Younghwan Kim

Reduced Mortality by Physician-Staffed HEMS Dispatch for Adult Blunt Trauma Patients in Korea

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency of domestic physician-staffed helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) for the transport of patients with severe trauma to a hospital. The study included patients with blunt trauma who were transported to our hospital by physician-staffed HEMS (Group P; n = 100) or nonphysician-staffed HEMS (Group NP; n = 80). Basic patient characteristics, transport time, treatment procedures, and medical treatment outcomes assessed using the Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) were compared between groups. We also assessed patients who were transported to the hospital within 3 h of injury in Groups P (Group P3; n = 50) and NP (Group NP3; n = 74). The severity of injury was higher, transport time was longer, and time from hospital arrival to operation room transfer was shorter for Group P than for Group NP (P < 0.001). Although Group P patients exhibited better medical treatment outcomes compared with Group NP, the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.134 vs. 0.730). However, the difference in outcomes was statistically significant between Groups P3 and NP3 (P = 0.035 vs. 0.546). Under the current domestic trauma patient transport system in South Korea, physician-staffed HEMS are expected to increase the survival of patients with severe trauma. In particular, better treatment outcomes are expected if dedicated trauma resuscitation teams actively intervene in the medical treatment process from the transport stage and if patients are transported to a hospital to receive definitive care within 3 hours of injury.

Application of Damage Control Resuscitation Strategies to Patients with Severe Traumatic Hemorrhage: Review of Plasma to Packed Red Blood Cell Ratios at a Single Institution

When treating trauma patients with severe hemorrhage, massive transfusions are often needed. Damage control resuscitation strategies can be used for such patients, but an adequate fresh frozen plasma: packed red blood cell (FFP:PRBC) administration ratio must be established. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 100 trauma patients treated with massive transfusions from March 2010 to October 2012. We divided the patients into 2 groups according to the FFP:PRBC ratio: a high-ratio (≥0.5) and a low-ratio group (<0.5). The patient demographics, fluid and transfusion quantities, laboratory values, complications, and outcomes were analyzed and compared. There were 68 patients in the high-ratio and 32 in the low-ratio group. There were statistically significant differences between groups in the quantities of FFP, FFP:PRBC, platelets, and crystalloids administered, as well as the initial diastolic blood pressure. Bloodstream infections were noted only in the high-ratio group, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.028). Kaplan-Meier plots revealed that the 24-hr survival rate was significantly higher in the high-ratio group (71.9% vs. 97.1%, P<0.001). In severe hemorrhagic trauma, raising the FFP:PRBC ratio to 0.5 or higher may increase the chances of survival. Efforts to minimize bloodstream infections during the resuscitation must be increased. Graphical Abstract

Effective Transport for Trauma Patients under Current Circumstances in Korea: A Single Institution Analysis of Treatment Outcomes for Trauma Patients Transported via the Domestic 119 Service

In Korea, which still lacks a well-established trauma care system, the inability to transport patients to adequate treatment sites in a timely manner is a cause of low trauma patient survival. As such, this study was conducted to serve as a basis for the establishment of a future trauma transport system. We performed a comparative analysis of the transport time, and treatment outcomes between trauma victims transported by ground ambulance (GAMB) and those transported via the helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) through the National Emergency Management Agencys 119 reporting system, which is similar to the 911 system of the United States, from March 2011 to May 2014. The HEMS-transported patients received treatment instructions, by remote communication, from our trauma specialists from the time of accident reporting; in certain instances, members of the trauma medical staff provided treatment at the scene. A total of 1,626 patients were included in the study; the GAMB and HEMS groups had 1,547 and 79 patients, respectively. The median transport time was different between 2 groups (HEMS, 60 min vs. GAMB, 47 min, P<0.001) but for all patients was 49 min (less than the golden hour). Outcomes were significantly better in the HEMS compared to the GAMB, using the trauma and injury severity score (survival rate, 94.9% vs. 90.5%; Z score, 2.83 vs. -1.96; W score, 6.7 vs. -0.8). A unified 119 service transport system, which includes helicopter transport, and the adoption of a trauma care system that allows active initial involvement of trauma medical personnel, could improve the treatment outcome of trauma patients. Graphical Abstract

Improved survival after palliative resection of unsuspected stage IV pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND Palliative resection of stage IV pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has not shown its benefit until now. In our retrospective review, we compared the results of palliative resection to non-resection. METHODS Between 2000 and 2009, metastasis of PDAC was confirmed in the operating room in 150 patients. 35 underwent palliative resection (resection group; R) and 115 did bypass or biopsy. 35 patients (biopsy or bypass group: NR) in the 115 patients were matched with the patients undergoing resection for tumor size and the metastasis of peritoneal seeding. Demographic, clinical, operative data and survival were analyzed. RESULTS There was no significant difference of major complication (Clavien-Dindo classification 3-5) between two groups. There was no 30-day mortality in either group. More patients in R received postoperative chemotherapy (82.9% vs. 57.1%; P = 0.019). Multivariate analysis showed resection and postoperative chemotherapy as independent factor related to survival (hazard ratio, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.25-0.76; P = 0.003). Patients in R showed better survival rates compared to those in NR (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Our study suggests resection for stage IV PDAC can be associated with increased survival. In patients of stage IV PDAC, palliative resection with chemotherapy could have some benefit in selected patients.

Erratum: Correction of Author Order: Reduced Mortality by Physician-Staffed HEMS Dispatch for Adult Blunt Trauma Patients in Korea

This corrects the article on p. 1656 in vol. 31, PMID: 27550497.

Efficacy of Uncross-Matched Type O Packed Red Blood Cell Transfusion to Traumatic Shock Patients: a Propensity Score Match Study

A new blood bank system was established in our trauma bay, which allowed immediate utilization of uncross-matched type O packed red blood cells (UORBCs). We investigated the efficacy of UORBC compared to that of the ABO type-specific packed red blood cells (ABO RBCs) from before the bank was installed. From March 2016 to February 2017, data from trauma patients who received UORBCs in the trauma bay were compared with those of trauma patients who received ABO RBCs from January 2013 to December 2015. Propensity matching was used to overcome retrospective bias. The primary outcome was 24-hour mortality, while the secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS). Data from 252 patients were reviewed and UORBCs were administered to 64 patients. The time to transfusion from emergency room admission was shorter in the UORBC group (11 [7–16] minutes vs. 44 [29–72] minutes, P < 0.001). After propensity matching, 47 patients were included in each group. The 24-hour mortality (4 [8.5%] vs. 9 [13.8%], P = 0.135), in-hospital mortality (14 [29.8%] vs. 18 [38.3%], P = 0.384), and ICU LOS (9 [4–19] days vs. 5 [0–19] days, P = 0.155) did not differ significantly between groups. The utilization of UORBCs resulted in a faster transfusion but did not significantly improve the clinical outcomes in traumatic shock patients in this study. However, the tendency for lower mortality in the UORBC group suggested the need for a large study.

Diagnostic Role of Blood Tumor Markers in Predicting Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Liver Cirrhosis Patients Undergoing Liver Transplantation

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic role of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) in predicting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with advanced liver cirrhosis (LC) awaiting liver transplantation (LT). MATERIAL AND METHODS During a study period of 10 years, 2074 adult LT recipients were identified. They were divided into 2 groups: HCC (n=970; 46.8%) and non-HCC (n=1104; 53.2%). They were stratified into 5 categories according to model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores: <10 (n=464), ≥10 and <15 (n=632), ≥15 and <20 (n=355), ≥20 and <30 (n=340), and ≥30 (n=283). RESULTS Median pretransplant AFP vs. DCP levels were 11.3 ng/mL vs. 26 mAU/mL and 4.2 ng/mL vs. 22 mAU/mL in the HCC and non-HCC groups, respectively. Receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curve analyses showed that area under the curve (AUC) of AFP was 0.693, having a crossing-point cutoff at 6.8 ng/mL with sensitivity of 64.5% and specificity of 64.5%. AUC of AFP was inversely correlated with MELD score. AUC of DCP was 0.546, having a crossing-point cutoff at 25 mAU/mL with sensitivity of 53.1% and specificity of 51.8%. AUC of DCP was <0.6 except in MELD score ≥30. CONCLUSIONS Diagnostic predictability of AFP was reliably associated with MELD score but that of DCP was not. The sensitivity of AFP and DCP is not high enough, especially in patients with MELD score ≥20. Thus, thorough HCC screening with imaging studies should be conducted during the waiting period for LT and pretransplant assessment.

Development of physical restraints guidelines and use effect

【Objective: The objective of this research was to develop a guideline for more effective use of physical restraint on patients in the intensive care unit and training the nurses on it and applying it on clinical practice to assess its effectiveness. Method: This research analyzed the before and after effect of the development of a guideline for physical restraint by dividing the category into nurse and patient. In the case of nurse, a comparison of knowledge and nursing service regarding the use of physical restraint from before the training on physical restraint guideline(Jan. 2011) and after the training on physical restraint guideline(Dec. 2011) was made. In the case of patient, a comparison of physical restraint usage rate and average usage time, the number of unplanned extubation cases were compared from before the use of physical restraint (Jan.~Apr. 2011) and after the use of physical restraint (Sep.~Dec. 2011) were made. Result: After the training on the physical restraint guideline, the knowledge of the nurse and the nursing practice showed notable improvement by (p】