Les traumatisés graves en montagne : une étude observationnelle

Results of a Prospective Observational Study on Mountaineering Emergencies in Western Alps: Mind Your Head

Brustia, Raffaele, Giulia Enrione, Bruna Catuzzo, Luca Cavoretto, Massimo Pesenti Compagnoni, Enrico Visetti, Emmanuel Cauchy, Stefanie Ziegler, and Guido Giardini. Results of a prospective observational study on mountaineering emergencies in Western Alps: mind your head. High Alt Med Biol. 17:116-121, 2016.-

BACKGROUND

In the northern Italian district Valle d'Aosta district during winter and summer season the population can increase up to 170% of the resident population. A prospective monocentric observational registry was held to obtain a precise picture of seasonal mountain-related medical and traumatic major events.

METHODS

From 1st January 2012 to 31st December 2013 all patients admitted to the Aosta Regional Hospital Emergency Room for any event occurred above 2500 m were screened: all those affected by High Altitude Illness, Acute Illness in High Altitude, Trauma, or Cold disease were prospectively included. Activity incidence rate is expressed as the occurrence of mountain-related events per 1000 hours of mountain activity. Event Incidence rate is expressed as the occurrence of new cases per 1000 hours of mountain activity.

RESULTS

Two hundred two patients were included during the study period. Trauma (65.1% vs. 24.6%, p < 0.001) and head commotive injury (48.1% vs. 15.1%, p < 0.001) were more frequent during winter compared to the summer season. High altitude illness (36.9% vs. 9.3%, p < 0.001) and cold pathologies (15.1% vs. 0.1%, p < 0.001) occurred more frequently in summer than in winter. Patients (51.4%) were immediately discharged from emergency room, 8.4% after a 24-hour observation period, and 30.6% required hospitalization. During summer, the event risk is 0.013 per person and 1000 hours of mountain activity, while in winter, event risk amounts to 0.005 per person and 1000 hours of mountain activity.

COMMENTS

High altitude medical events or trauma represent <1% of pathologies observed in the emergency room department of a mountain district in the western Alps. Head commotive injury is the most observed mountain-related event in high altitude, in winter and during ski practice. High altitude illness and cold injuries are observed more frequently in summer, during trekking or climbing activities.

Accidental hypothermia in severe trauma

Hypothermia, along with acidosis and coagulopathy, is part of the lethal triad that worsen the prognosis of severe trauma patients. While accidental hypothermia is easy to identify by a simple measurement, it is no less pernicious if it is not detected or treated in the initial phase of patient care. It is a multifactorial process and is a factor of mortality in severe trauma cases. The consequences of hypothermia are many: it modifies myocardial contractions and may induce arrhythmias; it contributes to trauma-induced coagulopathy; from an immunological point of view, it diminishes inflammatory response and increases the chance of pneumonia in the patient; it inhibits the elimination of anaesthetic drugs and can complicate the calculation of dosing requirements; and it leads to an over-estimation of coagulation factor activities. This review will detail the pathophysiological consequences of hypothermia, as well as the most recent principle recommendations in dealing with it.

Statement of severe trauma management in France; teachings of the FIRST study

INTRODUCTION

The blunt trauma victim management is still a matter of debate and comparing studies involving different emergency medical services and health care organization remains fictitious. Hence, the French Intensive care Recorded in Severe Trauma (FIRST) was conducted in order to describe the severe blunt trauma management in France. The present paper aimed at recalling the main results of FIRST study.

METHODS

The FIRST study was based on a multicenter prospective cohort of patients aged 18 or over with severe exclusive blunt trauma requiring admission to university hospital care unit within the first 72h and/or managed by medical-Staffed Emergency Mobile Unit (SMUR). Multiple data were collected about patient characteristics, clinical initial status, typology of trauma and the main endpoints were 30-day mortality.

RESULTS

Sixty-one percent of trauma patients were road traffic victims and 30% were domestic, sport or leisure trauma. Patients who benefited from medical pre-hospital management were globally more severely injured than those who received basic life support care by fire brigades. Therefore, they were delivered more aggressive treatment in the pre-hospital setting and the median time for their hospital admission was lengthened. However, their 30-day mortality was significantly reduced. The probability of death was also decreased when casualties were transported by SMUR helicopter directly to the university hospital. In the in-hospital setting, the performance of a whole-body computed tomography (CT) was associated with a significant reduction in the mortality risk compared with a selective CT.

CONCLUSION

The FIRST study suggests the benefit of a medical management in the pre-hospital setting on the survival of trauma patients. The emergency physician (EP) expertise in the pre-hospital and initial hospital phases would lead to the concept of the appropriate care for the appropriate trauma patient. It also highlights the necessity to set up organized regional sectors of care and registries.