Masayuki Iwashita

Ultrasonography for the diagnosis of intraperitoneal free air in chest-abdominal-pelvic blunt trauma and critical acute abdominal pain.

OBJECTIVE To clarify the usefulness of ultrasonography (US) as a diagnostic instrument for intraperitoneal free air (IPFA), which is thought to be useful in the fields of emergency medicine and traumatology. DESIGN Prospective observational study. SETTING Tertiary critical care and emergency center. PATIENTS A total of 484 patients with severe chest-abdominal-pelvic blunt trauma or, in the absence of such trauma, severe acute abdominal pain were examined using US to detect IPFA. The exclusion criteria consisted of hemorrhagic shock with massive intraperitoneal fluid, penetrating or open abdominal trauma, and transfer to our center when general surgeons were absent. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome measure was the sensitivity and specificity of US for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal perforation performed by gastroenterologic or general surgeons with more than 5 years of experience with US. A US diagnosis of IPFA was made if high-echoic spots in the ventral space of the liver were detected. Conclusive diagnosis of gastrointestinal perforation was made based on the operative findings or on radiologic and clinical observation for more than 4 days. RESULTS Fifty-four patients were diagnosed as having gastrointestinal perforation. In patients with blunt abdominal trauma, sensitivity for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal perforation by US was 85.7% and specificity was 99.6%; in patients with severe acute abdominal pain, sensitivity was 85.0% and specificity was 100.0%. CONCLUSION Ultrasonography is useful for the diagnosis of IPFA with acute abdominal pain or blunt trauma, except in patients with gastrointestinal perforation without IPFA.

Usefulness of the 3-Dimensionally Reconstructed Computed Tomography Imaging for Diagnosis of the Site of Tracheal Injury (3D-Tracheography)

Computed tomography (CT) has not been considered useful for early diagnosis of traumatized patients who could hardly hold their breath, particularly patients with tracheal injuries. However, the recent development of spiral CT has made it possible to acquire contiguous patient data, which eliminates the respiratory misregistration. Air is easily differentiated from surrounding tissues by striking contrast, and the trachea can therefore be well displayed by three-dimensional (3D)-CT. We consider that it is possible to show tracheal injury by 3D-CT. The aim of this study is to clarify the usefulness of 3D-CT for detecting the injury site of blunt tracheal injuries. The study was carried out in hemodynamically stable patients who were suspected of having tracheal injury based on clinical manifestations such as hemoptysis, or cervical subcutaneous, deep cervical, or mediastinal emphysema. Repeated bronchoscopy confirmed tracheal injury. The virtual images of the 3D-CT (3D-tracheography) were compared with the direct images of bronchoscopic findings. Five cases were examined. In patients with tracheal injury, bronchoscopy revealed laceration of the tracheal lumen or disruption and dislocation of the tracheal cartilage, partially coated by mucus and clot, findings that confirmed the diagnosis of tracheal injury. The virtual images of the 3D-tracheography clearly showed the injury as a defect in the tracheal wall or a depression in the wall. The site and size of injury shown in the 3D-tracheography were comparable with those detected by bronchoscopy. We succeeded in detecting tracheal injuries by 3D-CT imaging, the virtual images of which were comparable with the bronchoscopic findings. 3D-tracheography is a useful method for diagnosing the site and form of tracheal injury in hemodynamically stable patients.

Complications of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation for unconscious patients without cardiopulmonary arrest.

Background: Insufficient knowledge of the risks and complications of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may be an obstructive factor for CPR, however, particularly for patients who are not clearly suffering out of hospital cardiopulmonary arrest (OH-CPA). The object of this study was to clarify the potential complication, the safety of bystander CPR in such cases. Materials and Methods: This study was a population-based observational case series. To be enrolled, patients had to have undergone CPR with chest compressions performed by lay persons, had to be confirmed not to have suffered OHCPA. Complications of bystander CPR were identified from the patients’ medical records and included rib fracture, lung injury, abdominal organ injury, and chest and/or abdominal pain requiring analgesics. In our emergency department, one doctor gathered information while others performed X-ray and blood examinations, electrocardiograms, and chest and abdominal ultrasonography. Results: A total of 26 cases were the subjects. The mean duration of bystander CPR was 6.5 minutes (ranging from 1 to 26). Nine patients died of a causative pathological condition and pneumonia, and the remaining 17 survived to discharge. Three patients suffered from complications (tracheal bleeding, minor gastric mucosal laceration, and chest pain), all of which were minimal and easily treated. No case required special examination or treatment for the complication itself. Conclusion: The risk and frequency of complications due to bystander CPR is thought to be very low. It is reasonable to perform immediate CPR for unconscious victims with inadequate respiration, and to help bystanders perform CPR using the T-CPR system.

Risky locations for out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest in a typical urban city.

Background: The aim of this study is to clarify the circumstances including the locations where critical events resulting in out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest (OHCPA) occur. Materials and Methods: Subjects of this population-based observational case series study were the clinical records of patients with nontraumatic and nonneck-hanging OHCPA. Results: Of all 1546 cases, 10.3% occurred in a public place (shop, restaurant, workplace, stations, public house, sports venue, and bus), 8.3% on the street, 73.4% in a private location (victims home, the homes of the victims’ relatives or friends or cheap bedrooms, where poor homeless people live), and 4.1% in residential institutions. In OHCPA occurring in private locations, the frequency of asystole was higher and the outcome was poorer than in other locations. A total of 181 OHCPA cases (11.7%) took place in the lavatory and 166 (10.7%) in the bathroom; of these, only 7 (3.9% of OHCPA in the lavatory) and none in the bath room achieved good outcomes. The frequencies of shockable initial rhythm occurring in the lavatory and in bath room were 3.7% and 1.1% (lower than in other locations, P = 0.011 and 0.002), and cardiac etiology in OHCPA occurring in these locations were 46.7% and 78.4% (the latter higher than in other locations, P < 0.001). Conclusions: An unignorable population suffered from OHCPA in private locations, particularly in the lavatory and bathroom; their initial rhythm was usually asystole and their outcomes were poor, despite the high frequency of cardiac etiology in the bathroom. We should try to treat OHCPA victims and to prevent occurrence of OHCPA in these risky spaces by considering their specific conditions.

Blood transfusion therapy for traumatic cardiopulmonary arrest

Background: Blood transfusion therapy (BTT), which represents transplantation of living cells, poses several risks. Although BTT is necessary for trauma victims with hemorrhagic shock, it may be futile for patients with blunt traumatic cardiopulmonary arrest (BT-CPA). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively examined the medical records of consecutive patients with T-CPA. The study period was divided into two periods: The first from 1995-1998, when we used packed red cells (PRC) regardless of the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), and the second from 1999-2004, when we did not use PRC before ROSC. The rates of ROSC, admission to the ICU, and survival-to-discharge were compared between these two periods. Results: We studied the records of 464 patients with BT-CPA (175 in the first period and 289 in the second period). Although the rates of ROSC and admission to the ICU were statistically higher in the first period, there was no statistical difference in the rate of survival-to-discharge between these two periods. In the first period, the rate of ROSC was statistically higher in the non-BTT group than the BTT group. However, for cases in which ROSC was performed and was successful, there were no statistical differences in the rate of admission and survival-to-discharge between the first and second group, and between the BTT and non-BTT group. Conclusion: Our retrospective consecutive study shows the possibility that BTT before ROSC for BT-CPA and a treatment strategy that includes this treatment improves the success rate of ROSC, but not the survival rate. BTT is thought to be futile as a treatment for BT-CPA before ROSC.

Characteristics of high-echoic objects in the hepatic vessels of patients with cardiopulmonary arrest: a prospective cohort study

Background High-echoic objects in the hepatic vessels of patients with cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA) are frequently detected by ultrasonography. Objective To demonstrate this phenomenon and clarify its clinical characteristics. Methods In a tertiary care academic medical centre, 203 CPA patients were evaluated by ultrasonography. CT determined the origin and location of high-echoic objects detected in the liver. The frequency and characteristics of this phenomenon were investigated. The background, laboratory data and survival rate were compared between patients with and without high-echoic objects. Results High-echoic objects were seen in 73 (36.0%) patients and could clearly be detected in the hepatic veins of 41 (56.2%) patients. CT confirmed that these were gas in 27 of 53 patients, and were clearly visible in the hepatic veins in 12 (44.4%) patients. Hepatic portal venous gas was not identified. Compared to patients without high-echoic objects, witnessed arrest (p<0.001), bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (p=0.005), ventricular fibrillation or pulseless electrical activity (p=0.012) and return of spontaneous circulation (p=0.018) were significantly less frequent in patients with high-echoic objects. These patients had a lower incidence of survival to discharge (1.4% vs 7.7%, p=0.100). Multivariate analysis showed that absence of high-echoic objects was a marginally significant factor in association with return of spontaneous circulation (p=0.052). Conclusions High-echoic objects were often observed on ultrasonography in CPA patients; these objects were considered hepatic venous gas. The presence of high-echoic objects may be a poor prognostic sign in patients with CPA.

Securing of tracheostomy tube using detachable clip in patients requiring neck wound management after esophageal, pharyngeal, and supinal surgery

To the Editors: We read with great interest the article by DeBosch et al examining the ethical dilemma posed when a pregnant patient refuses Caesarian section in the face of impending fetal demise. Although an exceedingly complex scenario, the authors provide a comprehensive and helpful discussion of its various components. We wish to draw further attention to one aspect of the authors analysis, specifically the role that surrogate decision making might have in achieving an ethically justifiable resolution. We believe that the authors application of the ‘‘substituted judgment’’ standard for surrogate decision making to this scenario is inadequate. Although we agree that seeking a psychiatric evaluation of the patient’s decision-making capacity is likely to be time-consuming and impractical, particularly given the urgency of the clinical situation, it should be noted that all physicians should have the basic skills needed to evaluate a patient’s decision-making capacity. The scenario as presented does not contain enough information to establish that the patient lacks decision-making capacity; however, if the patient were judged to lack decisionmaking capacity, it does not necessarily follow that the patient’s designated surrogate decision maker would be ‘‘ethically obliged’’ to also refuse the Caesarian section. The authors acknowledge that, when appropriately executing substituted judgment, surrogate decision makers are instructed to arrive at the decision that most approximates what the patient would have wanted under the circumstances if she had decision-making capacity. The clinical scenario suggests that the patient currently does not want a Caesarian section; however, if the physicians determined that the patient did not have decision-making capacity, it would be inappropriate for a surrogate decision maker to choose a course of action based solely on these expressed wishes, because they are being voiced by a patient who has been found to lack decision-making capacity. More information would be needed to better predict how the patient’s surrogate might best approximate her autonomy. To do this, the patient s surrogate would have to either supply background information regarding the patient’s previously held wishes or values or provide previous statements the patient might have made when she did have decision-making capacity. With that evidence in hand, the patient’s surrogate could come to a decision contrary to the patient’s currently expressed desires that is a more faithful representation of what she would have wanted. This outcome would be ethically justified. In conclusion, if the patient in this scenario lacks decision-making capacity, we cannot say what the ethically appropriate course of action is until the surrogate decision maker gives voice to the patient’s preferences based on the values that she held prior to losing decisional capacity. This additional insight is precisely the benefit---and responsibility---of a surrogate decision maker.