Shelby Resnick

Tourniquet use for civilian extremity trauma.

BACKGROUND Unlike in the military setting, where the use of tourniquets has been well established, in the civilian sector their use has been far less uniform. The purpose of this study was to examine the outcomes associated with the use of tourniquets for civilian extremity trauma. STUDY DESIGN Adult (≥18 years) patients admitted to our institution with an extremity injury requiring tourniquet application from January 2007 to June 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. The primary outcome analyzed was limb loss. Secondary outcomes included death, hospital length of stay, and complications. RESULTS There were 87 patients who met inclusion criteria. Average age was 35.3 years, 90.8% were male, and 66.7% had penetrating injuries, with a median Injury Severity Score (ISS) of 6. Tourniquets were placed in the prehospital setting in 50.6%, in the emergency department in 39.1%, and in the operating room in 10.3% of patients. The windlass type Combat Application Tourniquet was the most commonly used type (67.8%), followed by a pneumatic system (24.1%) and self-made tourniquet (8.0%). The median duration of use was 75 minutes (interquartile range, 91) with no differences between groups (p = 0.547). Overall, 80.5% had a vascular injury (70.1% arterial), and a total of 99 limb operations were performed, including 15 amputations. Fourteen amputations (93.3%) occurred at the scene or were directly attributed to the extent of tissue damage with a median Mangled Extremity Severity Score (MESS) of 7 (interquartile range, 2). In the remaining patient, the tourniquet was lifesaving but likely contributed to limb loss. Seven patients sustained 13 other complications; however, none was directly attributed to tourniquet use. CONCLUSION Tourniquet use in the civilian sector is associated with a low rate of complications. With the low complication rate and high potential for benefit, aggressive use of this potentially lifesaving intervention is justified. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Epidemiologic/prognostic study, level III.

The impact of blood product ratios in massively transfused pediatric trauma patients

BACKGROUND Few studies have examined the impact of balanced resuscitation in pediatric trauma patients requiring massive transfusions. Adult data may not be generalizable to children. METHODS Retrospective analysis assessed patients seen at a level I trauma center between 2003 and 2010 aged ≤18 years requiring massive packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion, defined as transfusion of ≥50% total blood volume. After excluding mortalities in the first 24 hours, the impact of plasma and platelet ratios on mortality was evaluated. RESULTS Of 6,675 pediatric trauma patients, 105 were massively transfused (mean age, 12.4 ± 6.3 years; mean Injury Severity Score, 25.8 ± 11.4; mortality rate, 18.1%). All deceased patients sustained severe head injuries. Plasma/PRBC and platelet/PRBC ratios were not significantly associated with mortality. CONCLUSIONS In this study, higher plasma/PRBC and platelet/PRBC ratios were not associated with increased survival in children. The value of aggressive blood product transfusion for injured pediatric patients requires further prospective validation.

The Model for End-stage Liver Disease Score An Independent Prognostic Factor of Mortality in Injured Cirrhotic Patients

OBJECTIVE To examine the ability of the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score to predict the risk of mortality in trauma patients with cirrhosis. Although cirrhosis is associated with poor outcomes after injury, the relative effect of the severity of the cirrhosis on outcomes is unclear. The MELD score is a prospectively developed and validated scoring system, which is associated with increasing severity of hepatic dysfunction and risk of death in patients with chronic liver disease. DESIGN Retrospective review. The MELD score for each patient was calculated from the international normalized ratio, the serum creatinine level, and the serum total bilirubin level obtained from the patient at admission to the level 1 trauma center. The association of MELD score with mortality was assessed using logistic regression analysis. SETTING Level 1 trauma center. PATIENTS Cirrhotic patients with trauma admitted to the level 1 trauma center during the period from January 2003 to December 2009. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Mortality. RESULTS During the 7-year study period, 285 injured cirrhotic patients were admitted. The mean (SD) age was 50.0 (10.5) years, and the mean (SD) MELD score was 11.7 (4.8) (range, 6-28). Overall, patients who died had a significantly higher mean (SD) MELD score than did survivors (14.1 [5.4] vs 11.2 [4.6]; P < .001). The MELD score and the injury severity score were statistically significant risk factors that were independently associated with mortality in this group of patients (the area under the curve for the model was 0.944; cumulative R(2) = 0.545). Each unit increase in the MELD score was associated with an 18% increase in the odds for mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 1.18 [95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.29]; P < .001). CONCLUSION The MELD score is a simple objective tool for risk stratification in cirrhotic patients who have sustained injury.

Clinical Relevance of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Cervical Spine Clearance: A Prospective Study

IMPORTANCE A missed cervical spine (CS) injury can have devastating consequences. When CS injuries cannot be ruled out clinically using the National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study low-risk criteria because of either a neurologic deficit or pain, the optimal imaging modality for CS clearance remains controversial. OBJECTIVE To investigate the accuracy of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for CS clearance. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A prospective observational study was conducted from January 1, 2010, through May 31, 2011, at a level I trauma center. Participants included 830 adults who were awake, alert, and able to be examined who experienced blunt trauma with resultant midline CS tenderness and/or neurologic deficits and were undergoing CT of the CS. Initial examinations, all CS imaging results, interventions, and final CS diagnoses were documented. The criterion standard for the sensitivity and specificity calculations was final diagnosis of CS injury at the time of discharge. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Clinically significant CS injuries, defined as injuries requiring surgical stabilization or halo placement. RESULTS Overall, 164 CS injuries (19.8%) were diagnosed, and 23 of these (2.8%) were clinically significant. All clinically significant injuries were detected by CT. Fifteen of 681 patients (2.2%) with a normal CT scan had a newly identified finding on MRI; however, none of the injuries required surgical intervention or halo placement. There was no change in management on the basis of MRI findings. The sensitivity and specificity of CT for detecting CS injury was 90.9% and 100%, respectively. For clinically significant CS injuries, the sensitivity was 100% and specificity was 100%. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Computed tomography is effective in the detection of clinically significant CS injuries in adults deemed eligible for evaluation who had a neurologic deficit or CS pain. Magnetic resonance imaging does not provide any additional clinically relevant information.

Angiointervention: An independent predictor of survival in high-grade blunt liver injuries

BACKGROUND The role of angiointervention (ANGIO) in the management of high-grade liver injuries is not clear and there are concerns about increased complications. METHODS National Trauma Data Bank study, isolated grade IV and V blunt liver injuries. Patients with major associated intra-abdominal or extra-abdominal injuries were excluded. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of mortality and complications. RESULTS Six thousand four hundred two patients met the criteria for inclusion. Laparotomy was performed in 32% of the patients and nonoperative management in 68%. Overall, 11% of the patients underwent ANGIO. Patients in the ANGIO group were significantly more likely to be older than 55 years than non-ANGIO patients and more likely to have Injury Severity Scores greater than 25. After stepwise logistic regression, ANGIO was an independent predictor of survival (P < .001). In the group of patients managed operatively, it was independently associated with a lower mortality (P < .001). Similarly, in the nonoperative group, it was independently associated with a lower mortality (5.4% vs 9.5%, P = .008). ANGIO was associated with increased systemic complications. CONCLUSIONS ANGIO in blunt, severe liver injuries is associated with reduced mortality and increased complications, in both operative and nonoperative management.

Large animal evaluation of riboflavin and ultraviolet light–treated whole blood transfusion in a diffuse, nonsurgical bleeding porcine model

The Mirasol system has been demonstrated to effectively inactivate white blood cells (WBCs) and reduce pathogens in whole blood in vitro. The purpose of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of Mirasol‐treated fresh whole blood (FWB) to untreated FWB in an in vivo model of surgical bleeding.

Impact of smoking on trauma patients

BACKGROUND The harmful effects of smoking have been well-documented in the medical literature for decades. To further the support of smoking cessation, we investigate the effect of smoking on a less studied population, the trauma patient. METHODS All trauma patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit at the LAC + University of Southern California medical center between January 2007 and December 2011 were included. Patients were stratified into two groups - current smokers and non-smokers. Demographics, admission vitals, comorbidities, operative interventions, injury severity indices, and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II scores were documented. Uni- and multi-variate modeling was performed. Outcomes studied were mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, and length of hospitalization. RESULTS A total of 1754 patients were available for analysis, 118 (6.7%) patients were current smokers. The mean age was 41.4±20.4, 81.0% male and 73.5% suffered blunt trauma. Smokers had a higher incidence of congestive heart failure (4.2% vs. 0.9%, p=0.007) and alcoholism (20.3% vs. 5.9%, p<0.001), but had a significantly lower APACHE II score. After multivariate regression analysis, there was no significant mortality difference. Patients who smoked spent more days mechanically ventilated (beta coefficient: 4.96 [1.37, 8.55, p=0.007]). CONCLUSION Smoking is associated with worse outcome in the critically ill trauma patient. On an average, smokers spent 5 days longer requiring mechanical ventilation than non-smokers.

The Relationship between Age, Common Bile Duct Diameter and Diagnostic Probability in Suspected Choledocholithiasis

Background: Aging has been associated with increasing common bile duct (CBD) diameter and reported as independently predictive of the likelihood of choledocolithiasis. These associations are controversial with uncertain diagnostic utility in patients presenting with symptomatic disease. The current study examined the relationship between age, CBD size, and the diagnostic probability of choledocolithiasis. Methods: Symptomatic patients undergoing evaluation for suspected choledocolithiasis from January 2008 to February 2011 were reviewed. In the cohort without choledocolithiasis, the relationship between aging and CBD size was examined as a continuous variable and by comparing mean CBD size across stratified age groups. Multivariate analysis examined the relationship between increasing age and diagnostic probability of choledocolithiasis in all patients. Results: Choledocolithasis was diagnosed by MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) or endoscopic retrograde (ERCP) in 496 of 1,000 patients reviewed. Mean CBD was 6.0 mm (±2.8 mm) in the 504 of 1,000 patients without choledocolithiasis on ERCP/MRCP. Increasing age had no correlation with CBD size as a continuous variable (r2 = 0.011, p = 0.811). No difference occurred across age groups (Kruskal-Wallis, p = 0.157). Age had no association with diagnostic likelihood of choledocolithiasis (AOR [95% CI] 0.99 [0.98-1.01], adjusted-p = 0.335). Conclusion: In a large population undergoing investigation for biliary disease, increasing age was neither associated with increasing CBD diameter nor predictive of the likelihood of choledocolithiasis.

Intra-aortic balloon pump for hemodynamic support in hepatobiliary surgery: report of a case

The intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) can be used transiently to improve cardiac function mechanically, in patients with severe cardiomyopathy and heart failure refractory to medical therapy. In the field of surgery, the IABP is most commonly used for patients with myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, or other chronic cardiac conditions, who are undergoing cardiac surgery. Conversely, it is rarely used in hepatobiliary surgery, with only two reports found in the literature, excluding cases of emergency cholecystectomy. We describe how we used an IABP successfully during surgery to repair a transected bile duct in a patient with peripartum cardiomyopathy.