Mehmet Mahir Özmen

Use and effectiveness of prothrombin complex concentrates vs fresh frozen plasma in gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to warfarin usage in the ED

OBJECTIVES High International Normalized Ratio (INR) level resulting from warfarin use increases the risk of gastrointestinal hemorrhages. We aimed to compare the efficacy of prothrombin complex concentrates (PCC) and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) at lowering the INR level, decreasing active hemorrhages visible by endoscopy, and shortening the length of stay at the emergency department (ED). METHOD This study is a prospective cohort study of consecutive patents with gastrointestinal hemorrhages that received either PCC or FFP. With strict exclusion criteria, only patients over 18 years of age with a high INR level (>2.1) due to warfarin usage were included. RESULTS A total of 40 patients (18 female) were included in the study, 20 each in the PCC and FFP groups. For the PCC group, the mean INR levels at the second and sixth hours were lower than those for the FFP group (second hour INR: 1.53 vs 4.50, P<.01, sixth hour INR: 1.52 vs 2.41, P<.01). Seven patients experienced active bleeding (Forrest 1) in the FFP group, whereas no patient experienced active bleeding in the PCC group based on the Forrest classification (35% vs 0%, P<.01), and only 3 patients in the FFP group underwent invasive/surgical treatment (15% vs 0%, P<.01). The ED length of stay was lower for the PCC group (1.62 days vs 3.46 days, P<.01). CONCLUSION For patients experiencing a gastrointestinal hemorrhage, INR levels were reversed more quickly, there was less active bleeding on endoscopy, and the ED length of stay was lower in the PCC group than in the FFP group.

Factors Influencing Mortality in Spontaneous Gastric Tumour Perforations

Spontaneous perforation of gastric cancer is a serious complication with a very high incidence of mortality. In order to evaluate the prognostic factors influencing mortality in patients with gastric tumour perforations and to clarify the optimal surgical treatment, the records of patients at one centre during a 5-year period were evaluated retrospectively. Between 1995 and 2000, 14 patients with perforated gastric cancer were operated on in the Emergency Surgical Unit of a Turkish Hospital. This figure represents 3% of all the patients with gastric cancer who were treated during the same period. The hospital mortality was 36% in patients with perforations. The duration of symptoms suggesting perforation and the presence of pre-operative shock were predictive factors of mortality. It was concluded that those patients with pre-operative shock and delayed diagnosis should be treated with extra caution to decrease mortality. Perforation and peritonitis must be treated initially and elective radical surgery delayed.

Emergency admissions due to swallowed foreign bodies in adults.

AIM To study a retrospective analysis of patients who presented to the emergency departments (ED) with complaints related to foreign body ingestions. METHODS Patients older than 16 years of age who presented to the ED between January 1(st) and December 31(st) of 2010 with complaints related to swallowed foreign bodies were identified from electronic health records and patient charts. RESULTS A total of 100 patients presented with a complaint of foreign body ingestion during the study period. Overall, an X-ray was performed on 75 patients, and a fiberoptic evaluation was performed on 45 patients. A foreign body was detected in 46 (46%) patients. The diagnostic yield of the X-ray was 27 (36%) out of 75 patients, while the diagnostic yield of the fiberoptic evaluations was 21 (47%) out of 45 patients. The detected foreign bodies were mostly located in the esophagus (17 out of 46 foreign bodies detected). When the types of ingested foreign bodies were evaluated, 52 (52%) patients reported ingesting food, and 19 (19%) patients reported swallowing pins. An X-ray was performed on 33 patients with accidental food ingestions but yielded a positive result in only two cases. In 12 out of 21 patients with accidental food ingestion who underwent fiberoptic evaluation, the foreign material was detected and removed. CONCLUSION Plain radiography is helpful in the localization of radiopaque swollen foreign bodies, while fiberoptic methods are useful as both diagnostic and therapeutic tools, regardless of radiopacity.

Copeptin is a predictive biomarker of severity in acute pancreatitis

BACKGROUND Acute pancreatitis remains a common intraabdominal disease with a complex pathophysiology. The overall outcome has improved, but specific treatment remains elusive. The challenge is the early identification and treatment of patients who will develop severe acute pancreatitis. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to investigate plasma levels of copeptin in the initial phase of predicted severe acute pancreatitis. METHODS Between August 2008 and December 2011, 57 patients with acute pancreatitis and 30 healthy individuals were included in the study. Four blood samples, for serum copeptin measurement, were taken from each individual in each group. The first measurement was taken from the admission blood sample. The subsequent 3 samples were taken at 12, 24, and 48 hours after the onset of pain. RESULTS Copeptin plasma concentrations were significantly higher in patients with acute pancreatitis when compared with healthy controls. Copeptin plasma concentrations in severe pancreatitis patients were significantly higher than in mild pancreatitis patients. CONCLUSIONS Copeptin plasma concentrations were significantly higher in patients with acute pancreatitis when compared with healthy controls. Copeptin plasma concentrations in severe pancreatitis patients were significantly higher than in mild pancreatitis patients.

Solid gastric emptying after highly selective vagotomy and pyloroplasty in patients with obstructing duodenal ulcer.

Before being superseded by medical management, highly selective vagotomy (HSV) without drainage was the procedure of choice for uncomplicated duodenal ulcer. It is also justified for complications, including perforation and bleeding in selected cases. This prospective study evaluated the effects of HSV plus drainage on solid gastric emptying in 20 patients with chronic duodenal ulcer and pyloric stenosis. Patients were treated with HSV plus pyloroplasty (Heineke-Mikulicz pyloroplasty in five patients, Finney pyloroplasty in six patients and Jaboulay gastroduodenostomy in nine patients) and underwent solid-phase gastric emptying scintigraphic studies pre-operatively and 2 months and 6 months post-operatively. Results were compared with those from 10 controls. No significant differences were observed between the different types of pyloroplasty, although emptying was slightly faster in the gastroduodenostomy group. Gastric emptying returned to normal by 6 months post-operatively. In conclusion, HSV plus pyloroplasty is effective and can be used for the relief of stenosis in selected cases of duodenal ulcer.

The association of elevated mean platelet volume with the outcome of acute mesenteric ischemia.

Mesenteric ischemia is a life-threatening vascular emergency with high mortality rates. Mean platelet volume (MPV) has been shown to be closely related to platelet activation. We investigated whether MPV was associated with outcome of acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI). Sixty-one patients who were operated for AMI were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were divided into two groups: survivors and nonsurvivors, according to the outcome, and the two groups were compared in terms of MPV levels and other prognostic factors. Urea, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, amylase, gamma-glutamyl transferase and MPV levels were significantly higher in nonsurvivors, when compared to that of survivors. In addition, hypertension, atherosclerotic heart diseases and rhythm disorders were statistically significant risk factors for mortality. AMI is an uncommon but highly lethal surgical emergency. Our results indicate that an elevated MPV is associated with a worse outcome in patients with AMI.

Could Vital Signs Predict Carbon Monoxide Intoxication

OBJECTIVE: This retrospective study examined the correlation between carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) levels and vital signs in patients with carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication. METHODS: Over a 10-year period, patients > 16 years of age who presented to the emergency department due to CO intoxication were included. Age, gender, comorbidities, month/year of presentation, presenting symptoms, vital signs, blood pH, COHb level, treatment and outcome were recorded. RESULTS: In total, 476 patients were included. The mean ± SD age was 36.22 ± 13.65 years; 96.4% of the patients had a normal Glasgow Coma Scale score, 91.0% had normal blood pressure and 80.0% had a normal heart rate. COHb levels were stratified into three groups: < 10% (n = 39), 10 – 20% (n = 106) and > 20% (n = 205); levels could not be obtained in the remaining 126 patients. In patients with COHb levels > 20%, 34 (16.6%) had alkalosis and nine (4.4%) had acidosis. Among patients with COHb levels > 20%, 140 (68.3%) had normal vital signs. CONCLUSIONS: Vital signs cannot be used as a prognostic marker of CO intoxication and, therefore, patients must be monitored closely.

Evaluation of gunshot wounds in the emergency department

BACKGROUND This study aimed to evaluate injury patterns of patients admitted to the emergency department with gunshot wounds, results of imaging studies, treatment modalities, outcomes, mortality ratios, and complications. METHODS A retrospective descriptive study was carried out including a total number of one hundred and forty-two patients admitted to Hacettepe University Emergency Department with gunshot injuries between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2013. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS), Injury Severity Score (ISS), and the Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) probability of survival for penetrating trauma were calculated for all patients. RESULTS Among the one hundred and forty-two patients in the study, one hundred and twenty-eight (90.1%) were male. Mean age was 36 years. On admission, the average GCS score was 13, mean RTS was 6.64, median ISS was 5 and median TRISS probability for survival was 99.4% for penetrating trauma. Fluid was detected in three (13%) patients in FAST, whereas intra-abdominal solid organ injury and bowel injury were detected in 11 (58%) patients in abdominal CT. The pneumothorax, hemothorax and lung injuries were detected in 10 (40%) patients, whereas hemothorax was detected only in one patient with thoracic injury by chest X-ray. Twenty four (16.9%) patients died; eighteen patients (75%) had isolated severe intracranial injuries, two (8.3%) had thoracic injuries with head and neck injuries, and four (16.7%) patients had intra-abdominal organ injuries (one with concomitant head injury). Ten patients were brought to the ED in cardiopulmonary arrest. In dead patients, GCS, RTS and TRISS were significantly lower, and ISS were significantly higher than in surviving patients. Twenty three (95.8%) patients were in critical injury level (ISS 25-75, actually ISS >50) in the exitus group. CONCLUSION Mortality rates in gunshot wound patients with cranial injuries are very high. Spontaneous return is not seen in patients brought to the ED in arrest state. Bullets can cause internal organ injuries which can be greater than expected. In thoracoabdominal gunshot wound injuries, conventional X-ray and bedside FAST can be ineffective in detecting the whole extent of intrathoracic and intra-abdominal injuries. Thus, thoracic and abdominal CT should be planned early for hemodynamically stable patients in order to eliminate causes of fatality and make a timely and correct diagnosis. ISS, RTS and GCS are useful in predicting prognosis and mortality. Especially in patients with ISS scores >50, the mortality rate can be as high as 96%.

Aşırı kalabalık aciller için şikayet temelli bir model: Beş-Düzeyli Hacettepe Acil Triyaj Sistemi

BACKGROUND To compare ESI Five-Level Triage System with 5-Level Hacettepe Emergency Triage System (HETS), which was developed for Overcrowded EDs in our country. METHODS Over a period of six days, patients were assessed by a different ED staff everyday using HETS, then re-evaluated blindly by an emergency physician using HETS. Then patients were evaluated blindly for a third time by an independent, ESI-using emergency physician. RESULTS Of the patients in the study, 133 were men, 175 were women and the average age was 44.41±18.033. Inter-rater agreement was 97.40% (Kappa=0.963) between HETS and HETS-Blind, 74.35% (Kappa=0.646) between HETS and ESI-Blind, 74.67% (Kappa=0.652) between HETS-Blind and ESI-Blind. Inter-observer agreement between the second emergency physician performing HETS-Blind and the first emergency physician, resident, or nurse was very good (Kappa=1.0). Intern doctor, non-medical secretary and paramedic were found to have almost very good agreement (Kappa=0.971; 0.935; 0.864, respectively). An overtriage of 7.25% and undertriage of 1.08% were found in HETS. CONCLUSION Complaint-based HEST developed for overcrowded Eds is a triage system with a very good agreement between observations and observers. Low undertriage and overtriage ratios, and easy application by all staff from a non-medical secretary to the emergency physician.

Evaluation of liver injury in a tertiary hospital: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND Liver is the most frequently injured intraabdominal organ following abdominal trauma. Liver injury in polytraumatized patients can vary from minor contusions to major lacerations and is associated with morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcome of liver injury in polytraumatized patients. METHODS Only surgically treated 82 patients with liver injury over an eight year period (2005-2013) were included in this study and analyzed retrospectively. Data collected included demographics, laboratory findings, intraoperative findings, operative management, and outcome. The patients were divided into two groups and the mortality and survival data were compared. RESULTS The overall mortality rate was 18.3% (15 of 82 patients). 34 (41.5%) patients had blunt, forty-eight (48.5%) had penetrating trauma. There were multiple traumas in forty-seven (57%) patients. Forty-seven (57%) patients had total of seventy one coexisting intraabdominal injuries. Forty-six (56.1%) patients had stable and thirty-six (43.9%) had unstable hemodynamics on admission. In mortality group AST, ALT, LDH, APTT, PT, INR, and creatinine levels were high, fibrinogen levels and platelet counts were low on admission. CONCLUSION Hemodynamic instability, coexisting musculoskeletal and chest injury, high APTT, PT, INR, AST, ALT, LDH levels, and low fibrinogen levels and platelet counts on admission should be considered as predictive factors for mortality.