Çimen, Erdem Yakup; Çakir, Murteza; Bilir, Ozlem; Çakir, Zeynep

Aim: This study aimed to tension-type headache (TTH) investigate the efficacy of greater occipital nerve (GON) blockade performed with dexketoprofen under ultrasonography in patients presenting to the emergency department. Materials and Methods: This prospective, randomized, controlled study was conducted with patients who presented to the emergency department with TTH. The treatment was planned as 50 mg of intravenous (IV) dexketoprofen over 5 min for Group 1 and IV dexketoprofen followed by ultrasonography-guided GON blockade with 0.5% bupivacaine for Group 2. The patients' demographic characteristics and pain levels according to the 10-cm Visual Analog Scale were recorded at the time of presentation. The pain scores of the patients were recorded at the 10th, 20th, 30th, 60th, and 120th minutes, and the difference between the 0th and 120th minutes was calculated as the delta value. Results: Of the 159 patients included in the study. There was a decrease in the pain scores at the 10th minute in both groups with treatment, and the greatest decrease occurred in Group 2 at the 20th minute. The delta visual analog scale score was found to be 4.71 in Group 1 and 7.11 in Group 2, and it was observed that GON blockade therapy together with IV dexketoprofen reduced the severity of pain more rapidly and effectively than IV dexketoprofen alone. Conclusion: When managing acute pain attacks in patients presenting to the emergency department with TTH, the combined use of IV nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with a GON block increases treatment outcomes, reduces treatment duration, and enhances the efficacy of analgesics compared with their use alone.

Degermenci, Muhammet; Uçar, Ilyas; Cosgun, Muharrem Said; Savrun, Seyda Tuba; Aygün, Ali

Aim: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has primarily affected the respiratory system since its first emergence in China. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the possible effects of this disease on pulmonary vessels and aortic diameter and the relationship between these vessels and lung volumes as it affects lung capacity. Materials and Methods: In our study, the diameter of the pulmonary trunk (PT) at its origin and at the point where it divides into two, the diameters of the right and left pulmonary arteries, the diameters of the ascending aorta, aortic arch, descending aorta, and lung volumes were evaluated. Computed tomography (CT) images of 30 patients (18 men, 12 women) were obtained retrospectively, and the first measurement was performed on thorax CT images at Stage 1 (days 0-4) and the second measurement was performed on thorax CT images at Stage 6 (>day 28). Results: We found a statistically significant difference in pulmonary artery and aortic diameters between Stage 1 and Stage 6 images due to the progression of COVID-19 disease (p<0.05). The difference between Stages 1 and 6 was higher in older individuals. A statistically significant difference was found between lung volumes and the PT. Conclusion: We found that COVID-19 disease caused an increase in the pulmonary artery and aortic diameter due to its poor prognosis, and there was a significant relationship between lung volume and pulmonary vessels.

Gündüz, Abdulkadir; Türkmen, Suha; Eryigit, Umut; Karaca, Yunus; Aydin, Murat

It is important that the fact that Turkey is an earthquake country should be corroborated by scientific data. Researches show that major Turkish cities such as Istanbul, Izmir, Malatya, Erzincan, Hatay and Van have been struck by devastating earthquakes several times in the past. According to the earthquake catalogue for Turkey drawn up by the researchers Ambraseys and Finkel, 12 earthquakes causing very severe damage have taken place in Istanbul over the last 1500 years. The Marmara earthquake of 17 August, 1999, resulted in 17.479 deaths and 43.953 injuries. One hundred and twenty-four earthquakes causing more than 1.000 deaths, have taken place across the world since 1900. Seventeen of these were in Turkey. In 2000, Parsons et al. calculated a 62 +/- 15% probability of a powerful earthquake in the vicinity of Istanbul within the following 30 years. These findings clearly reveal that Turkey is one of the world's major earthquake countries. Turkey and Turkish emergency medicine must bear this reality in mind in all present and future planning.

Bayramoglu, Atif; Acar, Ethem; Akoz, Ayhan; Eden, Arif Onur; Bilir, Ozlem

Objective: Mass organizations such as the Olympic Games are activities that are held at a specific time and location, and more than 1000 people participate The frequency of these organisations is increasing day by day in the modern world. In these organisations, the objectives of the public health teams include preventing or minimizing diseases and injuries and maximizing safety for participants, spectators and officials. Material and Methods: The twenty-fifth Winter Universiade games took place between 27 January to 6 February 2011 in Turkey with the participation of 1593 athletes and 844 officials from 52 countries. During the games, approximately 2500 cases presented because of an illness or injury. The hospital division of the health services was provided by our Regional Training and Research Hospital. Therefore, a unit was organised in the emergency department for first assesment and outpatient treatment and also a unit for inpatient treatment in the hospital. All admissions to the hospital except the intensive care unit were made in this unit. Results: During the games, 351 patients were admitted to the hospital. Of these patients, 332 were discharged after initial treatment and 17 were hospitalized. Conclusion: The most frequent diagnoses were upper respiratory tract infections and trauma, respectively.