Active clinical trials for "Wounds and Injuries"

The goal of this study is to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the a portable near-infrared-based device (portable NIR-based device), the InfraScanner 2000™, to detect intracranial hematomas (epidural hematomas (EDH) and/or subdural hematomas (SDH)) in patients hospitalized at Duke University Hospital (DUH) who have sustained or who are suspected to have sustained head trauma and have consequently received a brain computed tomography (CT) scan(s).

Diagnostic and therapeutic cardiac catheterization procedures are important interventions to reduce the risk of death, avoid future cardiovascular events, and improve quality of life of people with heart disease. However, exposure to the radiocontrast dyes required for these procedures can lead to contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI); a common and costly complication. There are accurate ways to identify patients at increased risk of this complication and strategies to prevent CI-AKI. This involves ensuring that patients who are at risk have procedures done with the minimum amount of X-ray contrast dye required, and that they receive optimal intravenous fluids at the time of the procedure. This study will evaluate the implementation of a strategy where computerized decision support tools are used to help doctors identify patients at risk of CI-AKI, as well as make decisions about how much contrast dye to use and how much intravenous fluid to provide to patients who are identified at risk of CI-AKI in cardiac catheterization.

An interventional controlled trial to test the feasibility of applying risk score based prevention for critically ill patient at high risk to develop acute kidney injury (AKI)

The purpose of the proposed study is to compare the sensitivity and specificity of three oculomotor test devices in normal subjects versus subjects with history of TBI. The study is designed as a prospective research project in which a group of 120 normal controls without a history of TBI will be compared to another group of 120 participants (total of 240) who have a confirmed history of TBI. Each participant will complete the TBI assessment protocol for each of three separate devices (Neuro Kinetics, SyncThink, and Oculogica). The order of the devices will be counter-balanced across participants. Participants will also be screened for vestibular migraine and visual vertigo, which are two conditions that influence oculo-vestibular perception in normal and TBI patients and might influence the results from the three oculomotor devices. Data from each device will be utilized to perform AUC analyses to determine the respective sensitivity and specificity for each.

Surgical site infection in vascular surgery is a relatively common event with reported incidence as high as 43%. When considering the groin alone, the incidence is around 20% (30% when considering any wound complication). This complication may sometimes lead to heavier complication (leg amputation, longer hospital stay, high costs…) and affects the early postoperative quality of life of the patients.

The purpose of this study is to measure the mechanical properties of healing Achilles tendons in humans after early controlled weightbearing, compared with a control group in a randomized, single-blinded trial. The mechanical properties are measured using radiostereophotogrammetic x-rays (RSA). Hypothesis: Early weightbearing improves mechanical properties of the healing Achilles tendon.

The purpose of this study is to look at the relationship between growth hormones, and recovery from a TBI - traumatic brain injury. It is believed that a TBI may interfere with the body's ability to produce growth hormones. These hormones may be needed by the body for growth, mental development and sexual maturation.

The hypothesis for this study is that use of blunt tipped needles used during the repair of an episiotomy (tear in the vagina after childbirth) will result in fewer needlestick injuries to the surgeon.

NI-ES therapy is a treatment that is being studied to potentially treat pain associated with SCI and may help movement below the injury site.

Perineal wound healing is a significant challenge after extralevator abdominoperineal excision (ELAPE) due to a high rate of wound breakdown. And it was proved that neoadjuvant radiotherapy significantly increases perineal wound problems after abdominoperineal resection for rectal cancer. Negative pressure therapy has proven benefits in open wounds, and recently a negative pressure system has been developed for use on closed wounds at high risk of breakdown. A systematic review suggested a significant decrease in perineal wound complications when using incisional negative pressure wound therapy was demonstrated, with surgical site infection rates as low as 9% (vs 41% in control groups). The review suggested that incisional negative pressure wound therapy decreases perineal wound complications after abdominoperineal resection. Prospective study also suggested that after ELAPE the application of a negative pressure system to the perineal wound closed with biologic mesh may reduce perineal wound complications. The aim of the present study was to determine whether negative pressure therapy combined with biological mesh compared with biological mesh alone after ELAPE could improve wound healing.