Gary J. Ordog

Prospective, randomized trial of survivor values of cardiac index, oxygen delivery, and oxygen consumption as resuscitation endpoints in severe trauma.

The objective was to test prospectively supranormal values of cardiac index (CI), oxygen delivery index (DO2I), and oxygen consumption index (VO2I) as resuscitation goals to improve outcome in severely traumatized patients. We included patients > or = 16 years of age who had either (1) an estimated blood loss > or = 2000 mL or (2) a pelvic fracture and/or two or more major long bone fractures with > or = four units of packed red cells given within six hours of admission. The protocol resuscitation goals were CI > or = 4.5 L/min/m2, DO2I > or = 670 mL/min/m2, and VO2I > or = 166 mL/min/m2 within 24 hours of admission. The control resuscitation goals were normal vital signs, urine output, and central venous pressure. The 50 protocol patients had a significantly lower mortality (9 of 50, 18% vs. 24 of 65, 37%) and fewer organ failures per patient (0.74 +/- 0.28 vs. 1.62 +/- 0.45) than did the 75 control patients. We conclude that increased CI, DO2I, and VO2I seen in survivors of severe trauma are primary compensations that have survival value; augmentation of these compensations compared to conventional therapy decreases mortality.

110 Bullet Wounds to the Neck

Selective management of 110 patients with bullet wounds to the neck resulted in 31 explored and 79 observed. There was an overall mortality rate of 2.7%, well within that reported in the literature, which ranges from 2 to 6%. At our institution, it is believed that a substantial number of patients can be selectively managed, depending on the signs and symptoms, the site and direction of the trajectory, and whether the interval of time between injury and entrance to the hospital is longer than 6 hours. Patients who are stable and lack physical signs of obvious major neck injury are evaluated by diagnostic radiologic and endoscopic techniques. If no significant injury is found, they are admitted for observation. The efficacy of this mode of management is strengthened by savings in the costs of hospitalization, risks of undergoing an additional operation, overall negative exploration rate in the mandatory exploration studies, and our own results of selective management. We do not recommend this form of management for all institutions. It has been found that in this well-staffed teaching hospital with an extensive trauma service, experienced personnel doing careful and repeated physical examinations, in addition to 24-hour availability of radiologic and endoscopic modalities, the policy of selective management of bullet wounds to the neck can be adhered to. Further studies need to be done into the various mechanisms of penetrating neck trauma, separating each mechanism into morbidity, mortality, and treatment.

Infection in minor gunshot wounds.

Of the 3684 patients enrolled in our study, 3390 were available for follow-up, of which 62 patients developed wound infections related to minor gunshot wounds (1.8%). Of these patients, all sustained entry/exit-type wounds while 60% of these patients sustained more than one injury. Complications were more likely to occur when a prolonged period occurred between the time of injury and the initial treatment. The development of infection in minor gunshot wound injuries is an unusual occurrence when these injuries are limited to the soft tissue structures. Additionally, wound debridement and antibiotics are often unnecessary in minor uncomplicated gunshot wounds, but may be beneficial in patients who have sustained multiple injuries, gross wound contamination, significant tissue devitalization, large wounds, or delay in treatment.

Civilian gunshot wounds--outpatient management

Cost containment is important in this time of inner-city economic and health-care crisis. Of 28,150 patients treated for gunshot wounds (GSWs) from 1977 through 1991, 16,892 (60%) were treated as outpatients after emergency department evaluation and treatment. The complication rate was 1.8% (mostly infections), and nine patients were later found to have vascular injuries requiring surgical treatment. These were identified later at outpatient follow-up and treated with no long-term morbidity or mortality. A conservative estimate of the cost savings from this study was more than

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation versus oral analgesic: A randomized double-blind controlled study in acute traumatic pain

37 million. With a more liberal use of angiography to eliminate rare missed vascular injuries, many GSW victims can be safely treated as outpatients, eliminating the need for expensive in-hospital observation.

Wound ballistics: Theory and practice

A double-blind controlled analgesic study was undertaken in outpatients suffering acute traumatic pain. One hundred patients completed the study and were randomly assigned to four treatment groups, each receiving either functioning transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators (TENS), placebo TENS, acetaminophen with codeine and a functioning TENS, or acetaminophen with codeine and a placebo TENS. Pain was assessed prior to treatment, at 48 hours, and at one month using a visual analog scale. A statistically significant difference in pain relief occurred between the placebo and functioning TENS groups. The TENS was approximately as effective as acetaminophen (300-600 mg) with codeine (30-60 mg) but had no side effects. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators have been shown to be effective in the management of acute traumatic pain and may be indicated for patients who cannot be given medications.

Serum digoxin levels and mortality in 5,100 patients

Ballistics is the study of the natural laws governing projectile missiles and their predictable performances, and wound ballistics is the study of a missiles effect on living tissue. A knowledge of these topics is essential to determine the extent and type of injury from a missile. The type of missile can often be determined by radiography. The caliber can be measured directly if the bullet is close to the x-ray plate and the x-ray tube is at least six feet from the film. Changing these distances can result in a maximum magnification of the bullet image of 20%, and the exact amount can be calculated using a formula provided. Definitions of ballistic and wound ballistic terms are provided, as are examples of wound ballistics in application.

Asymptomatic stab wounds of the chest.

A retrospective study of 5,100 patients on digoxin, with a four-week follow up after digoxin levels were measured, was done to determine the mortality rate. A significant increase in mortality was correlated with an increasing serum digoxin level, up to 50% at a level of 6.0 ng/mL and more. Clinical toxicity was suspected in only 0.25% of all patients on digoxin, although almost 10% had levels above the therapeutic range. Deliberate digoxin overdoses were fatal in 50% of cases. This study shows a correlation between increasing digoxin levels and increasing mortality rates. We recommend the use of serum digoxin measurements to identify those asymptomatic patients with elevated levels. The physician should seriously consider the indications for initiating or continuing digoxin treatment in any patient because of an increased mortality in patients with levels of more than 1.0 ng/mL.

Extremity gunshot wounds: Part one--Identification and treatment of patients at high risk of vascular injury.

In a prospective study of 4,106 consecutive cases of initially asymptomatic stab wounds of the chest, 88% were successfully treated as outpatients after negative findings on a repeat chest x-ray film 6 hours after presentation, 12% of patients required tube thoracostomy for delayed pneumothoraces of hemothoraces, 0.2% required thoracotomy for delayed and continued bleeding or cardiac injuries, 1% of patients with small pneumothoraces (subjectively less than 20%) were observed, and 68% patients remained asymptomatic. The accuracy of the initial chest x-ray film was 95% overall, with a specificity of 99.9%. The negative predictive value of only 87.4% precludes the immediate outpatient management of these asymptomatic patients. The overall mortality was 0.1%, mortality during or following surgery was 50%. Of the four patients with initially unsuspected cardiac injuries, two patients died in the operating room. Asymptomatic patients (with normal findings on chest x-ray films) may be discharged after 8 hours of observation. Asymptomatic patients with nonprogressive small pneumothoraces (less than 20%) not requiring a chest tube may be discharged after 48 hours of observation. Thirty-two percent of those observed for initially small pneumothoraces on chest x-ray films, had progression of their injuries and required tube thoracostomy. All patients should have close outpatient follow-up.

Coagulation abnormalities in traumatic shock.

Cost containment is important in this time of inner-city economic and health-care crisis. This paper examines patients who were treated for gunshot wounds (GSWs) of the extremities. During the study period 1978 through 1992, 16,316 patients (18,349 extremities) were treated for extremity GSWs. Nine patients with asymptomatic injuries in proximity to vascular structures who were treated before the use of duplex Doppler ultrasonography (DDU) were later found to have surgically treatable vascular injuries. These were identified and treated on an outpatient basis with no long-term morbidity or mortality. With the advent of DDU, asymptomatic vascular injuries were no longer missed. A conservative estimate of the cost savings from this study is more than