Among the 21st century's major emerging health issues, one of the most critical is the increasing prevalence of individuals with comorbidities, or multiple chronic conditions (MCCs), and the myriad ...challenges this poses for public health, healthcare, social services, and other sectors. Given the increasing prevalence of individuals with MCCs and the paramount role of MCCs as a healthcare cost driver, in 2008 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched an initiative to strengthen efforts by the HHS to address the effects of MCCs on health status, quality of life, and cost. In this paper, we first provide an overview of the HHS initiative with a particular focus on the approach used in developing the initiative's centerpiece, the HHS Strategic Framework on Multiple Chronic Conditions; we next describe progress in implementing one of the framework's four major goal areas (Goal 4) on facilitating research to fill knowledge gaps about, and interventions and systems to benefit, individuals with MCCs; and we conclude by suggesting additional potential priorities for research on MCCs. Although considerable research on MCCs has been reported over the past decade, the HHS Strategic Framework's goal on research provides a set of priority areas and a plan for systematically strengthening the evidence and information foundation necessary to address the challenges of MCCs in the USA. More broadly, the Strategic Framework provides a roadmap to help improve coordination between HHS operating divisions and enhance collaboration with external stakeholders to improve the quality of life for those with MCCs.
To evaluate healing rates and complications in patients treated with temporary external fixation (EF) and subsequent open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for high-energy distal femur or ...proximal tibia fractures.
Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data 1999 to 2005. Demographic data and injury severity score were obtained from medical records. Factors reviewed included perioperative complications (nonunion, postoperative infection, loss of fixation) and time to radiographic and clinical union.
Forty-seven patients with 16 distal femur and 36 proximal tibia fractures were treated using temporary EF. Patients subsequently underwent ORIF (mean time from EF to ORIF = 5 days, range 1-23 days). Thirty-five fractures were open (Gustilo I = 8, II = 6, IIIA = 3, IIIB = 13, IIIC = 5) and 17 closed. Forty patients with 44 fractures reached 1-year follow-up. Of these, 36 patients with 40 (91%) fractures had healed both radiographically and clinically. The mean postoperative follow-up time was 14 months (range 3-68). Eight (16%) deep infections occurred, all in open fractures (Gustilo I = 2, IIIB = 3, IIIC = 3), with one patient requiring above knee amputation. Other complications included one hematoma, two malunions, one fixation failure, and one pin site infection. One patient died as a result of a stroke.
Temporary bridging EF offers the advantage of early soft tissue and bone stabilization without the potential local risks of immediate ORIF in severely injured soft tissues, or the potential systemic risks in a severely traumatized patient. The 16% infection rate in this study, all occurring in open fractures, falls within the reported range for grade III open fractures (15%-20%). We conclude that the initial treatment of high-energy periarticular knee fractures with bridging EF, followed by planned conversion to internal fixation is a safe option in patients who are unsuitable for initial definitive surgery.
Foreword Parekh, Anand K; Meyers, David S
Medical care,
2014-March, Volume:
52 Suppl 3 Suppl 2, ADVANCING THE FIELD: Results from the AHRQ Multiple Chronic Conditions Research Network
Journal Article
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