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Upper thoracic spinal fractures in trauma patients - a diagnostic pitfall.

The diagnosis of upper thoracic spinal fractures in multiple-trauma patients remains a challenge. The clinical findings are often difficult to detect, especially in the presence of other (extremity) fractures, head injuries or in patients on respiratory support. The findings of chest radiographs and plain spinal films are described in a series of 23 patients with an upper thoracic spinal fracture. Radiographs were retrospectively reviewed by an orthopaedic surgeon and a skeletal radiologist. Fractures were classified according to Magerl and type A1 and A2 compression fractures were excluded. The neurological outcome was assessed using the Frankel scale.Initially, the fracture was missed in 5 patients (22%), mainly due to concomitant life-threatening injuries. Fractures consisted of type A, B and C in one, 10 and 12 patients, respectively. The main findings were: loss of vertical height of vertebra with or without malalignment (21), widened paraspinal line (21), widened mediastinum (4) and no gross abnormalities (2). Neurological lesions were Frankel A, B, C and E in respectively 14, 1, 1 and 7 patients.Upper thoracic spinal fractures are easily missed in patients with multiple injuries. In patients with neurological symptoms CT and/or MRI is required as soon as the general condition of the patient permits this.

Adolescent↗

Emergency management of lower urinary tract injuries.

Trauma to the bladder and (or) urethra mostly occurs in multiple trauma patients and their emergency management often poses problems to both the general surgeon and the urologist. Fourteen cases of bladder rupture and 16 cases of urethral laceration were retrospectively studied, with regard to etiology, trauma mechanism, diagnosis and therapeutic possibilities. Immediate diagnosis and surgical repair are important to reduce mortality and morbidity in cases of bladder rupture. The emergency treatment of urethral injuries is more controversial. The different factors influencing the therapeutic approach are discussed and rational guidelines are suggested to decrease the high complication rate of these injuries.

Adolescent↗

[Prognostic significance of early management as exemplified by the accident patient].

Progress in the therapeutic management of multiple trauma patients has led to a decline in mortality (now 20%). The main cause for death is still the multiple organ failure (MOF), which is initiated in an early phase after trauma by shock and tissue damage, and manifests in a late phase during posttraumatic sepsis. Humoral and cellular changes accelerate the capillary damage, which provokes the failure of the organ systems. For this reason all therapeutic efforts should aim to minimize these influences. Next to infusion and ventilation therapy, early definite reduction of bleeding and tissue damage (debridement) and early osteosynthesis in multiple trauma patients seems reasonable.

Combined Modality Therapy↗

[Pediatric trauma registry: analysis of 1200 cases].

OBJECTIVES: We developed the first Spanish Pediatric Trauma Registry in order to collect and evaluate information concerning aspects of injuries in our pediatric population. METHODS: From January'95 to September'97, 28,713 children younger than 16 years were treated in our Hospital for acute injury: 1,200 were admitted and included in our database. Our file-registry consists of 108 data points including: patient identification, type, place and mechanism of injury, pre-hospital care, transport, assessment on admission, severity scores, diagnostic studies, injuries, treatments and morbidity-mortality. RESULTS: Accidents were more frequent in males (69%) than in females. The age-group predominantly was 12-15 years old (34%). Accidents were more frequent in the street (35.3%) than at home (18.7%) or school (14%). Falls and traffic-related accidents were the leading cause of injury (38 and 21.1%, respectively). The 16.7% of cases had Pediatric Trauma Score < or = 8 (n = 201). The 3.6% of this sustained multiple trauma (43 cases with Injury Severity Score > or = 15). Musculoskeletal and head trauma was the most frequent (62 and 42.3%, respectively). Surgical or orthopedic procedures were performed in 678 patients (56.5%). Average length of stay were 4.8 days (range 1-93 days), and functional impairments at discharge were found in 33.9% of patients older than 3 years (n = 338). Mortality rate in our series was 0.5% (n = 6), and 13.9% in children with ISS > or = 15. CONCLUSIONS: The utility of this Registry is to know the epidemiology of our injured pediatric population, to review patient care, to develop prevention programs and to compare results with other centers so potential deficiencies can be identified and corrected.

Adolescent↗

Pancreatic injury in severe trauma: early diagnosis and therapy improve the outcome.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic injury is a dangerous complication in multiple injury, and experience with its diagnosis and treatment is usually limited. METHOD: Retrospective analysis of 3,840 patients admitted after multiple trauma from January 1, 1982, until May 31, 2000. RESULTS: A laparotomy was performed in 121 cases (3.15%) due to suspected intra-abdominal lesion. 32% of the patients (39/121) had a pancreatic lesion; 23% (9/39) had a rupture of the major pancreatic duct. Primary laparotomy was performed in 72% of the patients (28/39). Superficial lesions were treated by explorative laparotomy alone (n = 7), debridement and external drainage (n = 20), or necrosectomy and lavage (n = 3). Complex pancreatic lesions were treated by pancreatojejunostomies (n = 5), pancreatic left resections (n = 2), or exploration alone (n = 2). 8 of 39 patients died (20%), 4 intraoperatively. Of the surviving 35 patients, a pancreas-associated complication developed in 8 patients (23%): pancreatic abscesses (n = 4), traumatic pancreatitis (n = 3), pancreatic fistulas (n = 2), and pseudocysts (n = 2). CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic injury is an infrequent but dangerous complication in severe trauma. Superficial lesions not affecting the major pancreatic duct can be managed by debridement and external drainage. If the major pancreatic duct is ruptured, organ-preserving, complex reconstructive procedures are necessary. When diagnosed timely and treated according to severity and overall situation, pancreatic injuries have an acceptable morbidity, but usually a high mortality.

Abdominal Injuries↗

[Risk of lung embolism following preventive intravenous use of heparin in polytraumatized patients].

The risk of thrombo-embolic complications in multiple injured patients is increased due to several pathophysiological factors. The purpose of this study was to analyse the effect of a continuous IV heparin prophylaxis (10000IE/24h) in polytraumatized patients. A post-mortem evaluation of 72 decreased patients out of 373 multiple trauma patients treated during 1984-1985 was performed. In one patient multiple major pulmonary emboli were found to contribute to his death. No deep vein thrombosis as well as no fulminant pulmonary embolism were found in any case.

Adolescent↗

[Right-sided diaphragmatic rupture with intrathoracic displacement of the entire right lobe of the liver].

A case of rupture of the right hemidiaphragm resulting from blunt trauma with complete intrathoracic dislocation of the right hepatic lobe in a multiple trauma patient is presented. After a primary chest X-ray study had been interpreted as showing right-sided hemothorax, the thoracic drainage tube was accidentally placed into the liver. CT revealed a diagnosis of diaphragmatic rupture with intrathoracic liver dislocation. The liver was replaced and the extended dorsal diaphragmatic rupture was closed primarily via an abdominal approach. Problems of diagnosis and operative procedure in rare cases of fresh right-sided blunt traumatic diaphragmatic ruptures are discussed. CT may be helpful in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary contusions, hemothorax and diaphragmatic disruptions with intrathoracic herniation of intra-abdominal organs.

Adult↗

Timing of fixation of major fractures in blunt polytrauma: role of conventional indicators in clinical decision making.

Grading of the clinical status in patients with multiple trauma is important regarding the treatment plan. In recent years, 4 different clinical conditions have been described: stable, borderline, unstable, in extremis. Clinical parameters have been widely used in patients with penetrating injuries, and 3 categories were found to be important: shock, hypothermia, coagulopathy. However, in blunt trauma patients, the role of conventional parameters for decision making regarding the timing of fracture treatment is poorly described. After blunt trauma, additional factors seem to play a role, because the injuries affect multiple body regions. These additional factors are summarized under the term, "soft-tissue injuries," which may include the soft tissues of the extremities, lung, abdomen, and pelvis. The study describes four pathophysiologic cascades that are relevant to the clinical conditions listed above. Threshold values for separation of the patient conditions are documented, leading to a staged surgical strategy.

Decision Making↗

Evaluation of pulmonary infections in patients with extremity fractures and blunt chest trauma.

The use of preventive antibiotics has become the standard of care in the management of patients with multiple trauma who have injuries at risk for infection. In many areas of surgical practice, preventive antibiotic utilization has been restricted to the perioperative period only. In this study we reviewed a series of trauma patients with combined blunt chest injuries and extremity fractures to determine whether the duration of postoperative antibiotic administration would have adverse effects upon nosocomial pneumonia rates and severity.

Adolescent↗

Spine trauma and associated injuries.

A longitudinal, prospectively gathered data base of spine trauma has been developed. A review of 508 consecutive hospital admissions identified the presence of associated injuries in 240 (47%) individuals, most frequently involving head (26%), chest (24%), or long bones (23%). Twenty-two per cent had one associated injury, 15% had two, and 10% had three or more. Most spine fractures involved the lower cervical (29%) or thoracolumbar junction (21%). Comparisons of presence or absence of associated injuries and spine fracture level showed significant differences (p less than 0.001). Eighty-two per cent of thoracic fractures and 72% of lumbar fractures had associated injuries compared to 28% of lower cervical spine fractures. While there was no significant relationship between type of associated injury and spine fracture level, those with associated injuries were less likely to have a neural deficit (p less than 0.05). After hospital admission, there were seven deaths. Early assessment and transport of spine trauma victims must be carried out with appropriate management of associated injuries. Conversely, multiple trauma victims must be handled with due regard for a possible spine fracture. The value of spinal units with specially trained personnel is emphasized.

Adult↗

Adequacy of hospital discharge data for determining trauma morbidity patterns.

To determine the adequacy of hospital discharge data for describing the nature and severity of multiple trauma, injury data coded from full hospital records were compared with injury data coded from discharge summaries for 83 plane crash survivors admitted to 14 different hospitals. Full hospital records indicated that 33% sustained intracranial, 39% thoracic, and 27% abdominal/pelvic injuries. Thirty-five percent had spinal fractures, 40% upper limb fractures, and 70% lower limb fractures. Discharge summary data missed 52% of the intracranial injuries, 28% of the thoracic injuries, and 30% of the spinal fractures, yet only missed 5% of the lower limb and 15% of the skull, pelvic, and upper limb fractures. These differences point to concerns regarding the use of discharge data for determining the nature, severity, and sequelae of injuries. The observed underreporting of neurological injury suggests a need to re-evaluate discharge data systems for measuring brain and spinal cord injury patterns, particularly given the increasing reliance on these systems for health policy and programmatic decision making.

Hospital Records↗

Modified injury severity scale and concurrent steroid therapy: independent correlates of negative nitrogen balance in pediatric trauma.

Twelve well-nourished children with multiple trauma were separately grouped by the presence or absence of a head injury and associated steroid treatment. They were studied to determine the impact of the severity of overall injury (measured by MISS), neurologic injury (measured by GCS), and steroid administration on total urinary nitrogen excretion. All six children with significant head injury received steroids. Nitrogen loss was higher in more severely injured patients. Severity of overall injury was similar in the steroid and nonsteroid treated groups. The nitrogen loss in head-injured patients treated with steroids was significantly greater (P less than 0.001) than in the nonsteroid-treated patients.

Adolescent↗

Adhesive intestinal obstruction following blunt abdominal trauma.

Advances in diagnosis and management of multiple trauma patients have lead to adopting a conservative approach for most patients with blunt abdominal trauma. Intestinal obstruction is a rare complication for this approach. Herein, we report a 37-year-old male, who did not have an abdominal operation, and who developed adhesive intestinal obstruction 7 weeks following blunt abdominal trauma. We detected no signs of peritonitis or intra-abdominal bleeding clinically or radiologically on admission. We initially treated the intestinal obstruction conservatively, but the obstruction did not resolve. Finally, we performed laparotomy, which showed that the small bowel was matted together by thick fibrous layers of adhesions. We performed adhesiolysis, and the patient was discharged home 3 weeks later. Histopathological findings of the fibrous layer were consistent with repair due to previous trauma and hemorrhage. We review the literature of this rare condition.

Abdominal Injuries↗

[Aortic regurgitation due to nonpenetrating trauma of the chest; report of a case].

A 64-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with multiple traumas, caused by motorcycle accident. Six months later, he revisited our hospital, because he was found to have aortic regurgitation and subsequent congestive heart failure. Therefore, the aortic valve was excised and replaced with 23 mm CarboMedics prosthesis. His postoperative course was uneventful. Aortic regurgitation due to nonpenetrating trauma of the chest is rare.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Critical care management of severe head injury in children.

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to analyze prognostic factors and their association with outcome among children with severe head injury. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study among children (n=55) with severe head injury [Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) ?8] who were admitted to our Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) from January 1996 to September 2003. The patients were immediately evaluated with cranial computed tomography (CT) for the severity of head injury as well as for the causes of secondary insults such as hypoxia and hypotension, metabolic and hematological alterations. Outcome analysis was assessed according to Glasgow Outcome Scale Score (GOS) six months after the injury. RESULTS: A poor result occurred in 31 patients (57%) while 24 patients (43%) had favourable results. Multivariate analysis showed significant independent prognostic effect for admission mean systolic blood pressure, presence of hypoxia, multiple trauma, admission GCS score and multiple intracranial lesions (p<0.05). Admission WBC counts and serum glucose levels were not correlated with GOS. CONCLUSION: This study describes clinicoradiologic findings and prognostic factors regarding severe head injury in pediatric patients. The goals of managements of pediatric patients with severe traumatic head injury include normalizing intracranial pressure, optimizing arterial blood gases and systemic blood pressure, and prevention of factors that exacerbate secondary brain injury.

Adolescent↗

[Primary diagnosis and follow-up after thoracic trauma and lung contusion].

In 212 patients after injury of the thorax (54 males, 158 females; penetrating (15), blunt (197), multiple trauma (128)) 158 cases demonstrated rib fractures and 103 radiological proven pneumo- or hematothoraces or sometimes both, 108 of 138 had to be drained. 96.5% of the effusions and 98% of the pneumothoraces were clinical confirmed. 93.5% of 97 pulmonary contusions (79 unilateral, 18 bilateral) were detected by bronchoscopy within 10 h, 72% by x-ray. Caused by anatomical problems or for additional diagnosis 4 patients underwent thoracic CT. During ICU treatment 31 patients developed septic complications without detection in x-ray studies. In CT (n = 64) we found: 5 empyema, 13 pleural effusions, 4 pneumothoraces, 4 pneumocysts, 72 condensations of a lobe. After CT we performed: 9 resections of the lower lobe, 1 pneumectomy, 1 decortication, 7 thoracotomies with drainage, 8 drainages. To detect a septic focus under treatment the CT proved being an important diagnostic tool in chest trauma and lung contusion.

Adult↗

Traumatic injury to the diaphragm: timely diagnosis and treatment.

Traumatic injury to the diaphragm is a relatively uncommon injury with potential for considerable morbidity if the diagnosis is delayed or missed. This review of cases of traumatic diaphragmatic injury was undertaken in order to emphasize methods and timing of diagnosis and treatment. From 1986 through 1990, 43 cases of traumatic diaphragmatic injury were admitted to the trauma unit at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, for an incidence of 2% of all new multiple trauma admissions. All patients were evaluated and treated by a dedicated trauma team. The left hemidiaphragm was injured in 32 patients, the right hemidiaphragm was injured in eight cases, and the injury was bilateral in three patients. Thirty-four patients had blunt trauma. The mean Injury Severity Score for all patients was 32. The diagnosis of diaphragmatic injury was made radiologically in 21 cases and at surgery in 22 cases. The diagnosis in all cases with penetrating trauma was made at the time of surgery. The interval between injury and definitive surgery was less than 12 hours in 39 of 43 patients. The diagnosis of diaphragmatic injury was delayed by more than 12 hours in only one patient. The other three patients were diagnosed soon after injury but their definitive surgery was delayed for other reasons. Surgical repair of the diaphragm was performed via laparotomy in 40 of 43 cases. Only one patient was repaired in a delayed fashion by thoracotomy for thoracic complications. A clear contrast can be drawn between blunt injuries and penetrating trauma.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Diaphragm↗

Extracorporeal life support for patients with significant orthopaedic trauma.

Extracorporeal life support is a therapeutic modality that can provide cardiorespiratory support for multiply injured patients. Fourteen patients with multiple trauma who sustained pelvic or long bone fractures were referred for treatment with extracorporeal life support at the University of Michigan Medical Center. All patients were considered morlbund secondary to their pulmonary injury. Six of the 14 patients had bilateral pulmonary contusions. The mean Injury Severity Score was 19. Twelve of the 14 patients had femoral or pelvic fractures or both. Eight patients had orthopaedic injuries initially treated with traction. The most common complication during extracorporeal life support management was bleeding, which occurred in eight of 14 patients. Eight of the 14 patients survived. Seven of eight patients with less than 6 days of mechanical ventilation before initiation of extracorporeal life support survived. Only one of six patients with six or more days of mechanical ventilation before initiation of extracorporeal life support survived. Patients with significant orthopaedic trauma and severe pulmonary compromise have an extremely high mortality risk. Appropriate aggressive fracture management remains the most important intervention to decrease the risk of pulmonary compromise. Early initiation of extracorporeal life support can be an additional lifesaving intervention in select patients with orthopaedic trauma who have respiratory failure refractory to conventional mechanical ventilation.

Adolescent↗