Patients Injury Severity Score Research Articles

Implementation of mandatory blood alcohol screening in trauma patients: A retrospective study from a tertiary trauma center in a Middle Eastern country

BackgroundAlcohol consumption is a significant risk factor for several types of injuries and trauma recidivism and remains an important public health concern worldwide. We aimed to describe the implementation of mandatory alcohol screening and the AUDIT tool among trauma patients admitted to a level 1 trauma center in a country with a partial ban on alcohol consumption. MethodsThis was a retrospective analysis of trauma patients (>12 years old) who required hospital admission and underwent blood alcohol concentration (BAC) screening between 2014 and 2019. This was achieved via an enzymatic method using alcohol dehydrogenase for ethanol detection in the plasma and serum samples. Trauma patients with a BAC <2.2 mmol/L were referred to as “negative”, and BAC >2.2 mmol/L was referred to as “BAC positive”. A comparative analysis was performed between the two BAC groups. Alcohol Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral for Treatment [ASBIRT] program, and AUDIT were applied. ResultsA total of 7326 BAC screening tests were performed on 7284 patients during the study period. With slight variation over the years, the compliance rate was 77% (70.4%–85.3%), and the test positivity rate was 10% (8.6%–12.5%). There were 42 repeated admissions, of which seven patients were BAC positive at every admission. Young age and non-Arab patients were more likely to test positive, and the main mechanism of injury (MOI) was road traffic-related trauma (p < 0.05). Assault and self-inflicted injuries were significantly higher in BAC-positive patients than in BAC-negative patients (18% vs. 4% and 2.7% vs. 1.3%, respectively; p = 0.001). The injury severity score (ISS) and mortality rate were comparable between the study groups. Patients with a positive BAC were significantly more likely to undergo pan-CT scan in the emergency department, intubation, and exploratory laparotomy than those with a negative BAC. In patients who sustained injuries due to assault, all-terrain vehicles, or motorcycle crashes, there was a significant association between the positivity of BAC tests and the patient's ISS. ConclusionDespite improvements in BAC screening in trauma admissions over the years, almost 20% of cases were missed. Although the mortality rates were comparable, alcohol consumption burdens resources in terms of excess imaging, intubation, open abdominal surgery, and possible disability. Further studies are needed to understand the key obstacles and challenges to achieving optimum compliance for screening in trauma settings.

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.

The Association Between Serum Lactate Concentration, Base Deficit, and Mortality in Polytrauma Patients as a Prognostic Factor: An Observational Study.

IntroductionIn polytrauma patients, it is crucial to identify the severity of the injuries to ensure patient safety and survival. Polytrauma leads to hypotension and hypoperfusion, which results in an anaerobic metabolism with acidosis and a decrease in base excess. Thus, blood lactate levels above a certain threshold indicate the existence of global tissue hypoxia, which is a precursor to shock and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). The serum lactate and base deficit (BD) levels are used in polytrauma patients as measures of damage severity and resuscitation endpoints and as a way to evaluate therapy efficacy and to predict outcomes. Thus, arterial blood gas analysis is of great value in assessing the status and prognosis of patients with polytrauma. There are few comparative studies on the predictive values of these markers in trauma patients. To determine which measure can more accurately predict the prognosis of polytrauma patients, the present study investigated the predictive values of mortality of these indicators for mortality within 48 hours of admission to the emergency room (ER) in patients with polytrauma.MethodsThis prospective study was designed for a single tertiary care center in northern India. We included 90 patients with polytrauma who were between the ages of 18 and 70 years, with the exception of pregnant women, who presented to the ER within six hours of injury with an injury severity score (ISS) >16, serum lactate level >2.0 mmol/L, and BD -4.0 mEq/L at the time of admission. If the patient's ISS was >16 at the time of ER presentation, arterial blood samples were drawn to determine the serum lactate and BD level at the time of admission and at 12, 24, and 48 hours intervals after ER admission. The primary outcome was the change in serum lactate and BD level in polytrauma. The secondary outcomes were an association of serum lactate and BD with mortality and the correlation between serum lactate with the BD and ISS with mortality of polytrauma patients. The timing of all outcome assessments was at 48 hours after each patient's ER admission.ResultsLactate clearance from 0-12 hours (t = 2.28, p <0.05), 0-24 hours (t = 6.01, p <0.001), and 0-48 hours (t = 7.98, p <0.001) and a correction in BD from 0-24 (t = 2.68, p <0.01 ) and 0-48 hours (t = 5.46, p <0.001) were significantly higher in nonsurvivors as compared with survivors. In survivors and nonsurvivors, mean serum lactate levels (2.46 ± 1.46 versus 4.15 ± 2.99, t = 3.31, p <0.001, 95%Cl) and mean BD (-3.17 ± 2.58 versus -6.5 ± 4.91, t = 3.86, p <0.001, 95%CI) had a statistically significant difference. The serum lactate and BD levels at time of ER admission (r L0, BD0 = -0.765, p <0.01) and 48 hours after ER admission (r L48, BD 48 = -0.652, p <0.001) were highly negatively correlated.ConclusionIn polytrauma patients, serum lactate and BD are simple, quick, and independent biochemical predictors of 48-hour mortality, and this single arterial blood test would thereby improve decision-making for resuscitation effectiveness. Prolonged lactate and BD normalization time were associated with higher mortality. Serum lactate and BD are negatively correlated. A higher ISS at admission was associated with a higher incidence of mortality in polytrauma patients.

Does transarterial pelvic embolization have a negative effect on perioperative outcomes in pelvic ring injury and acetabular fracture?

The purpose of this study was to determine whether TAE negatively impacted perioperative outcomes in patients who underwent open surgery for pelvic trauma. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and radiographs of patients who had open surgery for an acute pelvic trauma between February 2014 and May 2017. The patients were classified into two groups: those who underwent TAE and those who did not. We evaluated preoperative demographics and perioperative outcomes between the two groups. Injury type-specific comparisons were also performed. A total of 136 patients (50 TAE and 86 non-TAE) were included in this study. There were significant differences in preoperative demographics including the type of injury, injury severity score, revised trauma score, surgical approach, initial blood pressure, and the amount of transfusion within 24h between the two groups. However, no differences in perioperative outcomes were identified except for the amount of total transfusion. There were significant differences between the two groups in the injury type-specific comparisons, specifically in the amount of transfusion within 24h in patients with pelvic ring injury and in the injury severity score in patients with acetabular fracture. However, there was no difference in perioperative outcomes between the groups for either injury type. In the present study, we were unable to identify negative effects of TAE on perioperative outcomes. Therefore, when considering open surgery subsequent to TAE, there is no evidence of increased risk for negative perioperative outcomes, especially with respect to bone healing and deep infection.

Military experience in the management of pelvic fractures from OIF/OEF

IntroductionPelvic fractures are a common occurrence in combat trauma. However, the fracture pattern and management within the most recent conflicts, i.e. Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF),...

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.

Impact of Injury Severity on the Inflammatory State and Severe Anemia

BackgroundSevere traumatic injury is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Our goal was to analyze blunt traumatic injury by injury severity score (ISS) and compare with elective hip repair, as a transient injury, and healthy control with the hypothesis that more severe injury would lead to an increase in neuroendocrine activation, systemic inflammation, and worse anemia. Materials and methodsA prospective observational cohort study was performed at a level 1 trauma center, comparing blunt trauma patients (n = 37), elective hip replacement patients (n = 26), and healthy controls (n = 8). Bone marrow and plasma were assessed for hyperadrenergic state, erythropoiesis, and systemic inflammation. Trauma patient's ISS ranged from 4 to 41 and were broken down into quartiles for analysis. The ISS quartiles were 4-13, 14-20, 21-26, and 27-41. ResultsPlasma norepinephrine, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and hepcidin increased progressively as ISS increased. Hemoglobin significantly decreased as ISS increased and packed red blood cell (pRBC) transfusion increased as ISS increased. Elective hip replacement patients had an appropriate increase in the bone marrow expression of erythropoietin and the erythropoietin receptor, which was absent in all trauma patient groups. ConclusionsIncreased neuroendocrine activation, systemic inflammation, and anemia correlated with worsening injury severity, lower age, and increased pRBC transfusions. Elective hip replacement patients have only minimal systemic inflammation with an appropriate bone marrow response to anemia. This study demonstrates a link between injury severity, neuroendocrine activation, systemic inflammation, and the bone marrow response to anemia.

Abstract 190: Does Gender Matter? Addressing the Question of Gender Superiority in Resuscitation Leadership

Introduction: Effective team leadership is linked to better patient care during resuscitations. Several studies suggest a relationship between team leader gender and the quality of resuscitation leadership and clinical care. However, these studies have been either (1) retrospective investigations that do not capture clinical care processes or (2) simulation-based research involving novice medical student subjects. The objective of this study is to compare the quality of team leadership and clinical care between male- and female-led trauma resuscitation teams. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that team leader gender is not associated with differences in trauma team leadership and clinical care Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of prospectively acquired data by analyzing video recordings of trauma resuscitations at a Level 1 trauma center. Subjects (n=60) included 2 nd and 3 rd year emergency medicine and surgery residents functioning in the team leader role. Two video recorded observations for each participant (n=120) were coded for team leadership and clinical care by two sets of raters balanced with regard to gender and blinded to study hypothesis. Duplicate coding was performed on 10% of the observations. We analyzed data using random coefficient modeling (RCM), controlling for patient injury severity score and subject postgraduate training year. Results: We found no significant difference between men and women on team leadership behavior (p=.43; Men: M=7.63, SE = 0.54; Women: M = 8.67, SE = 0.74) nor on clinical care (p=.39; Men: M = 62.32, SE = 1.50; Women: M = 64.87, SE = 2.57). Effect sizes were modest in favor of women and nonsignificant for both team leadership behavior ( d = .26) and clinical care ( d =.21). Conclusion: Our prospective evaluation of team leadership quality and clinical care during trauma resuscitations does not support a male performance advantage, contradicting previous simulation-based work. Focusing on effective team leadership behaviors, not inherent traits and leadership styles, will allow resuscitation leaders to optimize their individual and team performance, irrespective of gender. Further work is needed to develop training and cognitive aids capable of supporting team leadership during complex resuscitative care.

Serial plasma DNA levels as predictors of outcome in patients with acute traumatic cervical spinal cord injury

BackgroundAcute traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) is a leading cause of disability in adolescents and young adults worldwide. Evidence from previous studies suggests that circulating cell-free DNA is associated with severity following acute injury. The present study determined whether plasma DNA levels in acute cervical SCI are predictive of outcome.MethodsIn present study, serial plasma nuclear DNA (nDNA) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) levels were obtained from 44 patients with acute traumatic cervical SCI at five time points from day 1 to day 180 post-injury. Control blood samples were obtained from 66 volunteers.ResultsData showed a significant increase in plasma nDNA and mtDNA concentrations at admission in SCI patients compared to the control group. Plasma nDNA levels at admission, but not plasma mtDNA levels, were significantly associated with the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score and Injury Severity Score in patients with acute traumatic cervical SCI. In patients with non-excellent outcomes, plasma nDNA increased significantly at days 1, 14 and 30 post-injury. Furthermore, its level at day 14 was independently associated with outcome. Higher plasma nDNA levels at the chosen cutoff point (> 45.6 ng/ml) predicted poorer outcome with a sensitivity of 78.9% and a specificity of 78.4%.ConclusionsThese results indicate JOA score performance and plasma nDNA levels reflect the severity of spinal cord injury. Therefore, the plasma nDNA assays can be considered as potential neuropathological markers in patients with acute traumatic cervical SCI.

LEUCOCYTOSIS AFTER POST TRAUMATIC SPLENECTOMY- A PHYSIOLOGICAL EVENT OR INDICATOR OF SEPSIS.

Background: Blunt injury abdomen causes a variety of injuries, the commonest being solid organ injury. Among the solid organs, the spleen is most commonly injured. Operative management plays a major role in treatment of blunt injury abdomen. Various postoperative complications can occur following emergency laparotomy including surgical site infection, abdominal abscess, urinary tract infection and lower respiratory tract infection. Diagnosing these infections becomes particularly challenging following splenectomy because of the unusual physiological response to leucocyte count and platelet count. The aim of this study is to assess the three risk factors i.e Total Leucocyte Count, Platelet count/Total Leucocyte Count Ratio and Injury Severity Score in patients undergoing splenectomy and to compare them with other patients undergoing laparotomies other than splenectomy for blunt injury abdomen in order to achieve a cut off value beyond which persistence of leucocytosis may denote infection. Aim and objectives: To study the WBC Count and Platelet Count(PC)/WBC Count ratio in infected and non infected individuals who have undergone post traumatic splenectomy compared to other blunt abdomen trauma patients who have undergone laparotomy. To study the relationship of three prognostic factors : WBC count, PC/WBC count ratio and Injury Severity Score in individuals who have undergone emergency laparotomy after trauma and their role in post operative infection. Materials and Methods: This Observational study (Prospective) was conducted in Madras Medical College and Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Chennai from June 2017 to October 2018. All patients undergoing splenectomy after trauma and other blunt trauma patients who underwent laparotomy were included in the study. Sample size is 30 cases of splenectomy. Parameters assessed were WBC count, platelet count, injury severity score, presence of post operative infections like pneumonia, abdominal abscess, septicaemia, urinary tract and wound infections. Results: The following are the results of the study.Injury severity score &gt;21 is a signicant risk factor. Post operative day 5 WBC count more than 15000 indicates infection. PC/TC ratio &lt; 20 on the 5th post operative day indicates infection. Patients who underwent laparotomies other than splenectomy showed elevated Total count and Decreased platelet/total count ratio only if infected . Presence of more than 1 risk factor is associated with 72% chance of infection. Conclusion: Post operative day 5 is the earliest time that infected and non infected patients can be distinguished on the basis of total count and PC/TC ratio.Risk factors for infection includes Total count &gt;15,000 on 5th post operative day,PC/TC ratio&lt; 20 on 5th post operative day, ISS &gt; 21. Presence of more than one risk factor carries 72% increased chance of infection and these patients should be monitored with high degree of suspicion.

Pancreaticoduodenectomy For Complex Pancreaticoduodenal Trauma: A Case Series

Introduction: Pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple’s) procedure is indicated for complex pancreatic injuries, with immediate reconstruction for stable patients and delayed reconstruction for unstable patients. This study aimed to review the authors’ experience with trauma related Whipple’s procedure at the East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC). Methods: This study reviews cases where Whipple’s procedure was performed from 2011 to 2015 at EAMC. Data collected included age, gender, mechanism of injury, presentation, patient Injury Severity Score (ISS), time interval between injury to presentation, associated injury, surgical procedure, time and type of surgical reconstruction after resection complications and 30-day mortality. Results: During the 5-year period, 4 patients underwent Whipple’s. All patients were male, mean age of 33.25 (range 29-48). Penetrating gunshot trauma was the predominant mechanism of injury (75% of cases) whereas peritonitis was the most common presentation (75% of cases). Mean ISS score is 29.5 (range 25-37). Among them, 2 underwent initial resection with delayed reconstruction and the other 2 underwent immediate reconstruction. Pancreaticojejunostomy was done for all pancreatic reconstruction. Cholecystojejunostomy (75%) and Choledochojejunostomy (25%) for biliary enteric conduit. Complications included pancreatic leak (50%), sepsis (25%) and pneumonia (25%). Overall, 30-day mortality rate was 25%. Pancreatic leak was noted on all patients without stent placed on the pancreatic anastomosis. Conclusion: Use of stents in pancreatic anastomosis in Whipple’s for trauma may lessen the pancreatic leak rates, further studies are needed to prove this. Cholecystojejunostomy can be an option for biliary enteric continuity, but further studies are needed to identify long term patency rates. Key words: Pancreaticoduodenectomy, pancreatic leak, pancreatic injury

The use of optional inferior vena cava filters of type Optease in trauma patients- a single type of filter in a single Medical Center

BackgroundVenous thromboembolism (VTE) is a frequent complication of patients who experienced major trauma. Prevention of VTE is usually by thrombophylaxis and or by the use of a retrievable filter. Lately, the use of a retrievable filter in trauma patients has increased despite evidence cautioning against its use. AimsTo evaluate complications related to a single type of filter prophylactically used in a tertiary trauma center and search for risk factors that may preclude filter retrieval Methods142 patients aged 16 through 60 who experienced a major trauma and were treated with a prophylactic IVC filter of type optease were evaluated. ResultsThe median time from trauma to filter insertion was 2days and low molecular weight heparin at prophylactic dose was initiated in 92% once the filter was inserted. Nine patients developed IVC thrombosis and one of them died despite the use of thrombolytic therapy. Another 8 patients developed lower extremities deep vein thrombosis. The filter was left in place in 13 more patients after attempted filter removal was unsuccessful. Among patients with successful removal, the median dwelling time was 30days. There was no relationship between successful removal and age, sex, BMI, Glasgow coma scale, or injury severity score of patients when first evaluated. ConclusionsOf concern is the persistent complications related to IVC filter even with the prophylactic use of anticoagulants and the dose of radiation trauma patients were exposed during insertion and retrieval of filter. Thus, the routine use of IVC filter in trauma patients may not be desirable.

Pedestrian injuries in the United Arab Emirates

We aimed to study the anatomical distribution, severity, and outcome of hospitalised trauma pedestrian patients in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates (UAE), so as to improve preventive measures. All pedestrian trauma patients who were involved with a road traffic collision and admitted to Al Ain Hospital for more than 24 hours or who died in the hospital were included in the study. Data were prospectively collected during March 2003–October 2007. Three hundred and eighteen patients were studied, 279 (87.7%) were males. Median (range) age was 31 (1–75) years. UAE nationals were significantly younger than non-nationals (median (range) age of 14 (2–75) years compared with 33 (1–75) years, p = 0.001, Mann–Whitney U-test). The lower limb (57.2%) was the most common injured region followed by the head (46.9%). The median (range) Injury Severity Score of patients was 5 (1–45). The median (range) total hospital stay was 11.3 (1–130) days. Thirty patients died (overall mortality 9.4%). In conclusion, mortality of pedestrian injured patients in the UAE is high. Severe head injury was the main cause of death. Measures to improve pedestrian safety should be adopted so as to reduce morbidity and mortality. These include educating drivers and pedestrians on road safety and enforcement of traffic safety laws.

The prognosis and relationship between soluble differentiation antigen of cluster designation 14 and the injury severity score of patients with multiple injuries

Objective To explore the prognosis and relationship between soluble differentiation antigen of cluster designation 14 (sCD14) and the injury severity score (ISS) of casualties with multiple injuries.Methods A total of 86 casualties with multiple injuries were enrolled from October 2009 to March 2010,and the severity of trauma of casualties were assessed in ISS score within the first 24 hours after accident,and the patients were divided into survival and non-survival groups as per the outcomes in 28 days after accident. Another 20 healthy subjects served as control group. In multiple injuries group,sCD14 concentrations were detected and APACHE Ⅱ scores were calculated on the 1st,3rd,5th and 7th days after accident.The related coefficient between sCD14 and ISS was calculated and then the values of sCD14 in predicting prognosis were analyzed by ROC curve. Results Compared with control group, sCD14 concentrations were obviously higher in casualties of multiple injuries group at all observation intervals ( P ＜0.01). Compared with survival group, casualties of non-survival group had more higher sCD14 concentrations and APACHE Ⅱ scores ( P ＜ 0.05 ).The sCD14 concentration was correlated with ISS and the related coefficient was 0.469 ( P ＜ 0.01 ). ROC curve analysis suggested sCD14 had values in predicting prognosis of casualties with multiple injuries and area under ROC curve was 0.820.Conclusions The concentration of sCD14 is correlated with ISS and can be used for predicting the prognosis of casualties with multiple injuries. Key words: Soluble cluster of differentiation antigen-14; Multiple injury; Injury severity score; Prognosis; ROC curve; Endotoxin; APACHE Ⅱ score; Systemic inflammatory response syndrome

(P2-91) EMS Trauma Triage: Does the Red-Blue Criteria Enable Overtriage?

IntroductionWith the current need for effective trauma center utilization, understanding how current trauma triage criteria may promote overtriage will enable both field and hospital teams to provide the most appropriate patient care. It is hypothesized that current Southwest Texas trauma criteria promote overtriage by prehospital emergency medical services (EMS) of patients in favor of a Level 1 trauma facility when compared to physician assessment and Injury Severity Score (ISS).MethodsThis prospective, observational study at a Southwest Texas military Level 1 trauma center compared adult trauma patients' prehospital status noted by EMS personnel with the triage criteria documented by the treating emergency physician. The patients were divided into four groups: Prehospital Criteria Met or Not Met; Arrival Criteria Met or Not Met. Each patient's ISS and mechanism of injury were also collected and compared to initial assessment for predictive value. Descriptive statistics were used.ResultsThe study enrolled 278 adult trauma patients. EMS reported Level 1 trauma status similar to physician assessment (60.1% vs. 59.7%, respectively). The rates patients met Level 1 trauma status corresponded with trauma severity when compared to the ISS. Assessment between EMS and physicians for ISSs were similar among the four groups. Comparisons using multivariate analysis of the four groups found similar ISSs, except for the Prehospital Criteria Met/Arrival Criteria Not Met group. Seventy-five percent of these patients were assigned an ISS in the Minor (ISS &lt; 9) category (p = 0.013).ConclusionTrauma triage criteria assessment skills were similar between EMS personnel and emergency physicians except for identifying minor trauma patients. While the criteria generally led to overtriage, EMS crews appear to overtriage minor trauma patients at a much higher rate.

Bilateral Internal Iliac Artery Ligation as a Damage Control Approach in Massive Retroperitoneal Bleeding AfterPelvic Fracture

The management of massive retroperitoneal hemorrhage in unstable patients with pelvic fractures remains a considerable therapeutic challenge after blunt mechanisms of injury. We present our study using emergent bilateral ligation of the internal iliac arteries (BLIA) and pelvic packing as a damage control adjunct. We reviewed our experience during 22 months (May 2006 to March 2008) with damage control management of massive retroperitoneal hemorrhage caused by blunt pelvic injury encountered at the time of emergent laparotomy. Clinical courses were reviewed. During the study period, 201 patients with pelvic fractures underwent operative intervention. Treatment of an expanding retroperitoneal hematoma was required in 33. Five of these patients were adequately stable for angioembolization, with a resultant 40% survival. Twenty-eight patients required BLIA and pelvic packing intraoperatively. The mean injury severity score of patients who underwent BLIA was 33.1, with 89.3% having an injury severity score of ≥ 16. Overall survival after BLIA was 35.7%. Causes of mortality included brain death, intraoperative arrest, refractory coagulopathy, and sepsis. Techniques used for BLIA included Rummel tourniquet (in 1), clip occlusion (in 5) and suture ligation (in 4). Four patients had subsequent removal of Rummel tourniquet or clips at 24 hours to 72 hours after initial procedure, with the remainder undergoing permanent ligation. No survivors after BLIA were noted to have apparent adverse ischemic sequelae. BLIA is a damage control tool potentially useful for a select group of patients with massive retroperitoneal hemorrhage after pelvic fracture. Further study is required to determine the appropriate selection criteria for this potentially life-saving maneuver.

Iliac Vein Injuries in Hemodynamically Unstable Patients with Pelvic Fracture Caused by Blunt Trauma

Major pelvic venous injuries secondary to blunt trauma can be a difficult problem in diagnosis and management. This study aimed to elucidate the clinical significance of iliac vein injuries demonstrated by venography in patients with blunt pelvic injuries who remained unstable even after transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE). We reviewed the records of 72 patients with unstable pelvic fracture who presented with shock at our center after blunt trauma from 1999 through 2003. The average Injury Severity Score was 34.3 in this study population. TAE was the first method of choice to control bleeding from pelvic fracture in 61 patients. Thirty-six patients recovered from shock after TAE. Eighteen of 25 who did not recover from shock died. In 11 of these 25, transfemoral venography with a balloon catheter was performed, revealing significant venous extravasation in 9: common iliac vein in 5, internal iliac vein in 3, and external iliac vein in 1. The average Injury Severity Score of patients with iliac vein injury was 45.8. Treatments for venous injuries were laparotomy for hemostasis (n = 1, survivors = 0), retroperitoneal gauze packing (n = 3, survivors = 1), and endovascular stent placement (n = 3, survivors = 3). Two patients suffered from cardiac arrest before treatment for venous injury. External fixations were performed after TAE according to fracture type. The iliac vein injury is the principal cause of hemorrhagic shock in some patients with unstable pelvic fractures after blunt trauma. Venography is useful for identifying iliac vein injuries.

Surgical treatment of post-traumatic tracheobronchial injuries: 14-year experience.

Tracheobronchial injuries have different clinical pictures and high mortality unless aggressive treatment is used. We reviewed our surgical experience. The records of 32 patients from 1988 to 2002 were reviewed. Mean age was 22.3 years (range: 4-53). Three patients were female. Prominent symptoms were dyspnea, subcutaneous air and pneumothorax in chest X-rays. Associated injuries were seen in 22 patients (68.7%): most frequently in the lung parenchyma (11 patients) and esophagus (seven patients). Bronchoscopic detection of a rupture of the trachea or bronchus was the main indication for surgery. Nineteen injuries (59%) were penetrating and 13 blunt (41%). The most common presenting sign of airway disruption was subcutaneous emphysema (25%) and stridor (22%). Of the 32 patients, 22 underwent bronchoscopic examination. Bronchography was used in three patients admitted during the late period. Surgical morbidity was 19.3%. Seven patients died (21.8%), of whom six had been operated on. In operations performed during the first 2 h of trauma, no mortality occurred. There were associated injuries in 100% of patients that died and in 60% of those that survived. The proportion (100 vs. 24%) and duration (2.8 vs. 11.6 days) of ventilatory support were lower in patients that survived than in those that died. Mean injury severity score of patients that died was 34.7+/-8.8 while it was 24.3+/-8.6 in those that survived. Tracheal stenosis developed in three patients (9.3%). In civilian life, tracheobronchial injuries occur relatively rarely. Early diagnosis and operative intervention save lives. Associated injury is an important mortality factor.

Do Facial Fractures Protect the Brain or are they a Marker for Severe Head Injury?

Facial fractures (FF) have been suggested to protect the brain from severe injury. However, others have stated that facial fractures are a marker for increased risk of brain injury. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between facial fractures, brain injury, and functional outcome. A retrospective review of our prospective trauma database was performed for blunt trauma patients during a 7-year period (January 1993 through December 1999) at the University of Louisville Hospital. We identified 7324 blunt trauma patients at a Level 1 trauma center. Severity of head injury in patients with and without FF was compared. The severity of brain injury was evaluated by admission Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) as well as specific head, neck, cervical spine, and face Acute Injury Score (AIS). Length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, hospital stay, and Functional Independence Measures (FIM) score were also identified. A total of 1068 (14.6%) patients were diagnosed with FF; of these 848 (79.4%) patients suffered some form of brain injury by CT abnormality, clinical examination, or both. A total of 2192 patients were treated for head injury without FF; 220 patients were treated for FF without head injury. FF with traumatic brain injury (TBI) were found to occur significantly greater than FFs without TBI (P < 0.001). The mean GCS on admission for FF with head injury was 12, which was similar to that of patients with head injury alone with a GCS of 10 but was significantly less than that of patients with FF alone with a GCS of 15 (P < 0.05). Injury Severity Score for patients with FF and head injury was significantly worse compared with patients with head injury alone and those with FF alone (P < 0.0001). Mean ICU stay and hospital stay were similar for all three groups (ranges 3-6 and 6-12 days); and were not significant (P < 0.06). FIM score was significantly lower for patients with FF and head injury compared with FF alone (P = 0.0003) and similar to that of patients with head injury. FF were found to have a significantly greater incidence of TBI. FF with TBI had a similar severity of head injury when compared with patients with head injury alone by demonstrating similar GCS, AIS of the head and neck, and early functional recovery. This analysis does not support the hypothesis that the face provides a protective effect for the brain and therefore leading to a more favorable short-term outcome. Thus patients with facial fractures should be treated with the same caution as patients with significant blunt head trauma.

Differences in Mortality Rates Among Trauma Patients Transported by Helicopter and Ambulance in Maryland

A comprehensive state-wide emergency medical services and helicopter transport system has been developed in the State of Maryland on the principle that early definitive care improves patient outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine if empirical data exist to support the theory that air medical transportation services provided by the Maryland State Police (MSP) Aviation Division contribute to an improved trauma patient survival rate in Maryland. A retrospective study was conducted on the records of all patients transported by helicopter or ground ambulance and admitted to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center (STC) of the University of Maryland Medical System. Data were obtained from the Maryland Institute of Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) Shock Trauma Clinical Registry for the period January 1988 through July 1995, covering 23,002 patients. Patients included those transported directly from the scene of injury to the STC as well as those from interfacility transfers. All patients were stratified by injury severity and compared by outcome (mortality) using Mantel-Haenszel statistics. During the study period, 11,379 patients were transported by ground and 11,623 were transported by MSP helicopter. The mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) for patients transported by ground was 12.7 (SD = 12.52) and the mean ISS for patients transported by air was 14.6 (SD = 13.42), p < 0.001. Among patients classified as having a high index of injury severity, the mortality rate was lower among those transported by MSP helicopter than among those transported by ambulance. The mortality rate was significantly lower for air transported patient with an ISS higher than 31. The State of Maryland has demonstrated a commitment to its citizenry and invested heavily in its public safety air medical service. This study suggests the rapid air transport of victims of traumatic events by specialized personnel in Maryland has a positive effect on the outcome of severely injured patients. Further research is necessary to clarify the causal relationships in order to more fully elucidate the value of this resource.