New Injury Severity Score Scores Research Articles

Comparison of single bicycle crashes and collisions among severely injured cyclists–A 16-year analysis based on the Helsinki Trauma Registry (HTR)

ObjectiveThe Finnish national Traffic Safety Strategy 2022–2026 seeks to halve the number of road fatalities and serious injuries from 2020 to 2030. The strategy states that better information on bicycle crashes is needed for safety promotion. The aim of this study was to describe the demographics, injury characteristics, alcohol involvement, and helmet use of severely injured cyclists and to compare single bicycle crashes (falling alone or hitting a fixed object) to collisions. Material and methodsWe identified all bicycle crashes between 2006 and 2021 from the Helsinki Trauma Registry (HTR). Variables analysed were basic patient demographics, Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) codes, AIS 3+ injuries, injured body regions, patient Injury Severity Score (ISS) and New Injury Severity Score (NISS), 30-day in-hospital mortality, ICU length of stay, injury mechanism, alcohol use by the injured cyclists, and helmet use. ResultsOf the 325 severe (NISS >15) cycling injury patients in the HTR, 53.5 % were injured in single crashes and 46.5 % in collisions with a moving object. Most (71.4 %) patients were men and mean age of all patients was 54.1 years (SD 16.7). Alcohol was detected in 23.1 % of cases and more often in single crashes (32.8 %) than in collisions (11.9 %). Less than a third (29.2 %) of all cyclists wore a helmet; those who wore a helmet had fewer serious (AIS 3+) head injuries than those who did not. Cyclists injured in collisions had higher ISS and NISS scores than those injured in single crashes. Serious (AIS 3+) injuries in extremities or in pelvic girdle were more common in collisions than in single crashes. ConclusionsAmong severely injured cyclists, single bicycle crashes were more common; alcohol was more often detected in single bicycle crashes than in collisions. Overall injury severity was higher in collisions than in single crashes. Helmet users had less AIS 3+ head injuries than non-users. Attention should be focused on preventing alcohol-related cycling injuries, promoting use of bicycle helmets, and more precise and comprehensive documentation of bicycle crashes in health care units.

Assessment of firearm injuries undergoing advanced airway management: Role II hospital experience.

Airway problems are one of the most important factors affecting mortality in firearm injuries. The present study aims to examine the data of patients who underwent advanced airway support due to explosion and bullet injuries in a Role II hospital. Ninety three patients who underwent advanced airway support due to gunshot wounds in a Role II hospital between January 2015 and September 2016 were included in this study. The patients were divided into two groups as blast (Group A) (handmade explosives, rocket, and mine) and bullet (Group B) (rifle and pistol bullet) trauma injuries. The groups were compared regarding pre-hospital intubation, NISS (New Injury Severity Score), cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), emergency surgical intervention and mortality rates. There was no difference between the patient groups concerning demographic and clinical features. Thirty-six patients were included in group A, and 57 patients were included in group B. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups about emergency surgical intervention rates (p=0.42). However, a statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of pre-hospital intubation (p=0.001), CPR application (p=0.001), mortality (p=0.001) rates and NISS (p=0.002) scores. Bullet injuries that require advanced airway are more destructive and more deadly than explosion injuries. This may be due to direct airway or organ damage in bullet gunshot wounds.

Interest of the MGAP score on in-hospital trauma patients: Comparison with TRISS, ISS and NISS scores

Trauma scoring systems were created to predict mortality and enhance triage capabilities. However, efficacy of scoring systems to predict mortality and accuracy of originally reported severity thresholds remains uncertain. A single-center, retrospective study was conducted at University of Virginia (UVA), an American College of Surgeons verified Level I trauma center. We compared four scoring systems: MGAP (Mechanism, Glasgow Coma Scale, Age, and arterial pressure), Injury Severity Score (ISS), New Injury Severity Score (NISS), and Trauma Related Injury Severity Score (TRISS) to predict in-hospital mortality and disposition from the emergency department to higher acuity level of care including mortality (i.e. operating room, intensive care unit, morgue) versus standard floor admission using area under the curve (AUC) for receiver operating characteristic analysis. Second, we examined sensitivity of these scores at standard thresholds to determine if adjustments were needed to minimize under-triage (sensitivity ≥95%). TRISS was the best predictor of mortality in a cohort of n=16,265 with AUC of 0.920 (95% CI: 0.911-0.929, p<0.0001), followed by MGAP with AUC of 0.900 (95% CI: 0.889-0.911, p<0.0001), and finally ISS and NISS (0.830 (95% CI: 0.814-0.847) and 0.827 (95% CI: 0.809-0.844) respectively). NISS was the best predictor of high acuity disposition with an AUC of 0.729 (95% CI: 0.721-0.736, p<0.0001), followed by ISS with AUC of 0.714 (95% CI: 0.707-0.722, p<0.0001), and finally TRISS and MGAP (0.673 (95% CI: 0.665-0.682) and 0.613 (95% CI: 0.604-0.621) respectively (p<0.0001). At historic thresholds, no scoring system displayed adequate sensitivity to predict mortality, with values ranging from 73% for ISS to 80% for NISS. In conclusion, in the reported study cohort, TRISS was the best predictor of mortality while NISS was the best predictor of high acuity disposition. We also stress updating scoring system thresholds to achieve ideal sensitivity, and investigating how scoring systems derived to predict mortality perform when predicting indicators of morbidity such as disposition from the emergency department.

Severe traffic injuries in the Helsinki Trauma Registry between 2009–2018

ObjectiveThe European Union (EU) has adopted the Vision Zero and Safe System approach to eliminate deaths and serious traffic injuries on European roads by 2050. Detailed information on serious injuries, injury mechanisms and consequences are needed. The aim of this study was to describe and compare by injury mechanism the demographics, injuries, injury severity, and treatment of seriously injured road traffic trauma patients. Material and methodsWe analysed data on severe traffic injury trauma patients aged ≥16 years of the Helsinki Trauma Registry (HTR) covering the years 2009−2018. The variables analysed were basic patient demographics, injury mechanism, Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) codes, injured body regions, patient Injury Severity Score (ISS) and New Injury Severity Score (NISS) values, NISS groups (NISS 16−24 and NISS ≥25), AIS 3+ injuries, trauma bay and 30-day mortality, length of stay (LOS) at ICU and in hospital, surgeries performed, pre-injury classification, and intention of injury. ResultsA total of 1 063 traffic injury patients were analysed; 38.6% were motor vehicle occupants, 28.5% motorcyclists or moped drivers, 17.2% bicyclists, and 15.7% pedestrians. The mean age of patients was 44.3 years (SD 20.2). Median ISS score was 22 and median NISS score was 27. Both scores were highest in pedestrians. Among all patients, total hospital LOS was 12 517 days (median 9) and total ICU LOS was 6 311 days (median 5). The most common AIS 3+ injuries according to ISS body regions were chest injuries (60%) and head or neck injuries (43.7%). Chest injuries occurred more frequently in motorcyclists and motor vehicle occupants, whereas head or neck injuries were most common among bicyclists and pedestrians. ConclusionsSeverely injured pedestrians and bicyclists were older and they had higher mortality than motorcyclists and motor vehicle occupants. According to NISS, the overall severity was highest among pedestrians followed by bicyclists. However, the both median ICU LOS and hospital LOS were highest for pedestrians but lowest for bicyclists. The most common AIS 3+ injuries were chest and head or neck injuries. To specify effective injury prevention measures, hospital data should be complemented with information on the circumstances of the accident.

A comparative observational study of injury severity score and new injury severity score as criteria for admission of trauma patients in a tertiary care center

Background: Trauma has been a major cause of morbidity and mortality all across the globe. For the improvement of delivery of efficient care to these victims, various trauma severity indices have been devised which make it possible to plan emergency care and assess need for hospitalization and optimize hospital resources. This study was carried out to compare and evaluate Injury Severity Score (ISS) and New Injury Severity Score (NISS) as criteria for admission of trauma patients. Materials and Methods: It was a prospective observational study. The available data were analyzed to determine and compare ISS and NISS as the criteria for admission. The statistical software SPSS (version 20) was used for data analysis. Results: A total of 102 patients were studied at trauma center of our hospital. Out of the total patients, 59.8% of patients had their NISS scores greater than ISS, which showed that NISS is more sensitive and accurate than ISS. It was observed that NISS was not better in predicting hospital stay as compared to ISS. The relationship between NISS and number of hospitalization days was not statistically significant (P = 0.112) whereas ISS was a better predictor of hospital stay (P = 0.042). Conclusion: In this study, it was observed that majority of parameters have favored NISS whereas parameters like hospital stay have favored ISS. Hence, we concluded that NISS is a better score than ISS in many aspects and it can be preferred over ISS as one of the criteria for Hospital admission of trauma patients.

Clinical characteristics of 1653 injured motorcyclists and factors that predict mortality from motorcycle crashes in Malaysia

PurposeAmongst the ASEAN countries, Malaysia has the highest road fatality risk (>15 fatalities per 100 000 population) with 50% of these fatalities involving motorcyclist. This contributes greatly to ward admissions and poses a significant burden to the general surgery services. From mild rib fractures to severe intra-abdominal exsanguinations, the spectrum of cases managed by surgeons resulting from motorcycle accidents is extensive. The objective of this study is to report the clinical characteristics and identify predictors of death in motorcycle traumatic injuries from a Malaysian trauma surgery centre. MethodsThis is a prospective cross-sectional study of all injured motorcyclists and pillion riders that were admitted to Hospital Sultanah Aminah and treated by the trauma surgery team from May 2011 to February 2015. Only injured motorcyclists and pillion riders were included in this study. Patient demography and predictors leading to mortality were identified. Significant predictors on univariate analysis were further analysed with multivariate analysis. ResultsWe included 1653 patients with a mean age of (35 ± 16.17) years that were treated for traumatic injuries due to motorcycle accidents. The mortality rate was 8.6% (142) with equal amount of motorcycle riders (788) and pillion riders (865) that were injured. Amongst the injured were male predominant (1 537) and majority of ethnic groups were the Malays (897) and Chinese (350). Severity of injury was reflected with a mean Revised Trauma Score (RTS) of 7.31 ± 1.29, New Injury Severity Score (NISS) of 19.84 ± 13.84 and Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) of 0.91 ± 0.15. Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that age≥35, lower GCS, head injuries, chest injuries, liver injuries, and small bowel injuries were significant predictors of motorcycle trauma related deaths with p < 0.05. Higher trauma severity represented by NISS, RTS and TRISS scores was also significant for death with p < 0.05. ConclusionAge, lower GCS, presence of head, chest, liver, small bowel injuries and higher severity on NISS, RTS and TRISS scores are predictive of death in patients involved with motorcycle accidents. This information is important for prognostic mortality risk prevention and counselling.

Development of a survivability evaluation procedure for bullet penetration into human body

This paper develops survivability evaluation procedure (KUSAR ST-33 program) for bullet penetration into human body based on the AIS (abbreviated injury scale) and the NISS (new injury severity score). Depending on the energy and geometrical configuration of bullet, the shape of temporary wound cavity inside human body is different and this influences the extent of injury. First, some bullet experiments are carried out to extract representative shapes of temporary cavities according to bullet types, and three-dimensional matrix representing human anatomical structure is constructed from scanned CT images of upper body. By mapping the extracted cavity shapes to the 3D matrix for anatomical structure, volume of damaged tissues of some internal organs including blood vessels and bones are calculated. Finally, the AIS and the NISS scores depending on the trajectories of bullets and energy levels are computed with some random variation effects. Bullet trajectories and consequent damaged anatomical structure are visualized.

Validation of the trauma mortality prediction scores from a Malaysian population

BackgroundWell-known trauma mortality prediction scores such as New Injury Severity Score (NISS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS), and Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) have been externally validated from high-income countries with established trauma databases. However, these scores were never used in Malaysian population. In this current study, we attempted to validate these scoring systems using our regional trauma surgery database.MethodsA retrospective analysis of the regional Malaysian Trauma Surgery Database was performed over a period of 3 years from May 2011 to April 2014. NISS, RTS, Major Trauma Outcome Study (MTOS)-TRISS, and National Trauma Database (NTrD)-TRISS scores were recorded and calculated. Individual scoring system’s performance in predicting trauma mortality was compared by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) curve. Youden index and associated optimal cutoff values for each scoring system was calculated to predict mortality. The corresponding positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of the cutoff values were calculated.ResultsA total of 2208 trauma patients (2004 blunt and 204 penetrating injuries) with mean age of 36 (SD = 16) years were included. There were 239 deaths with a corresponding mortality rate of 10.8%. The AUC calculated for the NISS, RTS, MTOS-TRISS, and NTrD-TRISS were 0.878, 0.802, 0.812, and 0.848, respectively. The NISS score with a cutoff value of 24, sensitivity of 86.6% and specificity of 74.3%, outperformed the rest (p < 0.001). Mortality was predicted by NISS with an overall accuracy of 75.6%; its positive predictive value was at 29.02% and negative predictive value at 97.86%.ConclusionAmongst the four scores, the NISS score is the best trauma mortality prediction model suited for a local Malaysian trauma population. Further validation with multicentre data in the country may require to ascertain the finding.

Poly-traumatic multi-ligament knee injuries: is the knee the limiting factor?

Multi-ligament knee injuries (MLKI) from a high-velocity accident are rare but potentially devastating. This matched cohort analysis compares knee functional outcomes after multiple ligament reconstruction in poly-trauma patients to those that occurred in isolation. Sixty-two patients with MLKI that occurred either as a component of polytrauma or had occurred in isolation were matched according to age, sex, and knee dislocation grade. Functional outcomes and knee physical examination were assessed at a 2-year follow-up. New Injury Severity Score (NISS) was calculated based on the poly-traumatic injury pattern. Risk factors for worse outcomes in the poly-trauma cohort were analyzed. The mean IKDC, Lysholm, and NISS scores in the polytrauma cohort were 57.2 ± 21.9, 62 ± 22, and 40.9 ± 20.4, respectively, at a mean of 67months (range 24-220). The isolated knee injury group was followed for a mean of 74months (range 24-266) with mean IKDC and Lysholm scores of 71.1 ± 26.5 and 78 ± 23, respectively. Patients in the control cohort had significantly higher IKDC (p = 0.01) and Lysholm scores, (p = 0.003). There were no major differences between the two groups in regards physical examination findings at final follow-up. None of the analyzed risk factors was predictive of poor outcome. When comparing knees with similar multi-ligament and neurovascular injury patterns, patients who sustained their injury as a result of poly-trauma demonstrated significantly lower functional scores following reconstruction. This is despite restoration of similar knee stability and range of motion. The functional outcomes following MLKI reconstruction in poly-traumatized patients are influenced by factors other than the knee including concomitant injuries and psychosocial factors. Therapeutic Level III.

Comparison of ISS, NISS, and RTS score as predictor of mortality in pediatric fall

BackgroundStudies to identify an ideal trauma score tool representing prediction of outcomes of the pediatric fall patient remains elusive. Our study was undertaken to identify better predictor of mortality in the pediatric fall patients.MethodsData was retrieved from prospectively maintained trauma registry project at level 1 trauma center developed as part of Multicentric Project—Towards Improving Trauma Care Outcomes (TITCO) in India. Single center data retrieved from a prospectively maintained trauma registry at a level 1 trauma center, New Delhi, for a period ranging from 1 October 2013 to 17 February 2015 was evaluated. Standard anatomic scores Injury Severity Score (ISS) and New Injury Severity Score (NISS) were compared with physiologic score Revised Trauma Score (RTS) using receiver operating curve (ROC).ResultsHeart rate and RTS had a statistical difference among the survivors to nonsurvivors. ISS, NISS, and RTS were having 50, 50, and 86% of area under the curve on ROCs, and RTS was statistically significant among them.ConclusionsPhysiologically based trauma score systems (RTS) are much better predictors of inhospital mortality in comparison to anatomical based scoring systems (ISS and NISS) for unintentional pediatric falls.

Effect of trauma scoring system and combined score on the trauma response of acute trauma patients

Objective To investigate the performance of Injury Severity Score (ISS), New Injury Severity Score (NISS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS), CRAMS (circulation, respiration, abdomen, motor, speech) score and combined score on the trauma response of trauma patients. Methods Data of acute trauma patients from March 2014 to February 2015 were chosen as the research object. The clinical information at admission was recorded, and the ISS, NISS, RTS, CRAMS and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) were calculated. The optimal cut- off values were looked for the comparability between the four scores and APACHE Ⅱ score were figured out by ROC curve. The joint diagnosis combined physiological score with anatomical score in overlap mode was used for comparing sensitivity and specificity. Results There was a total of 1 020 patients included in the study. APACHE Ⅱ score ≥20 was found 711 cases, and APACHE Ⅱ<20 was 309 patients, and there were significant statistic differences in ISS score (U=11.347, P < 0.05),NISS score (U=11.969, P<0.05),CRAMS score (U= 8.194, P < 0.05) and RTS score (U=8.357, P < 0.05) between two groups. It was showed by ROC curve analysis that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of ISS, NISS, CRAMS and RTS was 0.907, 0.941, 0.768 and 0.803 (all P < 0.05). Compared with the trauma score, combined scores could increase the sensitivity of the prompt assessment of trauma severity in trauma patients, but the combined scores may also reduce the specificity. Conclusions Of these four scoring systems, NISS has the best correlation with APACHE Ⅱ. Compared with the trauma score, combined scores can increase the sensitivity of the prompt assessment of trauma severity in trauma patients, but the combined scores may also reduce the specificity. Key words: Trauma; Evaluation; Trauma score; Combined score; Injury severity

Pediatric trauma BIG score: Predicting mortality in polytraumatized pediatric patients.

Background:Trauma is a worldwide health problem and the major cause of death and disability, particularly affecting the young population. It is important to remember that pediatric trauma care has made a significant improvement in the outcomes of these injured children.Aim of the Work:This study aimed at evaluation of pediatric trauma BIG score in comparison with New Injury Severity Score (NISS) and Pediatric Trauma Score (PTS) in Tanta University Emergency Hospital.Materials and Methods:The study was conducted in Tanta University Emergency Hospital to all multiple trauma pediatric patients attended to the Emergency Department for 1 year. Pediatric trauma BIG score, PTS, and NISS scores were calculated and results compared to each other and to observed mortality.Results:BIG score ≥12.7 has sensitivity 86.7% and specificity 71.4%, whereas PTS at value ≤3.5 has sensitivity 63.3% and specificity 68.6% and NISS at value ≥39.5 has sensitivity 53.3% and specificity 54.3%. There was a significant positive correlation between BIG score value and mortality rate.Conclusion:The pediatric BIG score is a reliable mortality-prediction score for children with traumatic injuries; it uses international normalization ratio (INR), Base Excess (BE), and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) values that can be measured within a few minutes of sampling, so it can be readily applied in the Pediatric Emergency Department, but it cannot be applied on patients with chronic diseases that affect INR, BE, or GCS.

Characteristics of the injuries of Syrian refugees sustained during the civil war.

During a war, many civilians are severely injured by firearms, bombs, and shrapnel. The triage of war injuries involves difficult and complicated processes requiring surgical procedures and patient monitoring in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of hospitals. In this study, we examine the demographic, traumatic, and critical care characteristics of cases injured during the civil war in Syria and requiring emergency surgery. Electronic data of the traumatic, surgical, and ICU monitoring features of 707 patients admitted to Kilis Public Hospital between March 2012 and January 2013 were analyzed retrospectively RESULTS: Most of the patients reported having been injured due to firearms (83.75%). Of the 707 cases studied in this work, 93.2% was male. Male patients reported a mean age of 26.1±12.1 years, while pediatric cases reported a mean age of 11.7±3.41 years. The most frequently injured region of the body was the head-neck region (52.7%). The New Injury Severity Score (NISS) of the cases was 42.5±11.2 and their American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score was 3.2±0.7. The number of cases with intraoperative exitus was 7, while the number of cases who had undergone damage control surgery was 204. The number of cases hospitalized in the ICU during the postoperative period was 233, and the average hospitalization duration in the ICU was 4.67±1.32 days. Among survivor patients, the first 24-hour invasive measurements (i.e., pH, hemoglobin, body temperature, and mean arterial blood pressure) and international normalized ratio were found to be high. The number of blood products used for surviving patients was fewer relative to that used for non-surviving patients, and these NISS of these patients was 29.7±10.1. The mortality rate of all patients followed up in the ICU after emergency surgery was 45%, and neurosurgical cases showed the lowest level of survival (24.1%). The results of this study indicated that head-neck, chest-abdomen, and multiple body injuries are the most widely seen among civilians brought to Turkey because of gunshot injuries sustained during the Civil War in Syria. The number of emergency operations performed in the study sample was high, and critical care follow-up durations were long. In addition, the NISS and ASA scores of mortal cases were fairly high.

Physiologic, demographic and mechanistic factors predicting New Injury Severity Score (NISS) in motor vehicle accident victims

BackgroundCurrent literature on motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) has few reports regarding field factors that predict the degree of injury. Also, studies of mechanistic factors rarely consider concurrent predictive effects of on-scene patient physiology. The New Injury Severity Score (NISS) has previously been found to correlate with mortality, need for ICU admission, length of hospital stay, and functional recovery after trauma. To potentially increase future precision of trauma triage, we assessed how the NISS is associated with physiologic, demographic and mechanistic variables from the accident site. MethodsUsing mixed-model linear regression analyses, we explored the association between NISS and pre-hospital Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, Revised Trauma Score (RTS) categories of respiratory rate (RR) and systolic blood pressure (SBP), gender, age, subject position in the vehicle, seatbelt use, airbag deployment, and the estimated squared change in vehicle velocity on impact ((Δv)2). Missing values were handled with multiple imputation. ResultsWe included 190 accidents with 353 dead or injured subjects (mean NISS 17, median NISS 8, IQR 1–27). For the 307 subjects in front-impact MVAs, the mean increase in NISS was −2.58 per GCS point, −2.52 per RR category level, −2.77 per SBP category level, −1.08 for male gender, 0.18 per year of age, 4.98 for driver vs. rear passengers, 4.83 for no seatbelt use, 13.52 for indeterminable seatbelt use, 5.07 for no airbag deployment, and 0.0003 per (km/h)2 velocity change (all p<0.002). ConclusionThis study in victims of MVAs demonstrated that injury severity (NISS) was concurrently and independently predicted by poor pre-hospital physiologic status, increasing age and female gender, and several mechanistic measures of localised and generalised trauma energy. Our findings underscore the need for precise information from the site of trauma, to reduce undertriage, target diagnostic efforts, and anticipate need for high-level care and rehabilitative resources.

The role of the New Trauma and Injury Severity Score (NTRISS) for survival prediction

The objective of this study was to verify if replacing the Injury Severity Score (ISS) by the New Injury Severity Score (NISS) in the original Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) form would improve the survival rate estimation. This retrospective study was performed in a level I trauma center during one year. ROC curve was used to identify the best indicator (TRISS or NTRISS) for survival probability prediction. Participants were 533 victims, with a mean age of 38±16 years. There was predominance of motor vehicle accidents (61.9%). External injuries were more frequent (63.0%), followed by head/neck injuries (55.5%). Survival rate was 76.9%. There is predominance of ISS scores ranging from 9-15 (40.0%), and NISS scores ranging from 16-24 (25.5%). Survival probability equal to or greater than 75.0% was obtained for 83.4% of the victims according to TRISS, and for 78.4% according to NTRISS. The new version (NTRISS) is better than TRISS for survival prediction in trauma patients.

Fracture stabilisation in a polytraumatised African population—A comparison with international management practice

Introduction Fracture management in polytrauma patients has favoured early definitive fracture fixation with some authors advocating a staged management approach in these potentially unstable patients. We aimed to investigate the timing of surgical fracture stabilisation in polytrauma patients with significant orthopaedic injuries in a Level 1 trauma unit in South Africa (RSA) and to compare its performance with Level 1 trauma units in the USA and Europe. Materials and methods A retrospective review was performed extracting polytrauma patients with a New Injury Severity Score (NISS) ≥ 15, with significant pelvic or long bone fractures managed surgically. We compared these data with recently published data from the USA and Europe. Results Over a 3 year period pedestrian (46.3%) and motor vehicle or motorcycle accidents (40.7%) were the predominant mechanisms of injury in the 123 eligible patients. Compared to international data, patients were significantly younger (32.41 years (SD 13.4) vs. USA 44.1 years (SD 16.39) and Germany 41.2 years (SD 15.35), p < 0.001); and had a higher NISS score (RSA 31.93 (10.3), USA 27.4 (8.65), Germany 29.4 (6.88), p = 0.007). Less definitive fixation took place in the first 24 h (RSA 37.4%, USA 57.1%, Germany 65.6%, p < 0.001), but overall definitive fixation took place earlier (RSA 3.6 days (SD 4.39), USA 5.5 days (SD 4.2), Germany 6.6 days (SD 8.7), p = 0.001). Conclusion In a developing country when compared to international trauma centres, less primary definitive fixation was performed in the first 24 h.

Postmortem Hesaplanan ISS ve NISS Puanı Önlenebilir Ölümlere İşaret Edebilir mi

Travmalı hastalarm değerlendirilebilmesi için birçok fizyolojik ve anatomik skor sistemleri geliştirilmiştir. Anatomik skor sistemleri arasında en sık kullanılan Abreviated Injury Scale (AIS) ve onun türevleri ile Injury Severity Score (ISS)’dur. ISS, 1997’de Osler ve ark. tarafından New Injury Severity Score (NISS) olarak modifiye edilmiştir. Bu çalışmada, travma nedeniyle ölen ve otopsileri yapılan olguların ISS ve NISS puanlarına göre değerlendirilmeleri amaçlanmıştır. Osmangazi Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Adli Tıp Ana-bilim Dalında 2001-2007 yılları arasında travmatik sebeplerle ölen ve otopsileri yapılan 157 olgunun, retrospektif olarak değerlendirilip yaralarının AIS puanları ışığında ISS ve NISS hesaplamaları yapılmıştır. Olguların %67,5’inde penetran yaralanma, %32,5’inde künt yaralanma mevcuttur. Hem ISS hem de NISS puanı 14 ve altında olan olgu sayısı 12’dir (%7,6). Penetran yaralanmak grupta hem ISS hem de NISS puanı 75 olan olgu sayısı künt yaralanmak gruba göre istatistiksel olarak daha fazla iken, künt yaralanmak grupta ISS ve NISS puanı küçük olmasına rağmen ölümle sonuçlanan olgu sayısı penetran yaralanmak olgulara göre istatistiksel olarak daha fazla bulunmuştur. ISS puanı 50’den küçük olan olgularda baş-boyun ve göğüs bölgelerinde çoklu yara oranı, ISS puanı 50’den büyük olgulara göre daha fazla bulunmuştur. 157 olgunun 29’unda (%18,5) NISS değerinin ISS değerine göre daha yüksek grupta yer aldığı görülmüştür. Kişinin ölümünde fizyolojik mekanizmaların rolü olup anatomik olarak bunların gösterilemediği künt travmalı olgular ile aynı vücut bölgesinde çoklu yaralanması olan ve hastanede bir süre yatarak tedavi görüp enfeksiyon vb. komplikasyonların gelişme ihtimali olan olgularda, ISS ve NISS’nin önlenebilir ölümleri belirlemede yetersiz kaldığı düşünülmektedir. Ayrıca, adli nitelikli ölümlerde, yaralanma saati, yaralanma ile ölüm arasmda geçen süreç, olay yerinde ölmeyen ve hastanede ölen olgularm ne kadar sürede ilk yardım ve hastaneye ulaştırıldığının çok net olarak bilinememesi de bu tür çalışmaların güvenirliğini etkileyen hususlardır.Anahtar kelimeler: Önlenebilir ölüm, otopsi, travma skoru, ISS, NISS

Injuries From Roadside Improvised Explosive Devices

After the invasion of Iraq in April 2003, coalition forces have remained in the country in a bid to maintain stability and support the local security forces. The improvised explosive device (IED) has been widely used by the insurgents and is the leading cause of death and injury among Coalition troops in the region. From January 2006, data were prospectively collected on 100 consecutive casualties who were either injured or killed in hostile action. Mechanism of injury, new Injury Severity Score (NISS), The International Classification of Disease-9th edition diagnosis, anatomic pattern of wounding, and operative management were recorded in a trauma registry. The weapon incident reports were analyzed to ascertain the type of IED employed. Of the 100 casualties injured in hostile action, 53 casualties were injured by IEDs in 23 incidents (mean 2.3 casualties per incident). Twenty-one of 23 (91.3%) of the IEDs employed were explosive formed projectile (EFP) type. Twelve casualties (22.6%) were either killed or died of wounds. Median NISS score of survivors was 3 (range, 1-50). All fatalities sustained unsurvivable injuries with a NISS score of 75. Primary blast injuries were seen in only 2 (3.8%) and thermal injuries in 8 casualties (15.1%). Twenty (48.7%) of survivors underwent surgery by British surgeons in the field hospital. At 18 months follow, all but one of the United Kingdom Service personnel had returned to military employment. The injury profile seen with EFP-IEDs does not follow the traditional pattern of injuries seen with conventional high explosives. Primary blast injuries were uncommon despite all casualties being in close proximity to the explosion. When the EFP-IED is detonated, the EFP produced results in catastrophic injuries to casualties caught in its path, but causes relatively minor injuries to personnel sited adjacent to its trajectory. Improvements in vehicle protection may prevent the EFP from entering the passenger compartments and thereby reduce fatalities.

The roadside bomb in Iraq: Emerging patterns of injury

Background: Following the invasion of Iraq in April 2003, Coalition forces have been conducting counter-insurgency operations in a bid to maintain security within in the country. The roadside bomb or improvised explosive device (IED) has become the weapon of choice of the terrorist and is the leading cause of death and injury amongst coalition troops in the region. Method: From January to October 2006, data was collected on all casualties who were injured or killed by an IED. Mechanism of injury, new Injury Severity Score (NISS), anatomical pattern of wounding, operative management and 1-year follow-up was recorded in a trauma database. Results: Fifty-three casualties were injured by IEDs in 23 incidents (mean 2.3 casualties per incident). Twelve (22.6%) were killed or died of wounds. Mean NISS score of survivors was 5.4 (range 1-50). A mean 2.78 body regions were injured per casualty. Limb injuries were present in 45 (84.9%) of casualties, but primary blast injuries were seen in only 9 (14%). Conclusions: IEDs do not follow the traditional pattern of injuries as seen from conventional explosives. Primary blast injuries were minimal despite all casualties being in close proximity to the explosion. The explosive formed projectile (EFP) appears to cause catastrophic injuries to casualties caught in its path, but causes relatively minor injuries to personnel sited adjacent to its trajectory. Improved vehicle protection may prevent the EFP from entering the passenger compartments and thereby reduce coalition troop fatalities.

Comparison of Current Injury Scales for Survival Chance Estimation: An Evaluation Comparing the Predictive Performance of the ISS, NISS, and AP Scores in a Dutch Local Trauma Registration

Prediction of survival chances for trauma patients is a basic requirement for evaluation of trauma care. The current methods are the Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) and A Severity Characterization of Trauma (ASCOT). Scales for scoring injury severity are part of these methods. This study compared three injury scales, the Injury Severity Score (ISS), the New ISS (NISS), and the Anatomic Profile (AP), in three otherwise identical predictive models. Records of the Rotterdam Trauma Center were analyzed using logistic regression. The variables used in the models were age (as a linear variable), the corrected Revised Trauma Score (RTS), a denominator for blunt or penetrating trauma, and one of the three injury scales. The original TRISS and ASCOT models also were evaluated. The resulting models were compared in terms of their discriminative power, as indicated by the receiver-operator characteristic (ROC), and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow [HL]) for the entire range of injury severity. For this study, 1,102 patients, with an average ISS of 15, met the inclusion criteria. The TRISS and ASCOT models, using original coefficients, showed excellent discriminative power (ROC, 0.94 and 0.96, respectively), but insufficient fits (HL, p = 0.001 and p = 0.03, respectively). The three fitted models also had excellent discriminative abilities (ROC, 0.95, 0.97, and 0.96, respectively). The custom ISS model was unable to fit the entire range of survival chances sufficiently (p = 0.01). Models using the NISS and AP scales provided adequate fits to the actual survival chances of the population (HL, 0.32 and 0.12, respectively). The AP and NISS scores particularly both managed to outperform the ISS score in correctly predicting survival chances among a Dutch trauma population. Trauma registries stratifying injuries by the ISS score should evaluate the use of the NISS and AP scores.