Self-Inflicted Abdominal Stab Wounds Have a Higher Rate of Non-therapeutic Laparotomy/Laparoscopy and a Lower Risk of Injury.

BACKGROUND: The profile and management of self-inflicted abdominal stab wounds (SI-ASW) patients is still obscure. METHODS: The National Trauma Data Bank (2012) was queried for adults with abdominal stab wounds (n = 9544). Patients with SI-ASW (n = 1724) and non-SI-ASW (n = 7820) were compared. Predictors for non-therapeutic laparotomy/laparoscopy (non-TL) in SI-ASW patients were identified. RESULTS: SI-ASW patients were older, had more females and behavioral disorders, similar physiology, but a lower Injury Severity Score. They had more laparotomies overall (54 versus 48%, p < 0.0001) and more non-TL (42 versus 32%, p < 0.0001), but less injuries (43 versus 53%, p < 0.0001), although peritoneal violation rate was similar. Complications and mortality were similar. In the SI-ASW cohort, non-TL patients were more likely to be female and younger, and to have Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) ≥13 and a higher systolic blood pressure. History of psychiatric, drug and alcohol disorders was associated with SI-ASW, but did not independently predict the need for treatment in adjusted models. CONCLUSION: Patients with SI-ASW underwent more non-TL than patients with non-SI-ASW. Female gender, younger age, and a higher GCS and systolic blood pressure predicted non-TL in this group.

ABO blood groups do not predict progression of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage.

ABO blood groups are associated with genetically predisposed variations in von Willebrand factor (VWF) resulting in higher risks of thrombotic events in non-O blood types and bleeding complications in blood type O. The role of ABO blood groups in progression of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (TICH) is unknown. Given statistically lower VWF levels in blood type O in the general population, we hypothesized that blood type O patients have a higher risk of such progression. A retrospective review of adult trauma patients with isolated TICH admitted to a Level 1 trauma center over eight years was conducted. Patients were categorized with blood type O and non-O (types A, B, AB) delineation. The primary outcome was radiological progression of TICH during the first 24 h. Secondary outcomes included surgical intervention after follow-up computed tomography (CT), complications, days on mechanical ventilation (DMV), intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS), hospital LOS, and mortality. Of 949 patients, 432 (45.5%) had blood type O. When comparing O and non-O groups, no significant differences were found in gender, age, race, admission vital signs, Glasgow Coma Scale, coagulation profile, TICH type, or Injury Severity Score. No difference in TICH progression was found between O and non-O groups: 73 (17%) vs 80 (15%), respectively, p = 0.55. Blood type O mortality was 12 (3% vs. 23 (4%), p = 0.174). Rate of TICH surgical intervention after follow-up CT, DMV, complications, and ICU and hospital LOS did not differ. No association between ABO blood types and radiological progression of TICH was identified.

The Challenges of Using ICD codes to Perform a Comparative Analysis between Patients with Penetrating Cardiac Injuries who Underwent Non-Resuscitative Thoracotomy versus Sternotomy.

Background: Comparative morbidity after either sternotomy or non-resuscitative thoracotomy in penetrating cardiac injuries (PCI) is unknown. Methods: Retrospective review of adults with PCI who underwent either sternotomy or non-resuscitative thoracotomy using the National Trauma Data Bank 2007-2015. Since there is no unique International Classification of Diseases Procedure Coding System (ICD-PCS) codes assigned for resuscitative vs. non-resuscitative thoracotomy, and both procedures were coded as "thoracotomy", propensity score (PS) methods were applied to avoid inclusion of resuscitative thoracotomy. Results: Despite well PS matching on injury severity score the non-thoracotomy group compared to the sternotomy group had a significantly increased risk of mortality (30 percent vs 8 percent, p<0.0001). The morbidity differed as well-25 percent vs. 12 percent, p=0.0007. Conclusions: The differences in mortality in PCI patients who underwent non-resuscitative thoracotomy vs. sternotomy may be biased by unintentional inclusion of resuscitative thoracotomy. To accurately capture thoracotomy type, separate unique resuscitative and non-resuscitative thoracotomy procedure codes should be created in future revisions of the ICD PCS.

Acute Care Surgery Service Is Essential During a Nonsurgical Catastrophic Event, the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The role of an acute care surgery (ACS) service during the COVID-19 pandemic is not well established. METHODS: A retrospective review of the ACS service performance in an urban tertiary academic medical center. The study was performed between January and May 2020. The demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of patients treated by the ACS service 2 months prior to the COVID surge (pre-COVID group) and during the first 2 months of the COVID-19 pandemic (surge group) were compared. RESULTS: Trauma and emergency general surgery volumes decreased during the surge by 38% and 57%, respectively; but there was a 64% increase in critically ill patients. The proportion of patients in the Department of Surgery treated by the ACS service increased from 40% pre-COVID to 67% during the surge. The ACS service performed 32% and 57% of all surgical cases in the Department of Surgery during the pre-COVID and surge periods, respectively. The ACS service managed 23% of all critically ill patients in the institution during the surge. Critically ill patients with and without confirmed COVID-19 infection treated by ACS and non-ACS intensive care units during the surge did not differ in demographics, indicators of clinical severity, or hospital mortality:13.4% vs. 13.5% (P = .99) for all critically ill patients; and 13.9% vs. 27.4% (P = .12) for COVID-19 critically ill patients. CONCLUSION: Acute care surgery is an "essential" service during the COVID-19 pandemic, capable of managing critically ill nonsurgical patients while maintaining the provision of trauma and emergent surgical services. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III. STUDY TYPE: Therapeutic.

The profile of blunt traumatic supratentorial cranial bleed types.

The characteristics of blunt traumatic supratentorial cranial bleed (STCB) types have not been directly compared. The National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) 2014 was queried for adults with an isolated single STCB n = 57,278. Patients were grouped by STCB categories: subdural (SDH), subarachnoid (SAH), epidural (EDH), intraparenchymal (IPH), and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). Frequency, demographics, clinical characteristics, procedures, and outcomes were compared among groups. SDH was the most common STCB (53%) and occurred mostly in elderly patients after a fall (78%), 30% underwent craniotomy and their mortality was 7%. SAH occurred in 32% of patients and carried the lowest mortality (3%). SAH were least likely to have a severe brain injury (7%), and had the lowest Injury Severity Score (ISS, median 8) and complication rate (1%), as well as the shortest hospital length of stay (HLOS, 4.6 ±â€¯6.4 days). EDH was uncommon (2%), occurred in younger patients (median 35 years), and had the highest percentage of traffic related injuries (28%). While EDH patients presented with the poorest neurological status (16% Glasgow Coma Scale ≤ 8, ISS median 18) and were operated on more than any other STCB type (51%), their mortality was lower (4%) and they had the highest discharge to home rate (71%). IVH was the least common (2%), but most lethal (9%) STCB type. These patients had the highest HLOS and intensive care unit LOS, and the lowest craniotomy rate (21%). STCB types have different clinical course, and outcomes. Understanding these differences can be useful in managing patients with STB.

The profile of blunt traumatic infratentorial cranial bleed types.

Infratentorial traumatic intracranial bleeds (ICBs) are rare and the distribution of subtypes is unknown. To characterize this distribution the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) 2014 was queried for adults with single type infratentorial ICB, n = 1,821: subdural hemorrhage (SDH), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), epidural hemorrhage (EDH), and intraparenchymal hemorrhage (IPH). Comparisons were made between the groups with statistical significance determined using chi squared and t-tests. SDH occurred in 29% of patients, mostly in elderly on anti-coagulants (13%) after a fall (77%), 42% of them underwent craniotomy, their mortality was the lowest (4%). SAH was the most common (56%) occurring mostly from traffic related injuries (27%). Furthermore, 9% of them had a severe head injury Glasgow Coma Scale ≤8 (GCS), but had the lowest Injury Severity Score (ISS, median 8) as well as a short hospital length of stay, 5.1 ±â€¯6.2 days. These patients were most likely to be discharged to home (64%). They had the lowest mortality (4%). EDH was the least common ICB (5%), occurred in younger patients (median age 49 years), and it had the highest percentage of associated injuries (13%). EDH patients presented with the poorest neurological status (26% GCS ≤8, ISS median 25) and were operated on more than any other ICB type (55%). EDH was the highest mortality (9%) ICB type and had a low discharge to home rate (58%). IPH was uncommon (10%). Infratentorial bleeds types have different clinical courses, and outcomes. Understanding these differences can be useful in managing these patients.

Is it safe to admit patients with acute injuries to nonsurgical services? A retrospective review.

BACKGROUND: Given potential safety risks when admitting injured patients to nonsurgical services (NSS), the American College of Surgeons mandates trauma centers justification. However, evidence supporting this requirement is lacking. METHODS: Adult patients cleared for admission to a NSS at a level 1 trauma center between 2012 and 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographic, injury, and outcome characteristics were compared between nonsurgical (NSA) and surgical admission patients and analyzed for predictive value. RESULTS: Compared with surgical admission patients, NSA patients were significantly older, had a higher number of comorbidities and/or patient and a lower Injury Severity Score, while hospital length of stay, complications, and missed injury and adjusted mortality rates were similar. NSA did not predict mortality whereas increased age, increased Injury Severity Score, and number of comorbidities and/or patient did. CONCLUSIONS: As all complications and mortalities were unrelated to injuries per se, admission to a NSS, after protocoled clearance by a trauma or Emergency Department attending, appears to be safe.

Selective Nonoperative Management of Abdominal Gunshot Wounds from Heresy to Adoption: A Multicenter Study of the Research Consortium of New England Centers for Trauma (ReCoNECT).

BACKGROUND: Selective nonoperative management (SNOM) of abdominal gunshot wounds is being practiced in certain trauma centers, but its broader acceptance in the surgical community is unknown. We hypothesized that SNOM has been adopted in New England as an acceptable method of abdominal gunshot wound management. STUDY DESIGN: We reviewed the medical records of abdominal gunshot wound patients admitted from January 1996 to June 2015, in 10 New England Level I and II trauma centers. Outcomes included the incidence, success, and failure of SNOM, and morbidity and mortality related to SNOM. RESULTS: Of 922 patients, 707 (77%) received immediate laparotomy (IMMLAP) and 215 (23%) were managed by SNOM. Compared with IMMLAP patients, those with SNOM had a lower median Injury Severity Score (16 vs 8; p < 0.001), lower incidence of complications (34.7% vs 8.5%; p < 0.001) and mortality (5.2% vs 0.5%; p = 0.002), and shorter ICU and hospital stays (median days 1 of 8 vs 0 of 2, respectively; p < 0.001). One SNOM patient died after 3 days due to a gunshot wound to the head. The overall incidence of SNOM increased from 18% before 2010 to 27% in the following years (p = 0.001). Eighteen patients (8.4%) had unsuccessful SNOM and underwent delayed laparotomy at an average of 12.5 hours (range 141 minutes to 48 hours) after arrival. Nine of them (4.2%) experienced complications that were not directly related to the delayed laparotomy, and none died. The rate of nontherapeutic laparotomies was 14.7% among IMMLAP and 5.5% among delayed laparotomy patients (p = 0.49). CONCLUSIONS: Selective nonoperative management of abdominal gunshot wounds, despite being a heresy only a few years ago, has now been established as an acceptable method of management in Level I and II trauma centers in New England.

Magnitude of rib fracture displacement predicts opioid requirements.

INTRODUCTION: It is unknown whether the magnitude of rib fracture (RF) displacement predicts pain medication requirements in blunt chest trauma patients. METHODS: Adult blunt RF patients undergoing computed tomography (CT) of the chest admitted to an urban Level 1 trauma center (2007-2012) were retrospectively reviewed. Pain management in those with displaced RF (DRF), nondisplaced RF (NDRF), or combined DRF and NDRF (CRF) was compared by univariate analysis. Linear regression models were developed to determine whether total opioid requirements [expressed as log morphine equianalgesic dose (MED)] could be predicted by the magnitude of RF displacement (expressed as the sum of the Euclidean distance of all displaced RF) or number of RF, after adjusting for patient and injury characteristics. RESULTS: There were 245 patients, of whom 39 (16%) had DRF only, 77 (31%) had NDRF only, and 129 (53%) had CRF. Opioids were given to 224 patients (91%). Compared to DRF (mean, 1.7 RF per patient) and NDRF patients (2.4 RF per patient), those with CRF (6.8 RF per patient) were older and had more RF per patient and a higher Injury Severity Score (ISS) and MED (251 vs 53 and 105 mg, respectively, p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0045). They also more frequently received patient-controlled analgesia. Patients with displaced RF had a lower mean ISS and MED and received more epidural analgesia compared with patients with NDRF. Total MED was associated with both the magnitude of RF displacement (p < 0.0001) and the number of RF (p < 0.0001). Every 5-mm increase in total displacement predicted a 6.3% increase in mean MED (p = 0.0035), while every additional RF predicted an 11.2% increase in MED (p = 0.0001). These associations included adjustment for age, ISS, and presence of chest tubes. CONCLUSION: The magnitude of RF displacement and the number of RF predicted opioid requirements. This information may assist in anticipating patients with blunt RF who might have higher analgesic requirements. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic study, level IV.

Displacement Patterns of Blunt Rib Fractures and Their Relationship to Thoracic Coinjuries: Minimal Displacements Count.

Displacement patterns of rib fractures (RF) and their association with thoracic coinjuries and outcomes are unknown. This is a retrospective review of adult patients with blunt closed RF who underwent chest CT at a Level I trauma center (2007-2012). Displacement patterns of RF were compared among the three-dimensional planes using CT images. An analysis of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was performed to identify displacements in each plane most strongly associated with chest coinjuries. Univariate analysis was used to find association of displaced RF with hospital course and outcome. There were 1127 RF (245 patients, most in ribs 3-9, 45 per cent displaced). Axial displacement was the most common, with odds ratios 7.20 and 2.13 compared with cranio-caudal, and impaction-separation (along rib axis) movement, respectively. Axial displacement thresholds performed well with hemothorax (2.8 mm, ROC = 0.74), pneumothorax (2.6 mm, ROC = 0.70), hemopneumothorax (3.1 mm, ROC = 0.77), flail chest (3.4 mm, ROC = 0.80), and chest tube placement (2.8 mm, ROC = 0.75). RF displacement was associated with increased days on mechanical ventilation and hospital length of stay. In conclusion, even minimal RF displacement is associated with increased risk of chest coinjuries and chest tube placement, and displacements correlated with increased days on mechanical ventilation and hospital length of stay. Future studies are required to investigate these associations, especially in relationship to the indications for rib plating.

Variability in interhospital trauma data coding and scoring: A challenge to the accuracy of aggregated trauma registries.

BACKGROUND: Analyses of data aggregated in state and national trauma registries provide the platform for clinical, research, development, and quality improvement efforts in trauma systems. However, the interhospital variability and accuracy in data abstraction and coding have not yet been directly evaluated. METHODS: This multi-institutional, Web-based, anonymous study examines interhospital variability and accuracy in data coding and scoring by registrars. Eighty-two American College of Surgeons (ACS)/state-verified Level I and II trauma centers were invited to determine different data elements including diagnostic, procedure, and Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) coding as well as selected National Trauma Data Bank definitions for the same fictitious case. Variability and accuracy in data entries were assessed by the maximal percent agreement among the registrars for the tested data elements, and 95% confidence intervals were computed to compare this level of agreement to the ideal value of 100%. Variability and accuracy in all elements were compared (χ testing) based on Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) membership, level of trauma center, ACS verification, and registrar's certifications. RESULTS: Fifty registrars (61%) completed the survey. The overall accuracy for all tested elements was 64%. Variability was noted in all examined parameters except for the place of occurrence code in all groups and the lower extremity AIS code in Level II trauma centers and in the Certified Specialist in Trauma Registry- and Certified Abbreviated Injury Scale Specialist-certified registrar groups. No differences in variability were noted when groups were compared based on TQIP membership, level of center, ACS verification, and registrar's certifications, except for prehospital Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), where TQIP respondents agreed more than non-TQIP centers (p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: There is variability and inaccuracy in interhospital data coding and scoring of injury information. This finding casts doubt on the validity of registry data used in all aspects of trauma care and injury surveillance.