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Jakob DA, Müller M, Jud S, Albrecht R, Hautz W, Pietsch U. The forgotten cohort-lessons learned from prehospital trauma death: a retrospective cohort study. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 2023; 31:37. [PMID: 37550763 PMCID: PMC10405424 DOI: 10.1186/s13049-023-01107-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trauma related deaths remain a relevant public health problem, in particular in the younger male population. A significant number of these deaths occur prehospitally without transfer to a hospital. These patients, sometimes termed "the forgotten cohort", are usually not included in clinical registries, resulting in a lack of information about prehospitally trauma deaths. The aim of the present study was to compare patients who died prehospital with those who sustained life-threatening injuries in order to analyze and potentially improve prehospital strategies. METHODS This cohort study included all primary operations carried out by Switzerland's largest helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2021. We included all adult trauma patients with life-threatening or fatal conditions. The outcome of this study is the vital status of the patient at the end of mission, i.e. fatal or life-threatening. Injury, rescue characteristics, and interventions of the forgotten trauma cohort, defined as patients with a fatal injury (NACA score of VII), were compared with life-threatening injuries (NACA score V and VI). RESULTS Of 110,331 HEMS missions, 5534 primary operations were finally analyzed, including 5191 (93.8%) life-threatening and 343 (6.2%) fatal injuries. More than two-thirds of patients (n = 3772, 68.2%) had a traumatic brain injury without a significant difference between the two groups (p > 0.05). Thoracic trauma (44.6% vs. 28.7%, p < 0.001) and abdominal trauma (22.2% vs. 16.1%, p = 0.004) were more frequent in fatal missions whereas pelvic trauma was similar between the two groups (13.4% vs. 12.9%, p = 0.788). Pneumothorax decompression rate (17.2% vs. 3.7%, p < 0.001) was higher in the forgotten cohort group and measures for bleeding control (15.2% vs. 42.7%, p < 0.001) and pelvic belt application (2.9% vs. 13.1% p < 0.001) were more common in the life-threating injury group. CONCLUSION Chest decompression rates and measures for early hemorrhage control are areas for potential improvement in prehospital care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik A Jakob
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Martin Müller
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Jud
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Roland Albrecht
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- Swiss Air-Ambulance, Rega (Rettungsflugwacht/Guarde Aérienne), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Wolf Hautz
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Urs Pietsch
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- Swiss Air-Ambulance, Rega (Rettungsflugwacht/Guarde Aérienne), Zurich, Switzerland
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Blunt thoracic trauma: role of chest radiography and comparison with CT - findings and literature review. Emerg Radiol 2022; 29:743-755. [PMID: 35595942 DOI: 10.1007/s10140-022-02061-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
In the setting of acute trauma where identification of critical injuries is time-sensitive, a portable chest radiograph is broadly accepted as an initial diagnostic test for identifying benign and life-threatening pathologies and guiding further imaging and interventions. This article describes chest radiographic findings associated with various injuries resulting from blunt chest trauma and compares the efficacy of the chest radiograph in these settings with computed tomography (CT). Common chest radiographic findings in blunt thoracic injuries will be reviewed to improve radiologic identification, expedite management, and improve trauma morbidity and mortality. This article discusses demographic information, mechanism of specific injuries, common imaging findings, imaging pearls, and pitfalls and exhibits several classic imaging findings in blunt chest trauma. Thoracic structures commonly injured in blunt trauma that will be discussed in this article include vasculature structures (aortic trauma), the heart (cardiac contusion, pericardial effusion), the esophagus (esophageal perforation), pleural space and airways (pneumothorax, hemothorax, bronchial injury), lungs (pulmonary contusion), the diaphragm (diaphragmatic rupture), and the chest wall (flail chest). Chest radiography plays an important role in the initial evaluation of blunt chest trauma. While CT imaging has a higher sensitivity than chest radiography, it remains a valuable tool due to its ability to provide rapid diagnostic information in time-sensitive trauma situations and is ubiquitously available in the trauma bay. Familiarity with the gamut of injuries that may occur as well as identification of the associated chest radiograph findings can aid in timely diagnoses and prompt management in the setting of acute blunt chest trauma.
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Demographic, Clinical Features and Outcome Determinants of Thoracic Trauma in Sri Lanka: A Multicentre Prospective Cohort Study. Can Respir J 2020; 2020:1219439. [PMID: 32655722 PMCID: PMC7322612 DOI: 10.1155/2020/1219439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Prognostic determinants in thoracic trauma are of major public health interest. We intended to describe patterns of thoracic trauma, demographic factors, clinical course, and predictors of outcome in selected tertiary care hospitals in Sri Lanka. A multicentre prospective cohort study was conducted in five leading teaching hospitals from June to September 2017. Patients with thoracic trauma were followed up during the hospital stay. A logistic regression analysis was conducted using in-hospital morbidity as the dichotomous outcome variable. One hundred seventy-one patients were included in the study yielding 1450 (median = 8.5) person-days of observation. Of them, 71.9% (n = 123) were males. The mean age was 45.8 ± 17.9 years. Majority (39.2%, n = 67) were recruited from the National Hospital of Sri Lanka. Automobile accidents were the commonest (62.6%, n = 107), followed by falls (26.9%, n = 46), assaults (8.8%, n = 15), and animal attacks (1.8%, n = 3). The ratio of blunt to penetrating trauma was 5.6 : 1. Injury patterns were rib fractures (80.7%, n = 138), haemothorax (44.4%, n = 76), pneumothorax (44.4%, n = 76), lung contusion (22.8%, n = 39), flail segment (15.8%, n = 27), tracheobronchial trauma (7.0%, n = 12), diaphragmatic injury (2.3%, n = 4), vascular injury (2.3%, n = 4), cardiac contusions (1.1%, n = 2), and oesophageal injury (0.6%, n = 1). Ninety nine (57.9%) had extrathoracic injuries. Majority (63.2%, n = 108) underwent operative management including intercostal tube insertion (60.8%, n = 104), wound exploration (6.4%, n = 11), thoracotomy (4.1%, n = 7), rib reconstruction (4.1%, n = 7), and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (2.9%, n = 5). Pneumonia (10.5%, n = 8), bronchopleural fistulae (2.3%, n = 4), tracheaoesophageal fistulae (1.8%, n = 3), empyema (1.2%, n = 2), and myocardial infarction (1.2%, n = 2) were the commonest postoperative complications. The mean hospital stay was 15.6 ± 18.0 days. The in-hospital mortality was 11 (6.4%). The binary logistic regression analysis with five predictors (age, gender, mechanism of injury (automobile/fall/assault), type of trauma (blunt/penetrating), and the presence of extrathoracic injuries) was statistically significant to predict in-hospital morbidity (X 2 (6, n = 168) = 13.1; p=0.041), explaining between 7.5% (Cox and Snell R 2) and 14.5% (Nagelkerke R 2) of variance. The automobile accidents (OR: 2.3, 95% CI = 0.2-26.2) and being males (OR: 2.3, 95% CI = 0.6-9.0) were the strongest predictors of morbidity.
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Dogrul BN, Kiliccalan I, Asci ES, Peker SC. Blunt trauma related chest wall and pulmonary injuries: An overview. Chin J Traumatol 2020; 23:125-138. [PMID: 32417043 PMCID: PMC7296362 DOI: 10.1016/j.cjtee.2020.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2019] [Revised: 03/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Physical traumas are tragic and multifaceted injuries that suddenly threaten life. Although it is the third most common cause of death in all age groups, one out of four trauma patients die due to thoracic injury or its complications. Blunt injuries constitute the majority of chest trauma. This indicates the importance of chest trauma among all traumas. Blunt chest trauma is usually caused by motor vehicle accident, falling from height, blunt instrument injury and physical assault. As a result of chest trauma, many injuries may occur, such as pulmonary injuries, and these require urgent intervention. Chest wall and pulmonary injuries range from rib fractures to flail chest, pneumothorax to hemothorax and pulmonary contusion to tracheobronchial injuries. Following these injuries, patients may present with a simple dyspnea or even respiratory arrest. For such patient, it is important to understand the treatment logic and to take a multidisciplinary approach to treat the pulmonary and chest wall injuries. This is because only 10% of thoracic trauma patients require surgical operation and the remaining 90% can be treated with simple methods such as appropriate airway, oxygen support, maneuvers, volume support and tube thoracostomy. Adequate pain control in chest trauma is sometimes the most basic and best treatment. With definite diagnosis, the morbidity and mortality can be significantly reduced by simple treatment methods.
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The Sequential Clinical Assessment of Respiratory Function (SCARF) score: A dynamic pulmonary physiologic score that predicts adverse outcomes in critically ill rib fracture patients. J Trauma Acute Care Surg 2020; 87:1260-1268. [PMID: 31425473 DOI: 10.1097/ta.0000000000002480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rib fracture scoring systems are limited by a lack of serial pulmonary physiologic variables. We created the Sequential Clinical Assessment of Respiratory Function (SCARF) score and hypothesized that admission, maximum, and rising scores predict adverse outcomes among critically ill rib fracture patients. METHODS Prospective cohort study of rib fracture patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) at a Level I trauma center from August 2017 to June 2018. The SCARF score was developed a priori and validated using the cohort. One point was assigned for: <50% predicted, respiratory rate >20, numeric pain score ≥5, and inadequate cough. Demographics, injury patterns, analgesics, and adverse pulmonary outcomes were abstracted. Performance characteristics of the score were assessed using the receiver operator curve area under the curve. RESULTS Three hundred forty scores were available from 100 patients. Median admission and maximum SCARF score was 2 (range 0-4). Likelihood of pneumonia (p = 0.04), high oxygen requirement (p < 0.01), and prolonged ICU length of stay (p < 0.01) were significantly associated with admission and maximum scores. The receiver operator curve area under the curve for the maximum SCARF score for these outcomes were 0.86, 0.76, and 0.79, respectively. In 10 patients, the SCARF score worsened from admission to day 2; these patients demonstrated increased likelihood of pneumonia (p = 0.04) and prolonged ICU length of stay (p = 0.07). Patients who developed complications maintained a SCARF score one point higher throughout ICU stay compared with patients who did not (p = 0.04). The SCARF score was significantly associated with both narcotic (p = 0.03) and locoregional anesthesia (p = 0.03) usage. CONCLUSION Admission, maximum, daily, and rising scores were associated with utilization of pain control therapies and development of adverse outcomes. The SCARF score may be used to guide therapies for critically ill rib fracture patients, with a proposed threshold greater than 2. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic study, level II.
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Saranteas T, Kostroglou A, Anagnostopoulos D, Giannoulis D, Vasiliou P, Mavrogenis AF. Pain is vital in resuscitation in trauma. SICOT J 2019; 5:28. [PMID: 31414982 PMCID: PMC6694744 DOI: 10.1051/sicotj/2019028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Implementation of the ATLS algorithm has remarkably improved the resuscitation of trauma patients and has significantly contributed to the systematic management of multi-trauma patients. However, pain remains the most prevalent complaint in trauma patients, and can induce severe complications, further deterioration of health, and death of the patient. Providing appropriate and timely pain management to these patients prompts early healing, reduces stress response, shortens hospital Length of Stay (LOS), diminishes chronic pain, and ultimately reduces morbidity and mortality. Pain has been proposed to be evaluated as the fifth vital sign and be recorded in the vital sign charts in order to emphasize the importance of pain on short- and long-term outcomes of the patients. However, although the quality of pain treatment seems to be improving we believe that pain has been underestimated in trauma. This article aims to provide evidence for the importance of pain in trauma, to support its management in the emergency setting and the acute phase of patients’ resuscitation, and to emphasize on the necessity to introduce the letter P (pain) in the ATLS alphabet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodosios Saranteas
- Second Department of Anesthesiology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, ATTIKON University Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Kostroglou
- Second Department of Anesthesiology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, ATTIKON University Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Anagnostopoulos
- Second Department of Anesthesiology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, ATTIKON University Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Giannoulis
- Second Department of Anesthesiology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, ATTIKON University Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Pantelis Vasiliou
- Fourth Department of Surgery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, ATTIKON University Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas F Mavrogenis
- First Department of Orthopaedics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, ATTIKON University Hospital, Athens, Greece
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Fokin AA, Wycech J, Chin Shue K, Stalder R, Crawford M, Lozada J, Puente I. Early Versus Late Tracheostomy in Trauma Patients With Rib Fractures. J Surg Res 2019; 245:72-80. [PMID: 31401250 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2019.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with blunt chest trauma with multiple rib fractures (RF) may require tracheostomy. The goal was to compare early (≤7 d) versus late (>7 d) tracheostomy patients and to analyze clinical outcomes, to determine which timing is more beneficial. METHODS This retrospective review included 124 patients with RF admitted to trauma ICU at two level 1 trauma centers who underwent tracheostomy. Analyzed variables included age, gender, injury severity score, Glasgow Coma Scale, number of ribs fractured, total fractures of the ribs, prevalence of bilateral RF, flail chest, maxillofacial injuries, cervical vertebrae trauma, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), coinjuries, epidural analgesia, surgical stabilization of RF, failure to extubate, hospital LOS, intensive care unit LOS (ICULOS), duration of mechanical ventilation, mortality, and timing and type of tracheostomy. RESULTS Mean number of RF in all tracheostomized patients with blunt chest trauma was 5.2 and 85% of patients had pulmonary co-injuries. Mean tracheostomy timing was 9.9 d. Early tracheostomy (ET) was correlated with statistically significant reduction in ICULOS and duration of mechanical ventilation. The dominant cause of mortality in all groups was TBI and it was more pronounced in the ET patients. Most deaths were encountered between 3 and 5 wk after admission. ET was more often performed in the operating room with an open technique, whereas late tracheostomy was more often implemented with percutaneous technique at bedside. CONCLUSIONS ET could be beneficial in chest trauma patients with multiple RF as it reduces ICULOS and ventilation requirements. Mortality benefits are not correlated with tracheostomy timing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander A Fokin
- Division of Trauma and Critical Care Services, Delray Medical Center, Delray Beach, Florida.
| | - Joanna Wycech
- Division of Trauma and Critical Care Services, Delray Medical Center, Delray Beach, Florida; Division of Trauma and Critical Care Services, Broward Health Medical Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
| | - Kyle Chin Shue
- Division of Trauma and Critical Care Services, Delray Medical Center, Delray Beach, Florida; Department of Surgery, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Boca Raton, Florida
| | - Ryan Stalder
- Division of Trauma and Critical Care Services, Broward Health Medical Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Maggie Crawford
- Division of Trauma and Critical Care Services, Delray Medical Center, Delray Beach, Florida
| | - Jose Lozada
- Division of Trauma and Critical Care Services, Broward Health Medical Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
| | - Ivan Puente
- Division of Trauma and Critical Care Services, Delray Medical Center, Delray Beach, Florida; Division of Trauma and Critical Care Services, Broward Health Medical Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Department of Surgery, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Boca Raton, Florida; Department of Surgery, Florida International University, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Miami, Florida
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Napier D. Ultrasound in the diagnosis of rib fracture following blunt chest trauma: a case study. SONOGRAPHY 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/sono.12176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Donna Napier
- Department of Medical ImagingRoyal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Brisbane Australia
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