Desmond Khor

IROA: International Register of Open Abdomen, preliminary results

BackgroundNo definitive data about open abdomen (OA) epidemiology and outcomes exist. The World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) and the Panamerican Trauma Society (PTS) promoted the International Register of Open Abdomen (IROA).MethodsA prospective observational cohort study including patients with an OA treatment. Data were recorded on a web platform (Clinical Registers®) through a dedicated website: www.clinicalregisters.org.ResultsFour hundred two patients enrolled. Adult patients: 369 patients; Mean age: 57.39±18.37; 56% male. OA indication: Peritonitis (48.7%), Trauma (20.5%), Vascular Emergencies/Hemorrhage (9.4%), Ischemia (9.1%), Pancreatitis (4.2%),Post-operative abdominal-compartment-syndrome (3.9%), Others (4.2%). The most adopted Temporary-abdominal-closure systems were the commercial negative pressure ones (44.2%). During OA 38% of patients had complications; among them 10.5% had fistula. Definitive closure: 82.8%; Mortality during treatment: 17.2%. Mean duration of OA: 5.39(±4.83) days; Mean number of dressing changes: 0.88(±0.88). After-closure complications: (49.5%) and Mortality: (9%). No significant associations among TACT, indications, mortality, complications and fistula. A linear correlationexists between days of OA and complications (Pearson linear correlation = 0.326 p<0.0001) and with the fistula development (Pearson = 0.146 p= 0.016).Pediatric patients: 33 patients. Mean age: 5.91±(3.68) years; 60% male. Mortality: 3.4%; Complications: 44.8%; Fistula: 3.4%. Mean duration of OA: 3.22(±3.09) days.ConclusionTemporary abdominal closure is reliable and safe. The different techniques account for different results according to the different indications. In peritonitis commercial negative pressure temporary closure seems to improve results. In trauma skin-closure and Bogotà-bag seem to improve results.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT02382770

Intracranial pressure monitoring in severe blunt head trauma: does the type of monitoring device matter?

OBJECTIVE Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring has become the standard of care in the management of severe head trauma. Intraventricular devices (IVDs) and intraparenchymal devices (IPDs) are the 2 most commonly used techniques for ICP monitoring. Despite the widespread use of these devices, very few studies have investigated the effect of device type on outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to compare outcomes between 2 types of ICP monitoring devices in patients with isolated severe blunt head trauma. METHODS This retrospective observational study was based on the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program database, which was searched for all patients with isolated severe blunt head injury who had an ICP monitor placed in the 2-year period from 2013 to 2014. Extracted variables included demographics, comorbidities, mechanisms of injury, head injury specifics (epidural, subdural, subarachnoid, intracranial hemorrhage, and diffuse axonal injury), Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score for each body area, Injury Severity Score (ISS), vital signs in the emergency department, and craniectomy. Outcomes included 30-day mortality, complications, number of ventilation days, intensive care unit and hospital lengths of stay, and functional independence. RESULTS During the study period, 105,721 patients had isolated severe traumatic brain injury (head AIS score ≥ 3). Overall, an ICP monitoring device was placed in 2562 patients (2.4%): 1358 (53%) had an IVD and 1204 (47%) had an IPD. The severity of the head AIS score did not affect the type of ICP monitoring selected. There was no difference in the median ISS; ISS > 15; head AIS Score 3, 4, or 5; or the need for craniectomy between the 2 device groups. Unadjusted 30-day mortality was significantly higher in the group with IVDs (29% vs 25.5%, p = 0.046); however, stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that the type of ICP monitoring was not an independent risk factor for death, complications, or functional outcome at discharge. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that compliance with the Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines for ICP monitoring is poor. In isolated severe blunt head injuries, the type of ICP monitoring device does not have any effect on survival, systemic complications, or functional outcome.

Multi-institutional analysis of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients with severe hemorrhage: A new mortality predictor value

BACKGROUND The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been associated as a predictor for increased mortality in critically ill patients. We sought to determine the relationship between NLR and outcomes in adult trauma patients with severe hemorrhage requiring the initiation of massive transfusion protocol (MTP). We hypothesized that the NLR would be a prognostic indicator of mortality in this population. METHODS This was a multi-institutional retrospective cohort study of adult trauma patients (≥18 years) with severe hemorrhage who received MTP between November 2014 and November 2015. Differentiated blood cell counts obtained at days 3 and 10 were used to obtain NLR. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis assessed the predictive capacity of NLR on mortality. To identify the effect of NLR on survival, Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival analysis and Cox regression models were used. RESULTS A total of 285 patients with severe hemorrhage managed with MTP were analyzed from six participating institutions. Most (80%) were men, 57.2% suffered blunt trauma. Median (IQR) age, Injury Severity Score, and Glasgow Coma Scale were 35 (25–47), 25 (16–36), and 9 (3–15), respectively. Using ROC curve analysis, optimal NLR cutoff values of 8.81 at day 3 and 13.68 at day 10 were calculated by maximizing the Youden index. KM curves at day 3 (p = 0.05) and day 10 (p = 0.02) revealed an NLR greater than or equal to these cutoff values as a marker for increased in-hospital mortality. Cox regression models failed to demonstrate an NLR over 8.81 as predictive of in-hospital mortality at day 3 (p = 0.056) but was predictive for mortality if NLR was greater than 13.68 at day 10 (p = 0.036). CONCLUSIONS NLR is strongly associated with early mortality in patients with severe hemorrhage managed with MTP. Further research is needed to focus on factors that can ameliorate NLR in this patient population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic study, level III.

Double Jeopardy in Penetrating Trauma: Get FAST, Get It Right

AbstractBackgroundIn hypotensive patients with thoracoabdominal penetrating injuries, trauma surgeons often face a considerable dilemma, which cavities and when to explore. We hypothesized that the Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) would be accurate enough to determine the need and sequence of cavity exploration.MethodsWe conducted a 4-year retrospective study at a level 1 trauma center with high penetrating trauma volume. Patients with potential multi-cavity thoracoabdominal injuries were selected based on the location and number of external wounds. Findings in the operation or on computed tomography were used as references to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of pericardial and abdominal FAST. ResultsA total of 2851 patients with penetrating injury were admitted from 2012 to 2015. Of those, 103 patients (3.6%) met our inclusion criteria (stab wounds 56.3%, gunshot wounds 43.7%). Median age: 32, male gender: 89.3%, median injury severity score: 17, in-hospital mortality rate: 11.7%. Thirty-seven patients (35.9%) required surgical exploration of more than one cavity. Although the pericardial FAST was falsely negative in only one case with large left hemothorax, all cardiac injuries were treated without delay (12/13, 92.3% sensitivity). Sensitivity and specificity of the abdominal FAST was 68.5 and 93.9%, respectively.ConclusionsIn hypotensive patients following penetrating thoracoabdominal injuries, the pericardial FAST was highly sensitive and could reliably determine the need to explore the pericardium. While positive findings of abdominal FAST warrant an exploratory laparotomy, negative abdominal FAST does not exclude the abdominal cavity as a bleeding source.

Open abdomen and entero-atmospheric fistulae: An interim analysis from the International Register of Open Abdomen (IROA)

INTRODUCTION No definitive data describing associations between cases of Open Abdomen (OA) and Entero-atmospheric fistulae (EAF) exist. The World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) and the Panamerican Trauma Society (PTS) thus analyzed the International Register of Open Abdomen (IROA) to assess this question. MATERIAL AND METHODS A prospective analysis of adult patients enrolled in the IROA. RESULTS Among 649 adult patients with OA 58 (8.9%) developed EAF. Indications for OA were peritonitis (51.2%) and traumatic-injury (16.8%). The most frequently utilized temporary abdominal closure techniques were Commercial-NPWT (46.8%) and Bogotà-bag (21.9%). Mean OA days were 7.9 ± 18.22. Overall mortality rate was 29.7%, with EAF having no impact on mortality. Multivariate analysis associated cancer (p = 0.018), days of OA (p = 0.003) and time to provision-of-nutrition (p = 0.016) with EAF occurrence. CONCLUSION Entero-atmospheric fistulas are influenced by the duration of open abdomen treatment and by the nutritional status of the patient. Peritonitis, intestinal anastomosis, negative pressure and oral or enteral nutrition were not risk factors for EAF during OA treatment.

Erratum to: IROA: International Register of Open Abdomen, preliminary results

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13017-017-0123-8.].

The impact of helmet use on outcomes after a motorcycle crash

BACKGROUND Helmet use in a motorcycle collision has been shown to reduce head injury and death. Its protective effect on the cervical spine (C-spine), however, remains unclear. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between helmet use and C-spine injuries. METHOD Retrospective National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) study. All motorcycle collisions between 2007 and 2014 involving either a driver or passenger were included. Data collected included demographics, vital signs, Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS), Injury Severity Score (ISS) and specific injuries. The primary outcome was the prevalence of C-spine injuries. Secondary outcomes included were overall mortality, ventilation days, intensive care unit length of stay (LOS), total hospital LOS, and in-hospital complications. RESULTS A total of 270,525 patients were included. Helmets were worn by 57.6% of motorcyclists. The non-helmeted group was found to have a higher incidence of head injury with head AIS>2 (27.6% vs 14.8%, p<0.001). Univariate analysis showed a higher prevalence of C-spine injuries in the non-helmeted group (10.4% vs 9.4%, p<0.001), with a higher proportion of severe C-spine injuries with AIS>2 (3.2% vs 2.6%, p<0.001). Additionally, traumatic brain injury (TBI) was found to be two times higher in the non-helmeted group (20.7% vs 10.9%, p<0.001). Multiple logistic regression showed helmet use to be an independent protective factor against mortality (OR=0.832, 95% CI 0.781-0.887, p<0.001). Although statistically significant in univariate analysis, helmet use was not associated with C-spine injuries after adjusting for relevant covariates. However, helmet use reduced the risk of severe head injuries by almost 50% (OR=0.488, 95% CI 0.475-0.500, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Helmet use reduces the risk of head injury and death among motorcyclists; however, no association with C-spine injuries could be detected.