Prognostic value of metabolic parameters measured by first responders attending patients with severe trauma: associations with the New Injury Severity Score and mortality. / Valor pronóstico de los parámetros metabólicos medidos en la asistencia inicial a pacientes con trauma grave: asociación con la puntuación de la escala NISS y la mortalidad.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with severe or potentially severe trauma must be identified early, a challenge in prehospital settings. This study aimed to analyze the possible diagnostic and prognostic usefulness of analytical markers recorded in the early moments of care. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Observational study of information extracted from the prospective multicenter Code Trauma database for 2016-2019, excluding data for isolated head injuries. Using the New Injury Severity Score (NISS), we classified cases into 4 levels of severity. NISS and mortality were considered the dependent variables in inferential analyses. We calculated the areas under receiver operating characteristic curves, identified optimal cutoff points (Youden index), and calculated positive (PPV) and negative predictive values.. RESULTS: Of the 1039 trauma patients in the registry, 709 were included in the study. Their mean (SD) age was 40.4 (17.3) years, and 77.3% were men. Motorcycle accidents were the most common causes of trauma (in 21%), and mortality was 12.1%. Lactate concentration, pH, PCO2, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, and blood sugar were significantly associated with severity and mortality. The PPVs corresponding to pH for the 4 NISS score groups (34-41, 42-49, 50-59, and $ 60) and mortality, respectively, were 61.2, 64.1, 70.7, 62.2, and 66.6. The PPVs of traditionally used clinical variables were lower. CONCLUSION: Patients with more severe trauma had lower pH values and higher PCO2, lactate, and base excess values. PCO2, pH, and blood sugar findings were the best predictors of severity. Metabolic variables are better predictors than traditionally recorded hemodynamic variables.

OBJETIVO: En entornos de emergencia prehospitalarios, la detección temprana de un paciente con trauma grave o potencialmente crítico es un desafío. El objetivo es analizar las posibilidades diagnósticas y pronóstico de los parámetros analíticos obtenidos en los primeros momentos de la asistencia inicial. METODO: Estudio observacional multicéntrico de la base de datos prospectiva "Código Trauma" de 2016-2019 excluyendo el trauma craneoencefálico aislado. La evaluación de las lesiones se realizó utilizando el New Injury Severity Score (NISS). Los pacientes fueron clasificados en 4 grupos según nivel de gravedad. Para el análisis inferencial, las puntuaciones NISS y el resultado de mortalidad se consideraron variables dependientes. Se realizó el análisis de la curva ROC, puntos de corte óptimos mediante el índice de Youden y se calcularon los valores predictivos positivo (VPP) y negativo. RESULTADOS: De los 1.039 pacientes traumatizados del registro, 709 fueron incluidos en el estudio, con una edad media de 40,4 años (DE 17,3), 77,3% eran varones, el mecanismo lesional principal accidentes de moto (21%) y la mortalidad del 12,1%. El pH, lactato, pCO2, hemoglobina, hematocrito y glucemia influyeron significativamente en gravedad y mortalidad. El VPP de mortalidad para pH fue 61,2, 64,1, 70,7, 62,2 y 66,6 para los grupos de NISS 34- 41, 42-49, 50-59 y $ 60 puntos la mortalidad, respectivamente. Las variables clínicas clásicas obtuvieron valores más bajos. CONCLUSIONES: Los pacientes con mayor gravedad presentaron menor pH y concentraciones más altas de pCO2, lactato y exceso de bases. El pH, la pCO2 y la glucemia tuvieron la mayor capacidad predictiva de gravedad. La capacidad predictiva de los valores metabólicos es superior a la de los valores hemodinámicos clásicos.

Teaching courses in the management of visceral trauma. / Docencia en el manejo del traumatismo visceral.

Several changes introduced in the management of trauma during the last two decades have considerably decreased the practical exposure to bleeding trauma patients by residents and young surgeons. Hemorrhage still represents the second cause of death from trauma worldwide, and the surgical maneuvers required for its control must be learned and practised in specific courses. These courses address the "second hour" of trauma, beyond ATLS©, and also emphasize the decision-making process, communication among team members, and discussion of clinical scenarios. The significant progress made in simulation technologies and virtual reality systems have yet to replace living tissue models to train surgeons in the rapid control of active bleeding, although that replacement is probably not far away.

Trap-door incision for penetrating thoracic trauma: an obsolete approach?

Penetrating injuries to the subclavian vessels are uncommon and very severe lesions. They are difficult to expose and carry a high mortality. "Trap-door" incisions have lately been dismissed as too mutilating for the occasional victim of a penetrating thoracic trauma with massive bleeding difficult that is to expose. We present a case of severe bleeding from a stab wound in the left subclavicular area in a heavy-built patient where a "trap-door" incision proved inevitable to expose and repair the injury, and most probably saved his life.

[Esopheal foreign body impaction]. / Impactación de cuerpo extraño esofágico.

Esophageal ingestion of foreign bodies is a frequent urgency. It occurs more commonly in patients with psychiatric disorders, prisoners and extreme ages of the life. Early upper endoscopy is the method of choice for the treatment of symptomatic patients. Surgery is only considered when a complication is present or the extraction can not be done by the endoscopist. We report a case of a 34-year-old male who voluntarily ingested an uncommon foreign body. Surgical treatment was required because of impaction after endoscopic maneuvers and suspicion of esophageal perforation.

[Gastrointestinal and mesenteric injuries in the trauma patient: incidence, diagnosis delay and prognosis]. / Lesiones gastrointestinales y mesentéricas en el paciente politraumatizado: incidencia, demora diagnóstica y pronóstico.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal and mesenteric injuries (GIMI) are uncommon in trauma patients, and their diagnosis are often delayed. Our aims were to determine the reliability of CT scan in our centre, and to assess the clinical significance of a delayed diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Retrospective analysis of cases confirmed at laparotomy. Patients were identified at the Severe Trauma Registry of Gregorio Marañón University General Hospital, between 1993 and 2006. RESULTS: We found 105 (16.6%) GIMI out of 632 patients with abdominal trauma, in a Registry with 1495 severe trauma cases included. A total of 46% had blunt injuries. The mean injury severity score (ISS) and new ISS (NISS) were 20 and 25, respectively. There were 9 (8.5%) deaths, 4 of which were unexpected. A CT scan was performed in 56 (53%) cases, and only in 37 there were signs suggestive of a GIMI. In another 43 (41%) patients an urgent laparotomy was indicated because of positive clinical findings or instability. Surgery was delayed for more than 8 hours in 21 (20%) patients, the most common reason being a false negative result in the CT scan. CONCLUSIONS: The overall incidence of GIMI was high in our centre (31% due to penetration and 10.7% blunt trauma). Several factors, such as the initial lack of symptoms, a low diagnostic sensitivity of the CT scan (34% false negatives), and the non-surgical management of solid organ injuries, have contributed to a delayed diagnosis and treatment in one out of each five patients in our series, but this has not led to a significant increase in septic complications in this group.

Overall Asessment of the Response to Terrorist Bombings in Trains, Madrid, 11 March 2004.

OBJECTIVES: To provide an overall assessment of the response to the terrorist bombings in Madrid, 11 March 2004, which were considered the deadliest terrorist attack on European soil in modern times. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Overall data on the number of victims treated at the scenes and at primary care facilities and hospitals, as well as the logistics involved, were reported by the EMS and the Health Authority of the Comunidad de Madrid local government. Data were mainly obtained by retrospective chart review, and did not include casualties who had only emotional shock, superficial bruises or transient hearing loss from barotraumas without eardrum perforation. We defined as critical any casualty with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) >15. RESULTS: Over 70,000 personnel were mobilized in the care of the victims. EMS response and total evacuation times at the four blast scenes averaged 7 and 99 min, respectively. There were around 2,000 casualties, and a typical bimodal distribution of deaths, with 177 immediate fatalities and 14 subsequent in-hospital deaths. Almost 60% of casualties were taken to the two closest hospitals. Problems related to security, identification of casualties and record-keeping were encountered at the closest hospital. Closed doors increased the immediate fatality rate in the trains. Most survivors had noncritical injuries, but 14% of the 512 casualties assessed had an ISS >15. The critical mortality rate was 19.5%. The most frequently injured body regions were the head/neck and face. In all, 124 major surgical interventions were performed on 82 victims in the first 24 h, and orthopedic trauma procedures accounted for 50% of the case load. Most patients with lung injuries from the blasts required intubation and mechanical ventilation, and their survival rate was 88.3%. Also, 35% of laparotomies were either negative or nontherapeutic. CONCLUSION: There was a rapid EMS response and evacuation, but also overtriage, uneven distribution of casualties and difficulties in communication. The sizes and resources of the closest hospitals, as well as the early hour, were probably decisive in the adequacy of the overall response.

[Severe pelvic fractures, associated injuries and hemodynamic instability: incidence, management and outcome in our center]. / Fracturas de pelvis graves, lesiones asociadas e inestabilidad hemodinámica: incidencia, manejo y pronóstico en nuestro medio.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to review the incidence, treatment and outcome of severe pelvic fractures, as well as associated injuries, in our center. PATIENTS AND METHOD: We performed a retrospective study of patients included in our trauma registry between June 1993 and January 2005. Pelvic fractures were classified according to the system proposed by Tile. Clinical and demographic data such as age, gender, mechanism of injury, transfer time, hemodynamic status, and trauma scores were compared and analyzed statistically. Shock was defined as a systolic blood pressure of < or = 90 mmHg during the primary assessment. Mortality and associated risk factors were analyzed, with emphasis on patients in shock on admission. RESULTS: Of 1274 patients with severe trauma admitted during the study period, 192 (15%) had pelvic fracture. Only 6.7% were isolated fractures and 6% were open fractures. Twenty percent of the patients were in shock on admission. The mean Injury Severity Score of the series was 28.5 +/- 14 and that of patients in shock was 38 +/- 16. The most frequently associated injuries were thoracic (70%), abdominal (55%), long bone fractures (52%), and head injuries (40%). Twenty-three percent of the patients had retroperitoneal hematoma. Arteriograms were performed in 16 patients, with four embolizations. Eight patients underwent external orthopedic fixation, and none posterior orthopedic fixation. Five patients underwent pelvic packing and two patients underwent ligation of hypogastric arteries. Overall mortality was 30% and mortality in patients in shock was 61%. Predictors of mortality were shock on admission, a Glasgow Coma Scale score of < or = 8, ISS > 25 and age > 55 years. CONCLUSIONS: Patients in shock with pelvic fractures have a poor prognosis in our center, frequently related to the severity of associated injuries, the relative rarity of these fractures, and the lack of a clearly defined management protocol. The main cause of death was massive hemorrhage.

[Use of the round ligament in the repair of large bile duct defects in type II Mirizzi's syndrome]. / Utilización del ligamento redondo en la reparación de defectos amplios de la vía biliar en el síndrome de Mirizzi de tipo II.

Mirizzi's syndrome is a rare complication of cholelithiasis, and type II (cholecystocholedochal fistula) can be a technical challenge due to inflammation and the biliary duct defect. We report two cases that were treated with a simple and little known technique that uses the round ligament as a plasty to seal the large bile duct defect.

[General surgery]. / Cirugía general.

Terrorist explosions with multiple victims produce disaster situations that test health systems' ability to respond. The Gregorio Maranon University Hospital attended more than 300 victims within a few hours. Most of these victims had mild or moderate lesions, although 29 patients arrived in a serious or critical condition. In the first 24 hours, 37 major surgical interventions were performed in 34 patients. Of these, patients 7 underwent laparotomy, 2 of which were negative and one was non-therapeutic. One patient died during reintervention for damage limitation. Three angiographic embolizations were performed for bleeding of the intercostal artery, liver and liver-spleen, respectively and hemostasis was achieved in all three patients. The most common lesions and visceral injuries in particular were similar to those described in previous reports of similar situations. We reflect on our experience and discuss data from the literature.