Outcomes in Ventilated Burn Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: An Evaluation of Early High-PEEP Strategy Using Berlin Criteria.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains a formidable sequela, complication, and mortality risk in patients with large burns with or without inhalation injury. Alveolar recruitment using higher Positive end expiratory pressures (PEEP) after the onset of ARDS has been tried with varying success. Studies have identified benefits for several rescue maneuvers in ARDS patients with refractory hypoxemia. A prophylactic strategy utilizing an early recruitment maneuver, however, has not, to our knowledge, been explored in ventilated burn patients. This study was designed to evaluate the natural progression and clinical outcomes of ARDS severity (mild, moderate, and severe) using Berlin criteria in ventilated burn patients treated with an early high-PEEP ventilator strategy. A single-center retrospective review of burn patients who were mechanically ventilated for greater than 48 hours utilizing an early high-PEEP >10 mmHg (10.36) ventilator strategy was performed at the Level 1 trauma and regional burn center in Wright State University. ARDS severity was defined according to the Berlin criteria and then compared to published results of ARDS severity, clinical outcomes, and mortality. Demographic data, as well as respiratory and clinical outcomes, were evaluated. Eighty-three patients met inclusion criteria and were evaluated. Utilizing the Berlin definition as a benchmark, 42.1% of patients met ARDS criteria on admission, and most patients (85.5%) developed ARDS within the first seven days: 28 (34%) mild, 32 (38.6%) moderate, and 11 (13.3%) severe ARDS. The mean percent total body surface area was 24.6 + 22.1, with 68.7% of patients diagnosed with inhalation injury. The highest incidence of ARDS was 57.8% on day 2 of admission. Most cases remained in the mild to moderate ARDS category with severe ARDS (2.4%) being less common by hospital day 7. Overall, 30-day in-hospital and inhalation injury mortality rates were 9.6% and 15.8%, respectively. No correlation was observed between plateau pressures (22.8), mean arterial pressures (84.4), or vasopressor requirements; and oxygen requirements down trended quickly over the first 24 to 48 hours. In our study, implementing prophylactic, immediate high-PEEP in mechanically ventilated burn patients was associated with trends toward decreased severity and rapid resolution of ARDS in the first week following burn injury. This correlated with low 30-day in-hospital mortality in this population. This short and less severe course suggests that early high-PEEP support may be a viable protective strategy in the treatment of ventilated burn patients with ARDS.

A porcine model to study the effect of brain death on kidney genomic responses.

INTRODUCTION: A majority of transplanted organs come from donors after brain death (BD). Renal grafts from these donors have higher delayed graft function and lower long-term survival rates compared to living donors. We designed a novel porcine BD model to better delineate the incompletely understood inflammatory response to BD, hypothesizing that adhesion molecule pathways would be upregulated in BD. METHODS: Animals were anesthetized and instrumented with monitors and a balloon catheter, then randomized to control and BD groups. BD was induced by inflating the balloon catheter and animals were maintained for 6 hours. RNA was extracted from kidneys, and gene expression pattern was determined. RESULTS: In total, 902 gene pairs were differently expressed between groups. Eleven selected pathways were upregulated after BD, including cell adhesion molecules. CONCLUSIONS: These results should be confirmed in human organ donors. Treatment strategies should target involved pathways and lessen the negative effects of BD on transplantable organs.

A biomechanical comparison of the two- and four-hole side-plate dynamic hip screw in an osteoporotic composite femur model.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were (1) to compare the axial and torsional stiffness of a dynamic hip screw with a two- and four-hole side-plate in a synthetic model of a healed and stable intertrochanteric femur fracture and (2) to evaluate the load to failure, as well as propensity to peri-implant fracture. METHODS: Fourth-generation synthetic composite femur models, simulating osteoporotic bone, were implanted with 135° dynamic hip screws (DHS) with either a two- or four-hole side-plate with or without a stable intertrochanteric fracture. Specimens were cyclically loaded up to a nondestructive load to determine the axial and torsional stiffness. Constructs were then loaded to failure in axial compression emulating physiologic forces. Failure load and location of the peri-implant fractures were recorded. RESULTS: Axial and torsional stiffness did not differ significantly between the two- and four-hole constructs in either model. Likewise, there was no significant difference in the load to failure. In the intact femurs, failure occurred either at the end of the plate at the distal screw or through the lag screw hole. CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrate that DHS constructs with a two- or four-hole side-plate are biomechanically comparable with regard to axial and torsional stiffness and load to failure in an osteoporotic composite femur model. In a healed intertrochanteric fracture model, a two-hole construct did not appear to be more prone to peri-implant fracture. To date, a biomechanical comparison of these two implants with regard to torsional forces has not been reported.

A comparison of thoracic CT and abdominal CT for the identification of thoracic blunt trauma.

BACKGROUND: In light of current trends to limit radiation exposure and costs, as well as increased traffic safety, computed tomography (CT) may have decreasing value for evaluating patients with blunt trauma. The authors examined the utility of chest x-ray and abdominal CT for identifying clinically significant thoracic blunt trauma. METHODS: In this prospective study, findings on thoracic CT, abdominal CT, and chest x-ray from trauma patients were compared to assess injury prevalence and relevance to treatment outcomes. RESULTS: Four hundred forty-four patients were identified, of whom 76% had no findings. Occult findings had significantly lower Injury Severity Scores. All clinically relevant pneumothoraces and most other injuries could be identified without thoracic CT. Two of 3 aortic abnormalities were suspected from chest x-ray. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically significant injuries can be identified with abdominal CT and chest x-ray, safely allowing reductions in radiation exposure, hospital stays, and costs by limiting the use of thoracic CT.