Terence O'Keeffe

Evidence Supporting Routine Polysomnography Before Bariatric Surgery

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common in morbidly obese patients, with a reported prevalence from 12 to 40%. Preoperative diagnosis of OSA is important for both perioperative airway management and the prevention of postoperative pulmonary complications. BMI has been reported to be an independent risk factor, and has been used recently in scoring systems to help predict OSA. Our hypothesis was that OSA is highly prevalent in patients presenting for bariatric surgery, and that BMI alone is not a good predictor of the presence or absence of sleep apnea. Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken of the last 170 consecutive patients presenting for bariatric surgery in a single surgeons practice. Clinical and demographic data were available from our prospective database, and polysomnography results were reviewed retrospectively. Sleep apnea was noted as present or absent, and graded from mild to severe. The patient population was stratified by BMI into severely obese (BMI 35-39.9), morbidly obese (BMI 40-49.9), super-obese (BMI 50-59.9), and super-super-obese (BMI ≥ 60). Results: OSA had been diagnosed before surgical consultation in 26 of the 170 patients (15.3%). Sleep studies were not available in 7 patients (4.1%). The remaining 137 patients (80.6%) had sleep data available, and 105 (76.6%) had sleep apnea (based on American Board of Sleep Medicine criteria).There was no correlation of sleep apnea with BMI. The overall prevalence of OSA in this cohort was 77% (131/170). Conclusions: In this large patient cohort, sleep apnea was prevalent (77%) independent of BMI, and most cases were not diagnosed before bariatric surgical consultation.These data support the use of routine screening polysomnography before bariatric surgery.

A Massive Transfusion Protocol to Decrease Blood Component Use and Costs

HYPOTHESIS A massive transfusion protocol (MTP) decreases the use of blood components, as well as turnaround times, costs, and mortality. DESIGN Retrospective before-and-after cohort study. SETTING Academic level I urban trauma center. PATIENTS AND METHODS Blood component use was compared in 132 patients during a 2-year period following the implementation of an MTP; 46 patients who were treated the previous year served as historical control subjects. INTERVENTION Introduction of an MTP that included recombinant factor VIIa for patients with exsanguinating hemorrhage. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The amount of each blood component transfused, turnaround times, blood bank and hospital charges, and mortality rates. RESULTS After introduction of the MTP, there was a significant decrease in packed red blood cells, plasma, and platelet use. The turnaround time for the first shipment was less than 10 minutes, and the time between the first and second shipments was reduced from 42 to 18 minutes, compared with historical controls. The decreased use of blood products represented a savings of

Accuracy of cardiac function and volume status estimates using the bedside echocardiographic assessment in trauma/critical care.

2270 per patient or an annual savings of

Predicting hospital discharge disposition in geriatric trauma patients: is frailty the answer?

200, 000, despite increased costs for recombinant factor VIIa. There was no difference in mortality in either group; it remained around 50%. Thromboembolic complications did not increase, despite a significant increase in the use of recombinant factor VIIa. CONCLUSIONS The MTP resulted in a reduction in the use of blood components with improved turnaround times and significant savings. Mortality was unaffected. The use of recombinant factor VIIa did not increase thromboembolic complications in these patients.

Pragmatic Randomized Optimal Platelet and Plasma Ratios (PROPPR) Trial: Design, rationale and implementation §

BACKGROUND Critically ill patients often require invasive monitoring to evaluate and optimize cardiac function and preload. With questionable outcomes associated with pulmonary artery catheters (PACs), some have evaluated the role of less invasive monitors. We hypothesized that the Bedside Echocardiographic Assessment in Trauma (BEAT) examination would generate cardiac index (CI) and central venous pressure (CVP) estimates that correlate with that of a PAC. METHODS BEAT was performed on all SICU patients with a PAC in place. Prospective data included stroke volume and the inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter. The CI was calculated and correlated with that from the PAC. Each CI was then categorized as low, normal, or high. The IVC diameter was used to estimate the CVP. The association between the BEAT and PAC estimates of CI and CVP was evaluated using chi. RESULTS Eighty-five BEAT examinations were performed, 57% on trauma and 37% on general surgery patients. Fifty-nine percent of the CI examinations and 97% of the IVC examinations contained quality images. Of these, the overall correlation coefficient was 0.70 (p < 0.0001). When CI was categorized, there was a significant association between the BEAT and PAC (p = 0.021). There was a significant association between the CVP estimate from the BEAT examination and the PAC (p = 0.031). CONCLUSION Our data show a significant correlation between the CI and CVP estimates obtained from the BEAT examination and that from a PAC. BEAT provides a noninvasive method of evaluating cardiac function and volume status. Bedside echocardiography is teachable and should become a part of future critical care curricula.

Damage control laparotomy: a vital tool once overused.

BACKGROUND The frailty index (FI) has been shown to predict outcomes in geriatric patients. However, FI has never been applied as a prognostic measure after trauma. The aim of our study was to identify hospital admission factors predicting discharge disposition in geriatric trauma patients. METHODS We performed a 1-year prospective study at our Level 1 trauma center. All trauma patients 65 years or older were enrolled. FI was calculated using 50 preadmission variables. Patient’s discharge disposition was dichotomized as favorable outcome (discharge home, rehabilitation) or unfavorable outcomes (discharge to skilled nursing facility, death). Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify factors that predict unfavorable outcome. RESULTS A total of 100 patients were enrolled, with a mean (SD) age of 76.51 (8.5) years, 59% being males, median Injury Severity Score (ISS) of 14 (range, 9–18), median head Abbreviated Injury Scale (h-AIS) score of 2 (2–3), and median Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 13 (12–15). Of the patients, 69% had favorable outcome, and 31% had unfavorable outcome. On univariate analysis, FI was found to be a significant predictor for unfavorable outcome (odds ratio, 1.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.2–2.3). After adjusting for age, ISS, and GCS score in a multivariate regression model, FI remained a strong predictor for unfavorable discharge disposition (odds ratio, 1.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.1–1.8). CONCLUSION The concept of frailty can be implemented in geriatric trauma patients with similar results as those of nontrauma and nonsurgical patients. FI is a significant predictor of unfavorable discharge disposition and should be an integral part of the assessment tools to determine discharge disposition for geriatric trauma patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic study, level II.

Prothrombin complex concentrate: an effective therapy in reversing the coagulopathy of traumatic brain injury.

BACKGROUND Forty percent of in-hospital deaths among injured patients involve massive truncal haemorrhage. These deaths may be prevented with rapid haemorrhage control and improved resuscitation techniques. The Pragmatic Randomized Optimal Platelet and Plasma Ratios (PROPPR) Trial was designed to determine if there is a difference in mortality between subjects who received different ratios of FDA approved blood products. This report describes the design and implementation of PROPPR. STUDY DESIGN PROPPR was designed as a randomized, two-group, Phase III trial conducted in subjects with the highest level of trauma activation and predicted to have a massive transfusion. Subjects at 12 North American level 1 trauma centres were randomized into one of two standard transfusion ratio interventions: 1:1:1 or 1:1:2, (plasma, platelets, and red blood cells). Clinical data and serial blood samples were collected under Exception from Informed Consent (EFIC) regulations. Co-primary mortality endpoints of 24h and 30 days were evaluated. RESULTS Between August 2012 and December 2013, 680 patients were randomized. The overall median time from admission to randomization was 26min. PROPPR enrolled at higher than expected rates with fewer than expected protocol deviations. CONCLUSION PROPPR is the largest randomized study to enrol severely bleeding patients. This study showed that rapidly enrolling and successfully providing randomized blood products to severely injured patients in an EFIC study is feasible. PROPPR was able to achieve these goals by utilizing a collaborative structure and developing successful procedures and design elements that can be part of future trauma studies.

Factor IX complex for the correction of traumatic coagulopathy.

BACKGROUND Trauma surgery is in constant evolution as is the use of damage control laparotomy (DCL). The purpose of this study was to report the change in usage of DCL over time and its effect on outcome. METHODS Trauma patients requiring laparotomies during a 3-year (2006-2008) period were reviewed. DCL was defined as laparotomy when fascia was not closed at the first operation. RESULTS There were 14,534 trauma patients evaluated, and 843 laparotomies were performed on 532 patients during the study period. The number of patients requiring open laparotomies slightly increased while the demographics and Injury Severity Score were similar during the study period. The number of patient requiring DCL significantly decreased from 36.3% (53 of 146) in 2006 to 8.8% (15 of 170) in 2008 (p < 0.001). During this same time period, the mortality rate for patients requiring open laparotomy significantly decreased from 21.9% in 2006 to 12.9% in 2008 (p = 0.05). The decreased use of DCL resulted in a 33.3% reduction in the number of laparotomies performed. The decrease in average costs and charges is projected to result in savings of

Improving Survival Rates after Civilian Gunshot Wounds to the Brain

2.2 million and

A Prospective, Randomized Trial of Acticoat Versus Silver Sulfadiazine in the Treatment of Partial-Thickness Burns: Which Method Is Less Painful?

5.8 million, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The use of DCL was significantly decreased by 78% during the study with significantly improved outcome. The improved outcome and decreased resource utilization can reduce health care costs and charges. Although DCL may be a vital aspect of trauma surgery, it can be used more selectively with improved outcome.