, physicians will “trip up” and unwittingly give themselves away. That is why it is also helpful to check some marketing to plastic surgeons & cosmetic dentists so you will have some idea about their profiles and the services that they offer.

The legal basis to sue for ghost surgery lies in the Supreme Court decision in 1983 (Perna v. Pirozzi), wherein it was determined that malice and even injury are not required to sue for battery when ghost surgery is discovered. It is a patient’s inherent right to choose his or her own medical professionals, and it is the doctor’s ethical and legal duty to inform said patient about any substitutions.

Ghost surgery can also refer to an occasion when a resident is allowed to perform a surgical procedure under the guidance of a licensed physician. In order for this to be legal, the surgeon must inform the patient that he or she will be treated by the resident, and if he does not, the patient has the right to sue for undisclosed ghost surgery. This is something for every patient to remember whenever he or she goes under the knife.

To prove your ghost surgery lawsuit, you will have to show evidence that your surgery was performed by someone other than the physician assigned to your care, and that you had no knowledge of any substitution whatsoever. In all honesty, most hospitals will cover their legal interests by placing a clause in the contract you signed, so make sure to read all documentation carefully.