Median Injury Severity Score Research Articles

1593 FRAILTY AND OUTCOMES FOR OLDER PATIENTS TREATED IN A MAJOR TRAUMA CENTRE

Abstract Introduction Older people are the fastest growing group of hospitalised trauma patients, most commonly due to falls from standing height. The Scottish Trauma Audit Group (STAG) collect extensive national data, but this does not currently include frailty and longer-term dependency. Method We retrospectively reviewed consecutive cases in the STAG database for the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh between September 2018 and February 2019. Casenote review was used to calculate baseline Charleston Comorbidity Index (CCI) and frailty status using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS). Outcomes of residence and mortality were collected to 1 year. Results We included 442 patients (mean age 62±20 years old, 43% female), of whom 218 (49%) were ≥65 years old (mean 78±8 years, 57% female). CFS could be ascertained in 209 (96%) patients ≥65 years, of whom 73 (35%) were frail (CFS ≥5). Frail patients were older (82±8 years vs. 77±8 years, p<0.001) and had more comorbidities (mean CCI 5.4±1.8 vs. 4.4±1.8, p<0.001) prior to trauma compared to non-frail patients >65 years old. Median Injury Severity Scores (ISS) did not vary by age (9 [5-12] ≥65 years vs. 9 [8-16] <65 years, p=0.07) or frailty status (9 [9-10] frail vs 9 [4-14] non-frail, p=0.59). Frail older patients were twice as likely to die within one year of trauma (32% vs 14% in non-frail, p<0.001), and this was independent of age (adjusted odds ratio 2.4, 95% confidence intervals 1.2–4.9, p=0.02). In survivors to 1 year, 16% of frail older patients required increased care at home (vs. 8% of non-frail older patients, p<0.001) and 14% were newly admitted to a care home (vs. 4% of non-frail, p<0.001). Conclusion A third of older patients with trauma are frail and this is an important predictor of patient outcomes beyond death. Frailty provides more prognostic information than age in this setting.

Safety and efficacy of artesunate treatment in severely injured patients with traumatic hemorrhage. The TOP-ART randomized clinical trial

PurposeThis study aimed at determining whether intravenous artesunate is safe and effective in reducing multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in trauma patients with major hemorrhage.MethodsTOP-ART, a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled, phase IIa trial, was conducted at a London major trauma center in adult trauma patients who activated the major hemorrhage protocol. Participants received artesunate or placebo (2:1 randomization ratio) as an intravenous bolus dose (2.4 mg/kg or 4.8 mg/kg) within 4 h of injury. The safety outcome was the 28-day serious adverse event (SAE) rate. The primary efficacy outcome was the 48 h sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score. The per-protocol recruitment target was 105 patients.ResultsThe trial was terminated after enrolment of 90 patients because of safety concerns. Eighty-three participants received artesunate (n = 54) or placebo (n = 29) and formed the safety population and 75 met per-protocol criteria (48 artesunate, 27 placebo). Admission characteristics were similar between groups (overall 88% male, median age 29 years, median injury severity score 22), except participants who received artesunate were more shocked (median base deficit 9 vs. 4.7, p = 0.042). SAEs occurred in 17 artesunate participants (31%) vs. 5 who received placebo (17%). Venous thromboembolic events (VTE) occurred in 9 artesunate participants (17%) vs. 1 who received placebo (3%). Superiority of artesunate was not supported by the 48 h SOFA score (median 5.5 artesunate vs. 4 placebo, p = 0.303) or any of the trial’s secondary endpoints.ConclusionAmong critically ill trauma patients, artesunate is unlikely to improve organ dysfunction and might be associated with a higher VTE rate.

Pentobarbital coma for management of intracranial hypertension following traumatic brain injury: Lack of early response to treatment portends poor outcomes

IntroductionTraumatic brain injury (TBI) results in the death of over 50,000 and the permanent disability of 80,000 individuals annually in the United States. Much of the permanent disability is the result of secondary brain injury from intracranial hypertension (ICH). Pentobarbital coma is often instituted following the failure of osmotic interventions and sedation to control intracranial pressure (ICP). The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of pentobarbital coma with respect to ICP management and long-term functional outcome. MethodsTraumatic brain injury patients who underwent pentobarbital coma at a level 1 trauma center between 2014 and 2021 were identified. Patient demographics, injury characteristics, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores, intracranial pressures (ICPs), and outcomes were obtained from the trauma registry as well as inpatient and outpatient medical records. The proportion of ICPs below 20 for each hospitalized patient-day was calculated. The primary outcome measured was GCS score at the last follow-up visit. Results25 patients were identified, and the majority were male (n ​= ​23, 92%) with an average age of 30.0 years ​± ​12.9 and median injury severity score of 30 (21.5–33.5). ICPs were monitored for all patients with a median of 464 (326–1034) measurements. The average hospital stay was 16.9 days ​± ​11.5 and intensive care stay was 16.9 ​± ​10.8 days. 9 (36.0%) patients survived to hospital discharge. Mean follow-up time in months was 36.9 ​± ​28.0 (min-max 3–80). 7 of the 9 surviving patients presented as GCS 15 on follow-up and the remaining were both GCS 9. Patients presenting at last follow-up with GCS 15 had a significantly higher proportion of controlled ICPs throughout their hospitalization compared to patients who expired or with follow-up GCS <15 (GCS 15: 88% ​± ​10% vs. GCS <15 or dead: 68% ​± ​22%, P ​= ​0.006). A comparison of the daily proportion of controlled ICPs by group revealed negligible differences prior to pentobarbital initiation. Groups diverged nearly immediately upon pentobarbital coma initiation with a higher proportion of controlled ICPs for patients with follow-up GCS of 15. ConclusionPatients that do not have an immediate response to pentobarbital coma therapy for ICH universally had poor outcomes. Alternative therapy or earlier palliation should be considered for such patients. In contrast, patients whose ICPs responded quickly to pentobarbital had excellent long-term outcomes.

Increased distance or time from a major trauma centre in South Australia is not associated with worse outcomes after moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.

Considerations in traumatic brain injury (TBI) management include time to critical interventions and neurosurgical care, which can be influenced by the geographical location of injury. In Australia, these distances can be vast with varying degrees of first-responder experience. The present study aimed to evaluate the association that distance and/or time to a major trauma centre (MTC) had on patient outcomes with moderate to severe TBI. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the Royal Adelaide Hospital's (RAH) Trauma Registry over a 3-year period (1 January 2018 to 31 December 2020). All patients with a moderate to severe TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] ≤13 and abbreviated injury score head of ≥2) were included. The association of distance and time to the RAH and patient outcomes were compared by calculating the odds ratio utilising a logistic regression model. A total of 378 patients were identified; of these, 226 met inclusion criteria and comprised our study cohort. Most patients were male (79%), injured in a major city (55%), with median age of 38 years old and median injury severity score (ISS) of 25. After controlling for age, ISS, ED GCS on arrival and pre-MTC intubation, increasing distance or time from injury site to the RAH was not shown to be associated with mortality or discharge destination in any of the models investigated. Our analysis revealed that increasing distance or time from injury site to a MTC for patients with moderate to severe TBI was not significantly associated with adverse patient outcomes.

Can we predict failure of non-operative management of blunt splenic injuries on arrival? A comparison of predictors of immediate splenectomy versus splenectomy secondary to non-operative management failure

Aims and Background The spleen is the most frequently injured solid organ after blunt trauma and a trial non-operative management (NOM) has become the standard of care in hemodynamically stable patients. It remains uncertain which patients are at increased risk of non-operative management failure (NOMF) at initial presentation. We explored whether clinical variables including the contemporary rotational thromboelastography (ROTEM) parameters are predictive of NOMF. Materials and Methods Data for all adult patients with a blunt splenic injury was collected retrospectively at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Canada between 2005 and 2021. Those who underwent a splenectomy within 4 hours of presentation were classified as direct operative management (OM), while those who had a splenectomy after 4 hours of observation were classified as NOM failure. Vital signs on arrival and injury characteristics were collected. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of OM and predictors of NOM failure. Results Seven hundred and seventeen patients were identified with splenic injury during our study period. The median Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 27 (IQR 17–36), and 19% ( n = 134) had a shock index of 1 or more. One hundred and eleven (15.5%) underwent direct operative management. A shock index above 1 and increasing spleen injury severity were strong predictors of patients undergoing direct OM. The remaining 606 patients underwent NOM of which 59% ( n = 357) of these were admitted to the ICU. NOM failure occurred in 7.4% ( n = 45) with a median time to NOM failure of 23 (IQR 8–72) hours. The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) spleen injury severity was the major factor significantly associated with NOM failure. Conclusions The only major predictor of NOMF available on arrival is increased spleen injury grade. Other clinical variables such as age, vital signs on arrival, and bloodwork were not significantly able to predict NOM failure. Additional investigation is required to identify novel predictors of NOM failure.

Evaluation of the association of factor XIII at hospital arrival and outcomes in a cohort of severely injured patients

BackgroundSevere traumatic bleeding depletes coagulation factor XIII (FXIII) and fibrinogen. However, the role of FXIII level in bleeding-related outcomes is unknown. ObjectivesTo evaluate the association between FXIII levels at hospital arrival and critical administration threshold (≥3 red blood cell units in 1 hour within the first 24 hours), bleeding-related outcomes, death, and baseline characteristics. MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted in severely injured adult patients (Injury Severity Score of ≥22 or ≥2 red blood cell units transfused in 24 hours) admitted to a level 1 trauma center. Clinical and laboratory data were collected. Baseline FXIII antigen levels were measured in banked patient plasma. Multivariable logistic and linear regression models were used to estimate the association between FXIII levels, outcomes, and baseline characteristics. ResultsThree hundred sixty-four of 1730 subjects admitted during a 2-year period were analyzed. Median age was 44 years (IQR, 27-62 years), and median Injury Severity Score was 29 (IQR, 22-34). FXIII levels were not associated with critical administration threshold (odds ratio [OR], 1.06; 95% CI, 0.97-1.17) or death (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.90-1.07). FXIII was associated with major bleeding (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.02-1.2) and massive transfusion (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.08-1.44). Lower baseline FXIII levels were associated with arrival from a referring hospital (FXIII level, −0.07 U/mL; 95% CI, −0.11 to −0.03), hemoglobin (FXIII level, −0.05 U/mL; 95% CI, −0.07 to −0.03), fibrinogen level (FXIII level, −0.05 U/mL; 95% CI, −0.08 to −0.02), and platelet count (FXIII level, −0.02 U/mL; 95% CI, −0.04 to −0.008). ConclusionsBaseline FXIII levels in severely injured patients were inconsistently associated with bleeding-related outcomes and mortality. However, their association with major bleeding warrants further investigation of the role of FXIII in massively transfused patients with trauma.

Association of age with death and withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy after severe traumatic brain injury.

Compared to younger age, older age (≥ 65 yr) is associated with worse outcomes after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). We sought to describe the association of older age with in-hospital death and aggressiveness of intervention. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult (age ≥ 16 yr) patients with severe TBI admitted to a single academic tertiary care neurotrauma centre between January 2014 and December 2015. We collected data through chart review as well as from our institutional administrative database. We provided descriptive statistics and used multivariable logistic regression to evaluate the independent association of age with the primary outcome, in-hospital death. The secondary outcome was early withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy. There were 126 adult patients (median age 67 yr [Q1-Q3, 33-80 yr]) with severe TBI during the study period who met our eligibility criteria. The most common mechanism was high-velocity blunt injury (55 patients [43.6%]). The median Marshall score was 4 (Q1-Q3, 2-6), and the median Injury Severity Score was 26 (Q1-Q3, 25-35). After controlling for confounders including clinical frailty, pre-existing comorbidity, injury severity, Marshall score and neurologic examination at admission, we observed that older patients were more likely than younger patients to die in hospital (odds ratio 5.10, 95% confidence interval 1.65-15.78). Older patients were also more likely to experience early withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy and less likely to receive invasive interventions. After controlling for confounding factors relevant to older patients, we observed that age was an important and independent predictor of in-hospital death and early withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy. The mechanism by which age influences clinical decision-making independent of global and neurologic injury severity, clinical frailty and comorbidities remains unclear.

Finding the bleeding edge: 24-hour mortality by unit of blood product transfused in combat casualties from 2002-2020.

Transfusion studies in civilian trauma patients have tried to identify a general futility threshold. We hypothesized that in combat settings there is no general threshold where blood product transfusion becomes unbeneficial to survival in hemorrhaging patients. We sought to assess the relationship between the number of units of blood products transfused and 24-hour mortality in combat casualties. A retrospective analysis of the Department of Defense Trauma Registry supplemented with data from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner. Combat casualties who received at least one unit of blood product at US military medical treatment facilities (MTFs) in combat settings (2002-2020) were included. The main intervention was the total units of any blood product transfused, which was measured from the point of injury until 24 hours after admission from the first deployed MTF. The primary outcome was discharge status (alive, dead) at 24 hours from time of injury. Of 11,746 patients included, the median age was 24 years, and most patients were male (94.2%) with penetrating injury (84.7%). The median injury severity score was 17 and 783 (6.7%) patients died by 24 hours. Median units of blood products transfused was 8. Most blood products transfused were red blood cells (50.2%), followed by plasma (41.1%), platelets (5.5%), and whole blood (3.2%). Among the 10 patients who received the most units of blood product (164 units to 290 units), 7 survived to 24 hours. The maximum amount of total blood products transfused to a patient who survived was 276 units. Of the 58 patients who received over 100 units of blood product, 20.7% died by 24 hours. While civilian trauma studies suggest the possibility of futility with ultra-massive transfusion, we report that the majority (79.3%) of combat casualties who received transfusions greater than 100 units survived to 24 hours. These results do not support a threshold for futility of blood product transfusion. Further analysis as to predictors for mortality will help in situations of blood product and resource constraints. Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level IV.

Predictors of long-term survival in 5,680 patients admitted to a UK major trauma centre with thoracic injuries.

The long-term outcomes of chest trauma are largely unknown. We sought to determine the predictors of in-hospital and long-term survival in patients admitted to a major trauma centre (MTC) with chest injuries and to evaluate spatial patterns of injury in our network area. Retrospective analysis of data collected on the National Trauma Audit Research Network (TARN) database using multivariate analysis and Cox regression analysis. Spatial analysis was performed using ArcGis 10.7.1. Some 5,680 patients were admitted with chest trauma between December 1999 and December 2019. Median patient age was 45 years and the median Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 20. The proportion of patients who had an operation was 39.8%. Age, blood transfusion, head injury, shock, emergency thoracotomy and heart disease were predictors of hospital mortality (p < 0.05). However, having an operation on concomitant injuries was protective. ISS and Glasgow Coma Score were discriminators of in-hospital mortality (C-indices 0.76 and 0.80, respectively). The 10-year survival values for patients who survived to discharge from hospital and who were aged <40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and >80 years were 99%, 93%, 95%, 87%, 75% and 43%, respectively. Preadmission lung disease and alcohol/drug misuse were poor predictors of long-term survival (p < 0.05). Hotspot analysis revealed the areas with the highest incidents were all close to the MTC. The MTC is geographically central to areas with high numbers of trauma incidents. Although emergency thoracotomy was a predictor of poor in-hospital outcomes, having surgery for concomitant injuries improved outcomes. Patients surviving to discharge have good long-term survivals.

Comparison of Injuries Associated With Electric Scooters, Motorbikes, and Bicycles in France, 2019-2022

Electric scooter (e-scooter) use is increasing in France and in many urban environments worldwide. Yet little is known about injuries associated with use of e-scooters. To describe characteristics and outcomes of major trauma involving e-scooters. A multicenter cohort study was conducted in France using the national major trauma registry between January 1, 2019, and December 20, 2022. All patients admitted to a participating major trauma center following a road traffic crash (RTC) involving an e-scooter, a bicycle, or a motorbike were included. Included patients were compared according to the 3 mechanisms. The primary outcome was trauma severity as defined by the Injury Severity Score (ISS). Secondary outcomes included the trends of the number of patients per year, a comparison of the RTC epidemiologic factors, injury severity, resources used, and in-hospital outcomes. A total of 5233 patients involved in RTCs were admitted (median age, 33 [IQR, 24-48] years; 4629 [88.5%] men; median ISS, 13 [IQR, 8-22]). The population included 229 e-scooter RTCs (4.4%), 4094 motorbike RTCs (78.2%), and 910 bicycle RTCs (17.4%). The number of patients treated following e-scooter RTCs increased by 2.8-fold in 4 years (from 31 in 2019 to 88 in 2022), while bicycle RTCs increased by 1.2-fold and motorbike RTCs decreased by 0.9-fold. At admission, 36.7% of e-scooter users had a blood alcohol content higher than the legal threshold (n = 84) and 22.5% wore a protective helmet (n = 32). Among e-scooter RTCs, 102 patients (45.5%) had an ISS of 16 or higher. This proportion was similar for patients with motorbike RTCs (1557 [39.7%]; P = .10) and bicycle RTCs (411 [47.3%]; P = .69). With a proportion of 25.9% (n = 50), patients with e-scooter RTCs had twice as many severe traumatic brain injuries (Glasgow Coma Scale ≤8) as motorbike RTCs (445 [11.8%]) and a proportion comparable to bicycle RTCs (174 [22.1%]). The mortality of e-scooter RTCs was 9.2% (n = 20), compared with 5.2% (n = 196) (P = .02) for motorbikes and 10.0% (n = 84) (P = .82) for bicycles. The findings of this study suggest that trauma involving e-scooters in France has significantly increased over the past 4 years. These patients presented with injury profiles as severe as those of individuals who experienced bicycle or motorbike RTCs, with a higher proportion of severe traumatic brain injury.

Splenic artery embolisation for blunt splenic trauma: 10 years of practice at a trauma centre.

Splenic artery embolisation (SAE) has transformed the management of splenic trauma. The aim of this study was to review the outcomes and postprocedural management of blunt splenic trauma patients treated with SAE at a trauma centre over a 10-year period. Details of patients undergoing SAE for blunt trauma between January 2012 and January 2022 were acquired from a prospectively maintained database. Patient records were reviewed for demographic information, splenic injury grades, embolisation efficacy, complications, and associated injuries and mortality. Data relating to Injury Severity Scores (ISS) and postprocedural practice (vaccinations, antibiotic prescribing, follow-up imaging) were also obtained. Thirty-six patients (24 male, 12 female) with a median age of 42.5 years (range 13-97 years) were identified. American Association for the Surgery of Trauma splenic injury grades were III (n = 7), IV (n = 20) and V (n = 9). Seventeen patients had isolated splenic injury and 19 had additional injuries to other organ systems. Median ISS was 18.5 (range 5-50). SAE succeeded first time in 35/36 cases, and upon the second attempt in 1/36 cases. No patients died because of splenic injury or SAE although four patients with polytrauma died owing to other injuries. SAE complications occurred in 4/36 cases. For survivors, vaccinations were administered in 17/32 cases, and long-term antibiotics were initiated in 14/32 cases. Formal follow-up imaging was arranged in 9/32 cases. These data show that SAE is an effective means of controlling splenic haemorrhage secondary to blunt trauma with no patient requiring subsequent laparotomy. Major complications occurred in 11% of cases. Follow-up practice varied regarding further imaging, antibiotic and vaccination administration.

Care pathways and factors associated with interhospital transfer to neurotrauma centers for patients with isolated moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury: a population-based study from the Norwegian trauma registry

BackgroundSystems ensuring continuity of care through the treatment chain improve outcomes for traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. Non-neurosurgical acute care trauma hospitals are central in providing care continuity in current trauma systems, however, their role in TBI management is understudied. This study aimed to investigate characteristics and care pathways and identify factors associated with interhospital transfer to neurotrauma centers for patients with isolated moderate-to-severe TBI primarily admitted to acute care trauma hospitals.MethodsA population-based cohort study from the national Norwegian Trauma Registry (2015–2020) of adult patients (≥ 16 years) with isolated moderate-to-severe TBI (Abbreviated Injury Scale [AIS] Head ≥ 3, AIS Body < 3 and maximum 1 AIS Body = 2). Patient characteristics and care pathways were compared across transfer status strata. A generalized additive model was developed using purposeful selection to identify factors associated with transfer and how they affected transfer probability.ResultsThe study included 1735 patients admitted to acute care trauma hospitals, of whom 692 (40%) were transferred to neurotrauma centers. Transferred patients were younger (median 60 vs. 72 years, P < 0.001), more severely injured (median New Injury Severity Score [NISS]: 29 vs. 17, P < 0.001), and had lower admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores (≤ 13: 55% vs. 27, P < 0.001). Increased transfer probability was significantly associated with reduced GCS scores, comorbidity in patients < 77 years, and increasing NISSs until the effect was inverted at higher scores. Decreased transfer probability was significantly associated with increasing age and comorbidity, and distance between the acute care trauma hospital and the nearest neurotrauma center, except for extreme NISSs.ConclusionsAcute care trauma hospitals managed a substantial burden of isolated moderate-to-severe TBI patients primarily and definitively, highlighting the importance of high-quality neurotrauma care in non-neurosurgical hospitals. The transfer probability declined with increasing age and comorbidity, suggesting that older patients were carefully selected for transfer to specialized care.

Application of creatinine height index in patients with trauma for the evaluation of psoas muscle mass: A clinical validation study.

The creatinine height index (CHI) is an estimate of lean body mass. We hypothesize that a modified CHI estimate using serum creatinine (sCr) levels in patients with normal renal function when performed soon after injury would reflect preinjury protein nutrition status. The urine CHI (uCHI) was calculated using the 24-h urine sample. The serum-derived estimated CHI (sCHI) was calculated using the sCr on admission. Correlation between abdominal computed tomographyimages at specific lumbar vertebral levels and total body fat and muscle content was used for comparison as an independent measurement of nutrition status unlikely to be substantially altered by trauma. A total of 45 patients were enrolled, all with a significant injury burden (median injury severity score [ISS] = 25; interquartile range, 17-35). The calculated sCHI on admission was 71.0% (SD = 26.9%) and likely underestimates the CHI when compared with uCHI (mean = 112.5%, SD = 32.6%). Stratifying by degree of stress demonstrated that in a group of 23 moderately and severely stressed patients, uCHI (mean = 112.7%, SD = 5.7%) and sCHI (mean = 60.8%, SD = 1.9%) were significantly different and without correlation (r = -0.26, P = 0.91). In patients without stress, there was a significant negative correlation between sCHI and psoas muscle area (r = -0.869, P = 0.03), and in patients with severe stress there was a significant positive correlation between uCHI and psoas muscle area (r = 0.733, P = 0.016). The CHI calculated from the initial sCr is not an appropriate estimate of uCHI in critically ill trauma patients and is not a valid measure of psoas muscle mass in this setting.

Femoral blood gas analysis, another tool to assess hemorrhage severity following trauma: an exploratory prospective study

BackgroundVeno-arterial carbon dioxide tension difference (ΔPCO2) and mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) have been shown to be markers of the adequacy between cardiac output and metabolic needs in critical care patients. However, they have hardly been assessed in trauma patients. We hypothesized that femoral ΔPCO2 (ΔPCO2 fem) and SvO2 (SvO2 fem) could predict the need for red blood cell (RBC) transfusion following severe trauma.MethodsWe conducted a prospective and observational study in a French level I trauma center. Patients admitted to the trauma room following severe trauma with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) > 15, who had arterial and venous femoral catheters inserted were included. ΔPCO2 fem, SvO2 fem and arterial blood lactate were measured over the first 24 h of admission. Their abilities to predict the transfusion of at least one pack of RBC (pRBCH6) or hemostatic procedure during the first six hours of admission were assessed using receiver operating characteristics curve.Results59 trauma patients were included in the study. Median ISS was 26 (22–32). 28 patients (47%) received at least one pRBCH6 and 21 patients (35,6%) had a hemostatic procedure performed during the first six hours of admission. At admission, ΔPCO2 fem was 9.1 ± 6.0 mmHg, SvO2 fem 61.5 ± 21.6% and blood lactate was 2.7 ± 1.9 mmol/l. ΔPCO2 fem was significantly higher (11.6 ± 7.1 mmHg vs. 6.8 ± 3.7 mmHg, P = 0.003) and SvO2 fem was significantly lower (50 ± 23 mmHg vs. 71.8 ± 14.1 mmHg, P < 0.001) in patients who were transfused than in those who were not transfused. Best thresholds to predict pRBCH6 were 8.1 mmHg for ΔPCO2 fem and 63% for SvO2 fem. Best thresholds to predict the need for a hemostatic procedure were 5.9 mmHg for ΔPCO2 fem and 63% for SvO2 fem. Blood lactate was not predictive of pRBCH6 or the need for a hemostatic procedure.ConclusionIn severe trauma patients, ΔPCO2 fem and SvO2 fem at admission were predictive for the need of RBC transfusion and hemostatic procedures during the first six hours of management while admission lactate was not. ΔPCO2 fem and SvO2 fem appear thus to be more sensitive to blood loss than blood lactate in trauma patients, which might be of importance to early assess the adequation of tissue blood flow with metabolic needs.

A retrospective evaluation of characterization, clinical course and anaesthesia management of emergency trauma surgical patients during first wave of COVID-19 pandemic at a tertiary care center in India

: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in nationwide lockdown followed by phased unlock to break the chain of transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in India. Management of emergency trauma patients has been particularly challenging for anaesthesiologists in order to treat these high risk group of patients and preventing cross infection to healthy patients as well as health care personnel. : It is a single centre retrospective observational cohort study conducted at tertiary care hospital in North India in the patients who underwent emergency trauma surgeries during 31 March 2020-31 May 2020(Lockdown) and compared with data from 1 June 2020-31 July 2020(Unlock). To compare the effect of lockdown and unlock during first wave of Covid-19 pandemic on the volume of emergency trauma surgical patients operated within 24 hours of admission.: To evaluate the difference between the two periods of lockdown and unlock a) in the mortality rates b) covid status c) the length of hospital stay d) the mechanism of injury e)severity of injury f)proportion of aerosol generating procedures (AGP) utilized and g)demographics of the patients. Our anaesthesia experience of managing the patients differently in the pandemic, identify areas for improvement, particularly in terms of minimising exposure and optimising resource usage in the management of such emergency patients in the event of a future healthcare crisis is also discussed. Over the 2 periods of lockdown and unlock there was no statistical difference in number, age or sex distribution of the patients presenting for emergency trauma surgery. Number of covid positive patients were slightly higher during unlock but it was statistically insignificant (p=0.07) and the number of patients died during unlock was also higher during unlock as compared to lockdown but statistically insignificant(p=0.3). The median injury severity score and length of stay was also not statistically significant between two periods. Road traffic accidents were most common type of injury in both the groups, self-inflicted injury occurred in 5 patients during lockdown and zero during unlock, none of these showed a significant difference (p &amp;#62; 0.06). General anaesthesia was the most common anaesthesia technique used in both the periods.Emergency trauma surgeries will continue to occur even in different phases of pandemics, anaesthesiologists should plan and prepare appropriately to provide anaesthesia and emergency care to these patients and prevent cross infection in healthy patients and health care workers.

Age-related changes in thromboelastography profiles in injured children.

The role of age in mediating coagulation characteristics in injured children is not well defined. We hypothesize thromboelastography (TEG) profiles are unique across pediatric age groups. Consecutive trauma patients younger than 18 years from a Level I pediatric trauma center database from 2016 to 2020 with TEG obtained on arrival to the trauma bay were identified. Children were categorized by age according to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development categories (infant, ≤1 year; toddler, 1-2 years; early childhood, 3-5 years; older childhood, 6-11 years; adolescent, 12-17 years). Thromboelastography values were compared across age groups using Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests. Analysis of covariance was performed controlling for sex, Injury Severity Score (ISS), arrival Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, shock, and mechanism of injury. In total, 726 subjects were identified; 69% male, median (interquartile range [IQR]) ISS = 12 (5-25), and 83% had a blunt mechanism. On univariate analysis, there were significant differences in TEG α-angle ( p < 0.001), MA ( p = 0.004), and fibrinolysis 30 minutes after MA (LY30) ( p = 0.01) between groups. In post hoc tests, the infant group had significantly greater α-angle (median, 77; IQR, 71-79) and MA (median, 64; IQR, 59-70) compared with other groups, while the adolescent group had significantly lower α-angle (median, 71; IQR, 67-74), MA (median, 60; IQR, 56-64), and LY30 (median, 0.8; IQR, 0.2-1.9) compared with other groups. There were no significant differences between toddler, early childhood, and middle childhood groups. On multivariate analysis, the relationship between age group and TEG values (α-angle, MA, and LY30) persisted after controlling for sex, ISS, GCS, shock, and mechanism of injury. Age-associated differences in TEG profiles across pediatric age groups exist. Further pediatric-specific research is required to assess whether the unique profiles at extremes of childhood translate to differential clinical outcomes or responses to therapies in injured children. Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level IV.

Re-triage moderates association between state trauma funding and lower mortality of trauma patients

BackgroundSeverely injured patients who are re-triaged (emergently transferred from an emergency department to a high-level trauma center) experience lower in-hospital mortality. Patients in states with trauma funding also experience lower in-hospital mortality. This study examines the interaction of re-triage, state trauma funding, and in-hospital mortality. Study DesignSeverely injured patients (Injury Severity Score (ISS) >15) were identified from 2016 to 2017 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Emergency Department Databases and State Inpatient Databases in five states (FL, MA, MD, NY, WI). Data were merged with the American Hospital Association Annual Survey and state trauma funding data. Patients were linked across hospital encounters to determine if they were appropriately field triaged, field under-triaged, optimally re-triaged, or sub-optimally re-triaged. A hierarchical logistic regression modeling in-hospital mortality was used to quantify the effect of re-triage on the association between state trauma funding and in-hospital mortality, while adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics. ResultsA total of 241,756 severely injured patients were identified. Median age was 52 years (IQR: 28, 73) and median ISS was 17 (IQR: 16, 25). Two states (MA, NY) allocated no funding, while three states (WI, FL, MD) allocated $0.09-$1.80 per capita. Patients in states with trauma funding were more broadly distributed across trauma center levels, with a higher proportion of patients brought to Level III, IV, or non-trauma centers, compared to patients in states without trauma funding (54.0% vs. 41.1%, p < 0.001). Patients in states with trauma funding were more often re-triaged, compared to patients in states without trauma funding (3.7% vs. 1.8%, p < 0.001). Patients who were optimally re-triaged in states with trauma funding experienced 0.67 lower adjusted odds of in-hospital mortality (95% CI: 0.50–0.89), compared to patients in states without trauma funding. We found that re-triage significantly moderated the association between state trauma funding and lower in-hospital mortality (p = 0.018). ConclusionSeverely injured patients in states with trauma funding are more often re-triaged and experience lower odds of mortality. Re-triage of severely injured patients may potentiate the mortality benefit of increased state trauma funding.

Injuries Sustained With Falls From Height in Crossing the United States-Mexico Border at a Level I Trauma Center: A Prospective Cohort Study.

The US Department of Homeland Security has reported increases in encounters and apprehensions at the US Southwest border for the past several years. The purposes of this study were to assess the demographics, patterns of injuries, and surgical interventions, associated with falls from height along the US-Mexico border. A prospective cohort study was conducted at a Level I trauma center from January 2016 through December 2021 of all patients who fell from height crossing the US-Mexico border and presented with injuries requiring admission. A total of 448 patients were admitted with a median age of 30 years (interquartile range [IQR] 16, range 6 to 65). Monthly frequency of admissions increased markedly with a median of 18.5 (IQR 5.3) in 2021. Patients presented with limited health data, and comorbidities were identified in 111 patients (24.7%). Median height fallen was 5.5 m (18 ft). Patients sustaining a fall from ≥ 5.5 m were markedly more likely to have an Injury Severity Score (ISS) of > 15. Median length of stay was 9 days (IQR 11). There were a total of 1,066 injuries with 723 extremity and pelvic; 236 spine; and 107 head or neck, face, thorax, or abdominal injuries. Median ISS was 9.0 (IQR 7, range 1 to 75, 33% > 15). Tibial plafond fracture and spine injury were markedly associated with longer lengths of stay and ISS > 15. All injuries resulted in 635 separate surgical events and 930 procedures. Clinical follow-up occurred in 55 patients (12.2%), with median duration of 28 days (range 6 days to 8 months). Injuries associated with border crossings and falls from height were serious and increased in frequency. As the US policy on border security evolves, surgeons in these regions should be prepared to handle the associated injuries and sequelae. Prevention of these serious and debilitating injuries should be undertaken to decrease the burden of disease.

Sex differences in sledging injuries: a retrospective 10-season study from a Swiss level 1 trauma centre

ObjectivesSledging is a popular and traditional winter sport in Switzerland. This study examines injury patterns of patients who presented to a tertiary trauma centre in Switzerland following sledging trauma, focusing...

Pediatric trauma surgery in Iraq and Afghanistan: Mortality, indicators, and most common operating room interventions from 2007 to 2016.

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq produced thousands of pediatric casualties, using substantial military medical resources. We sought to describe characteristics of pediatric casualties who underwent operative intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is a retrospective analysis of pediatric casualties treated by US Forces in the Department of Defense Trauma Registry with at least one operative intervention during their course. We report descriptive, inferential statistics, and multivariable modeling to assess associations for receiving an operative intervention and survival. We excluded casualties who died on arrival to the emergency department. During the study period, there were a total of 3,439 children in the Department of Defense Trauma Registry, of which 3,388 met inclusion criteria. Of those, 2,538 (75%) required at least 1 operative intervention totaling 13,824 (median, 4; interquartile range, 2-7; range, 1-57). Compared with nonoperative casualties, operative casualties were older and male and had a higher proportion of explosive and firearm injuries, higher median composite injury severity scores, higher overall blood product administration, and longer intensive care hospitalizations. The most common operative procedures were related to abdominal, musculoskeletal, and neurosurgical trauma; burn management; and head and neck. When adjusting for confounders, older age (unit odds ratio, 1.04; 1.02-1.06), receiving a massive transfusion during their initial 24 hours (6.86, 4.43-10.62), explosive injuries (1.43, 1.17-1.81), firearm injuries (1.94, 1.47-2.55), and age-adjusted tachycardia (1.45, 1.20-1.75) were all associated with going to the operating room. Survival to discharge on initial hospitalization was higher in the operative cohort (95% vs. 82%, p < 0.001). When adjusting for confounders, operative intervention was associated with improved mortality (odds ratio, 7.43; 5.15-10.72). Most children treated in US military/coalition treatment facilities required at least one operative intervention. Several preoperative descriptors were associated with casualties' likelihood of operative interventions. Operative management was associated with improved mortality. Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level III.