A simple algorithm for decoding both errors and erasures of ReedSolomon codes is described.

A gauze sponge cannot act as a gas diffuser in cardiac surgery when it gets wet

BACKGROUND Urinary retention is a common postoperative complication that mandates urinary catheterization. Urinary catheterization is associated with different physical, mental, and financial problems for both patients and healthcare systems. The patient inconvenience, urinary tract infections, and increase in hospital stay and expenses are common problems of urinary retention and urinary cathe...

A model is described for practising packing of the nose with ribbon gauze in the treatment of epistaxis. The model was constructed from accurate casts of a cadaveric nasal cavity. The value of the model as a practical teaching aid is shown by a trial on a group of 15 accident and emergency (A&E) doctors. After training on the model, there was a significant improvement in the confidence of the d...

Retaining of gauzes and surgical sponges in the abdomen is one of the most frequent medical errors usually manifesting as abscess or abdominocutaneus fistulas with no definite symptoms during lifetime. Here, we introduce a 35 year old woman with symptoms and signs of partial bowel obstruction and enterocutaneous fistulas caused by migration of retained gauze from abdominal cavity to terminal il...

Results: Mean ACT value was 180±24 seconds. Femoral hemostasis was achieved with a double suture-based VCD deployment in 30 (67%) patients or a double VCD with cross-over balloon inflation in the remaining 15 (33%) patients. Bleeding after VCDs occurred in 15 (33%) pts. The kaolin-based dressing, activates the intrinsic blood coagulation pathway thus allowing for a short manual hemostasis perio...