[The evolution of 3D imaging in orthopedic trauma care. German version]. / Entwicklung der 3­D-Bildgebung in der Versorgung orthopädischer Verletzungen.

Three-dimensional (3D) imaging can enhance trauma care by allowing better evaluation of bony detail and implant position compared to conventional fluoroscopy or x­ray. Intraoperative 3D imaging further improves this evaluation by allowing any necessary revisions to be made in the operating room prior to the patient emerging from anesthesia. This revision, if necessary, better achieves the surgical goals and alleviates the stressful situation of obtaining postoperative 3D imaging, where the benefit of revision must be balanced against the cost and risk of returning to the operating room. Improved image volume, resolution, and software capability have allowed surgeons to obtain high quality, wide field views of bony anatomy that can include the uninjured side as a comparison. In this paper, the evolution of intraoperative 3D imaging over the past 25 years is discussed.

What's new in operative trauma surgery in the last 10 years.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This article reviews the latest operative trauma surgery techniques and strategies, which have been published in the last 10 years. Many of the articles we reviewed come directly from combat surgery experience and may be also applied to the severely injured civilian trauma patient and in the context of terrorist attacks on civilian populations. RECENT FINDINGS: We reviewed the most important innovations in operative trauma surgery; the use of ultrasound and computed tomography in the preoperative evaluation of the penetrating trauma patient, the use of temporary vascular shunts, the current management of military wounds, the use of preperitoneal packing in pelvic fractures and the management of the multiple traumatic amputation patient. SUMMARY: The last 10 years of conflict has produced a wealth of experience and novel techniques in operative trauma surgery. The articles we review here are essential for the contemporary care of the severely injured trauma patient, whether they are card for in a level 1 trauma center or in a field hospital at the edge of a battlefield.

[Specificities of war surgery, and capacities of the military health service]. / Spécificité de la chirurgie de guerre et capacités du service de santé des armées.

In view of the recent evolution of military conflicts, particularly in the Afghan theater, and the conditions in which wounded warriors are managed in the field prior to hospitalization, the authors examine the technical specificities of medical teams, based on studies of avoidable mortality. War surgery has become a separate specialty, following the disappearance in France of the general surgical specialty, of which it was the military coun-terpart. The authors stress the role of hemorrhaging and its treatment, based on three strategies: damage control resuscitation, blood transfusion, and early evacuation within the "golden hour ". The French Armed Forces Health Service, in a new strategic plan, is refocusing its activity on war traumatology, through better education and training of medical-surgical teams and by opening up its scholarship structures to the French civilian public health service sector.

[Strategies to prevent surgical site infections]. / Strategien zur Prävention von postoperativen Wundinfektionen.

Surgical site infections (SSI) are a severe complication following surgical or orthopaedic procedures and are associated with significant increases in hospital length of stay (LOS), additional costs, morbidity and mortality. Hence, the prevention of SSI is essential and poses a major challenge in the healthcare system. Strategies and key points are presented and discussed. Infection control measures such as active surveillance of SSI, implementation of a checklist, compliance observations and instruction/training of healthcare workers as well as Staphylococcus aureus/MRSA screening, clipping instead of shaving, adherence to perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis, maintaining intraoperative normothermia and blood glucose control are essential for a comprehensive bundle in order to prevent SSI.

[Management of soft tissue infections in the region of the extremities and the trunk]. / Management von Weichgewebeinfektionen im Extremitäten- und Stammbereich.

Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) are amongst the most common bacterial infections in humans. SSTI have a broad range of aetiology, clinical manifestation and severity. The outcome may be spontaneous resolution or on the other end sepsis with lethal outcome. Useful classifications are those which differentiate SSTI according to urgency of surgical intervention. The definitive diagnosis should be made by the clinical picture of the lesion and the condition of the patient. The key to successful treatment of many severe necrotizing soft tissue infections is based on early detection and prompt surgical debridement. This procedure has to be followed by an optimal wound management. From the early beginning of treatment an adequately calculated antibiotic treatment is mandatory. At the end of the treatment the wound has to be closed by an aesthetic scar with high mechanical load capacity.

[Current concepts of patient safety: rapid response system]. / Aktuelle Konzepte der Patientensicherheit : Das "Rapid-response"-System.

The "100,000 lives campaign" initiated a wide-spread implementation of rapid response teams in the United States. A standardized rapid response system (RRS) is designed to reduce the preventable mortality of hospitalized patients who frequently have progressive signs of physiological deterioration minutes to hours before cardiac arrest. The implementation and maturation of a team-based RRS has been shown to significantly reduce the incidence of "COR zero" calls and, in some studies, the in-hospital mortality rate. An alternative model to rapid response teams has been recently proposed which is based on defined clinical triggers to initiate a "rapid response escalation". This clinical triggers program overcomes the classic limitations of a team-based system, such as the overuse of resources and the fragmentation of patient care. The present review outlines the basic RRS concept with a focus on the debate related to the "perfect" patient safety system, namely the validity of a distinct rapid response teams approach versus a trigger-based escalation modality. The implementation of a standardized RRS should also be considered in German hospitals with the aim of improving patient safety and reducing preventable in-hospital mortality.

[New oral anticoagulants from the perspective of trauma surgery]. / Neue orale Antikoagulanzien aus unfallchirurgischer Sicht.

Heparins and vitamin K antagonists have been the cornerstones of anticoagulation therapy for several decades. While these compounds have proven to be effective at inhibiting the coagulation process, they have inherent limitations. This has spurred efforts to develop therapies that will overcome these drawbacks while matching the efficacy of the conventional anticoagulants. Significant advances have been made in the development of more specific treatments targeting factor Xa or thrombin and providing more predictable anticoagulant responses. They also offer the convenience of oral administration with fixed dose regimens not requiring routine monitoring which may have an impact on compliance. The factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban and the thrombin inhibitor dabigatran etexilate have become available for prevention of venous thromboembolism after elective hip and knee replacement surgery and registration of the factor Xa inhibitor apixaban is expected to occur soon. Furthermore, first clinical evidence has become available for all of these compounds in patients requiring long-term anticoagulation. It is to be expected that these results will lead to improvements in prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation and in treatment of venous thromboembolism.

[Bridging, interruption and switching of anticoagulants in trauma surgery]. / Überbrückung, Pausieren und Wechsel von Antikoagulanzien in der Unfallchirurgie.

Patients under long-term administration of vitamin K antagonists may require temporary interruption of anticoagulation therapy for invasive procedures or trauma surgery. Due to the long half-life of these substances bridging therapy with anticoagulants having a shorter half-life may become necessary. In this situation the risk of bleeding due to the intervention and the risk of thromboembolism due the underlying disease must be assessed. Low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) are considered to be the medication of choice for bridging anticoagulation, mainly due to practical reasons and as they do not require coagulation monitoring and dose adjustment out of hospital treatment is feasible. Low molecular weight heparins are not authorized for the indication of bridging anticoagulation, however, on the basis of recent studies on large patient cohorts, the evidence of efficacy and safety is significantly better for LMWHs than for unfractionated heparin. New oral anticoagulants will soon become available for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation and for treatment of venous thromboembolism. Due to the shorter half-lives these compounds will no longer require bridging anticoagulation. However, the trauma surgeon should be familiar with the dosing regimens for different indications in order to adequately decide about the preoperative cessation and the perioperative pause of these anticoagulants.

Trends in trauma surgery: analysis of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma program 1939-2012.

BACKGROUND: Major trauma-related clinical and basic science innovations have been presented at American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) annual meetings since its establishment in 1938. Thus, an analysis of all podium presentations was performed to identify historical and current trends in trauma surgery. METHODS: All abstract books of the annual meetings of the AAST from 1939 (first meeting) to 2012 were identified except for 1943 and 1945 (no meeting because of World War II) and 1946 (not found). A master list of abstracts (n = 3,637) was generated in Excel. Abstracts were assigned to 14 different categories, and the percentage of each category was tabulated per year. Trend lines were then generated using a mean of 10 zones. In addition, the year in which major clinical and basic science advancements were first presented was recorded. RESULTS: Overall, most (20%) AAST presentations have been related to the resuscitation, shock, infection, inflammation, immunology, endocrinology, and metabolism category. This has been followed by the orthopedic (18%) and the torso (chest and abdomen) trauma categories (15%). The trend for each category over time was identified. Prominent trends included a bell-shaped curve for torso, vascular, and genitourinary injuries; a progressive decrease in orthopedic topics; and an increase in critical care topics since the 1970s and in resuscitation/infection/shock and trauma system presentations since the 1980s. First presentations of key topics were identified (n = 163) and tabulated in a chronological order. CONCLUSION: Analysis of all oral AAST presentations identified trends and significant milestones in trauma care and research. In its 75 years of existence, the AAST annual meeting remains the forum in which major developments in trauma care and scientific knowledge are presented and disseminated.

Orthopaedic trauma and the evolution of healthcare policy in America.

Healthcare policy has changed drastically, and with the 50-year anniversary of the passage of Medicare approaching in 2015, the authors evaluate the development of the current healthcare system and its relationship to the development of modern orthopaedic trauma. With more changes in healthcare policy forthcoming, it is increasingly important for the orthopaedic traumatologist to understand how changes in policy will affect practice. Historically, the motivators for change have remained largely the same over the past 50 years. The development of diagnosis-related groups, the resource-based relative value scale, and the sustainable growth rate are 3 defining policies that were designed to control costs, but which had an unexpected effect on those caring for the trauma population. Healthcare reform has a unique effect on those systems where care is dictated by a defining event or injury. Evaluating the development of trauma systems, the authors find that legislation directed toward the trauma population has been driven by the study of patient outcomes, providing an opportunity for orthopaedic traumatologists to contribute to future changes in policy. As healthcare policy changes begin to take effect, having a thorough understanding of reform and its drivers will be increasingly important in taking an active role in advocating for the field of orthopaedic trauma and its patients.

The military health care system: providing quality care at a low per capita cost.

Orthopaedic trauma constitutes a significant portion of injuries in the military. By focusing on the "Quadruple Aim" of readiness, population health, experience of care, and per capita costs, the Military Health System delivers high-quality care with low costs. We examine the components of military health policy to find avenues of improvement for civilian orthopaedics. Greater emphasis on preventive medicine, alternative clinic structures, and interchangeability will help civilian orthopaedists lower costs and deliver quality patient-centered care similar to current military structure.