Extending surgeon response times in tier 2 traumas does not adversely affect patient outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The presence of a trauma surgeon during patient resuscitations is required at most American College of Surgeons-verified trauma centers despite little evidence showing improved patient outcomes in the less-than-critically injured (Tier 2) trauma patients. This study was designed to identify the impact of extending required surgeon response times on outcomes in tier 2 trauma patients. METHODS: An American College of Surgeons-verified level 2 trauma center extended the maximum allowed surgeon response time for tier 2 activations from 60 min to 120 min on November 1, 2011. Surgeon response time and patient outcomes of the retrospective control group (January 1, 2008-October 31, 2011) were then compared with the prospective test group (November 1, 2011-December 31, 2014). Primary outcomes included mortality and hospital length of stay (HLOS). Secondary outcomes were emergency department length of stay, and time from ED arrival to CT scan. A subset analysis of all patients evaluated by a surgeon within 60 min of arrival versus those evaluated by a surgeon after 60 min was also performed. RESULTS: The control and test groups were composed of 757 and 792 patients, and their mean injury severity score was 9.0 and 6.0, respectively. Emergency department length of stay showed a statistically significant increase of 12 min, whereas HLOS was unchanged throughout the study. Mortality was not significantly different between the groups. Subset analysis revealed a median surgeon arrival time of 15 min in the <60-min group and 85 min in the >60-min group, whereas the injury severity score, HLOS, and mortality were not significantly different between these subsets. No correlation existed between these outcomes and surgeon arrival time. CONCLUSIONS: Doubling required surgeon response time in tier 2 trauma patients does not produce negative outcomes in this patient group. Mandatory surgeon response times in similar patient groups can be re-evaluated to allow for greater flexibility of a limited surgeon workforce while still providing safe care.

The Role of the US Trauma Centers in Older Adult Fall Prevention: A National Survey.

INTRODUCTION: Approximately 27.5% of adults 65 and older fall each year, over 3 million are treated in an emergency department, and 32 000 die. The American College of Surgeons and its Committee on Trauma (ACSCOT) have urged trauma centers (TCs) to screen for fall risk, but information on the role of TC in this opportunity for prevention is largely unknown. METHODS: A 29-item survey was developed by an ACSCOT Injury Prevention and Control Committee, Older Adult Falls workgroup, and emailed to 1000 trauma directors of the National Trauma Data Bank using Qualtrics. US TCs were surveyed regarding fall prevention, screening, intervention, and hospital discharge practices. Data collected and analyzed included respondent's role, location, population density, state designation or American College of Surgeons (ACS) level, if teaching facility, and patient population. RESULTS: Of the 266 (27%) respondents, 71% of TCs include fall prevention as part of their mission, but only 16% of TCs use fall risk screening tools. There was no significant difference between geographic location or ACS level. The number of prevention resources (F = 31.58, P < .0001) followed by the presence of a formal screening tool (F = 21.47, P < .0001) best predicted the presence of a fall prevention program. CONCLUSION: Older adult falls remain a major injury risk and injury prevention opportunity. The majority of TCs surveyed include prevention of older adult falls as part of their mission, but few incorporate the components of a fall prevention program. Development of best practices and requiring TCs to screen and offer interventions may prevent falls.

Development of multidisciplinary, evidenced-based protocol recommendations and implementation strategies for anterior lumbar interbody fusion surgery following a literature review.

The anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) procedure involves several surgical specialties, including general, vascular, and spinal surgery due to its unique approach and anatomy involved. It also carries its own set of complications that differentiate it from posterior lumbar fusion surgeries. The demonstrated benefits of treatment guidelines, such as Enhanced Recovery after Surgery in other surgical procedures, and the lack of current recommendations regarding the anterior approach, underscores the need to develop protocols that specifically address the complexities of ALIF. We aimed to create an evidence-based protocol for pre-, intra-, and postoperative care of ALIF patients and implementation strategies for our health system. A 12-member multidisciplinary workgroup convened to develop an evidence-based treatment protocol for ALIF using a Delphi consensus methodology and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system for rating the quality of evidence and strength of protocol recommendations. The quality of evidence, strength of the recommendation and specific implementation strategies for Methodist Health System for each recommendation were described. The literature search resulted in 295 articles that were included in the development of protocol recommendations. No disagreements remained once the authors reviewed the final GRADE assessment of the quality of evidence and strength of the recommendations. Ultimately, there were 39 protocol recommendations, with 16 appropriate preoperative protocol recommendations (out of 17 proposed), 9 appropriate intraoperative recommendations, and 14 appropriate postoperative recommendations. This novel set of evidence-based recommendations is designed to optimize the patient's ALIF experience from the preoperative to the postoperative period.

Survey of American College of Surgeons Committee on trauma members on firearm injury: Consensus and opportunities.

BACKGROUND: In the United States, there is a perceived divide regarding the benefits and risks of firearm ownership. The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma Injury Prevention and Control Committee designed a survey to evaluate Committee on Trauma (COT) member attitudes about firearm ownership, freedom, responsibility, physician-patient freedom and policy, with the objective of using survey results to inform firearm injury prevention policy development. METHODS: A 32-question survey was sent to 254 current U.S. COT members by email using Qualtrics. SPSS was used for χ exact tests and nonparametric tests, with statistical significance being less than 0.05. RESULTS: Our response rate was 93%, 43% of COT members have firearm(s) in their home, 88% believe that the American College of Surgeons should give the highest or a high priority to reducing firearm-related injuries, 86% believe health care professionals should be allowed to counsel patients on firearms safety, 94% support federal funding for firearms injury prevention research. The COT participants were asked to provide their opinion on the American College of Surgeons initiating advocacy efforts and there was 90% or greater agreement on 7 of 15 and 80% or greater on 10 of 15 initiatives. CONCLUSION: The COT surgeons agree on: (1) the importance of formally addressing firearm injury prevention, (2) allowing federal funds to support research on firearms injury prevention, (3) retaining the ability of health care professionals to counsel patients on firearms-related injury prevention, and (4) the majority of policy initiatives targeted to reduce interpersonal violence and firearm injury. It is incumbent on trauma and injury prevention organizations to leverage these consensus-based results to initiate prevention, advocacy, and other efforts to decrease firearms injury and death. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic/epidemiologic study, level I; therapeutic care, level II.

Acute lung injury: an indicator of serious systemic illness.

The history of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) parallels that of critical care. Descriptive and colorful names for the condition such as "shock lung," "post perfusion lung," and "traumatic wet lung" clearly communicate the reality that the pulmonary tissue is involved in a pathologic process. It is not difficult to speculate that the focus on the lung originated from the dramatic chest radiographs and gas exchange abnormalities frequently observed in association with the syndrome. However, a named condition does not necessarily dictate the therapeutic approach to it, and a review of some pertinent studies suggests the condition is in fact systemic in nature. Concurrent with this recognition, the need for markers of severity of illness has become more important. Rather than a process needing primarily pulmonary approaches to management, it now seems that ARDS is the result of systemic events with noticeable pulmonary manifestations, which may suffice as a clinical marker for severity of systemic inflammation. Because the pathophysiology has been described elsewhere, this article will focus on the clinical trials that are shaping our perception and management of the syndrome.

The stages of change questionnaire as a predictor of trauma patients most likely to decrease alcohol use.

BACKGROUND: Research has shown that negative trauma-related consequences of drinking can predict readiness to change drinking behavior. These findings are confined to patients with positive blood alcohol levels at admission. The current study extends such findings by examining whether stage of readiness to change among all adult trauma activations admitted to the emergency department for 24 hours or more can be used to predict a change in behavior at followup. STUDY DESIGN: Patients 18 years of age or older admitted to a Level II trauma center between December 1, 2001, and January 31, 2003, with a trauma activation were eligible to participate. Enrolled patients were screened for alcohol use and readiness to change with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and Short Form Stages of Change (SFSC), respectively, within 2 days of discharge. Blood alcohol level (BAL) was obtained for all study patients. Six to 18 months after discharge, patients were followed up with the AUDIT. The ability of the SFSC to predict change in alcohol behavior at followup was analyzed by multiple regression. RESULTS: Of 253 eligible patients, 146 patients were enrolled and had BAL taken. Most were men (64%) and 36% were women. Mean positive BAL (n = 57) was 186 mg/dL (range 10 to 537 mg/dL). Of these, 23% (13 of 57) met AUDIT criteria for harmful drinking and 47% (27 of 57) met criteria for dependent drinking. Even among those with undetectable BAL (n = 89), harmful or dependent drinking was identified by the AUDIT for 11% (10 of 89). A readiness to change was common among those reporting harmful or dependent drinking (26%) at baseline. The SFSC independently and significantly predicted change in drinking behavior among the 72 patients with followup (p = 0.05). Patients indicating greater readiness to change at baseline were those more likely to decrease their consumption pattern at followup. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that administering the brief SFSC questionnaire to all trauma patients and providing assistance to those demonstrating a willingness to change may prove to be an effective strategy for reducing problem alcohol use.

Decreasing mortality of bile leaks after elective hepatic surgery.

BACKGROUND: Bile leak is a serious complication following major hepatic surgery. It is associated with significant mortality rates if reoperative management is attempted. We evaluated our experience with aggressive, nonoperative management of postoperative biliary complications. METHODS: All medical records of patients undergoing major liver resection, cryosurgery or radiofrequency ablation from September 1996 through March 1999 were reviewed. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients were identified, and 9 (12%) developed bile leaks. Biliary leaks were investigated with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and treated with endoscopic stenting when possible. The bile leak was found to originate from the resected duct stump or ablated surface of the liver in all cases. Patients were treated with ERCP stent placement (5), computed tomography-guided percutaneous drainage (3), and hepaticojejunostomy "chimney" (1). Six of 9 patients had resolution of their bile leak with the mean time of removal of the drain of 4.7 months. There was only 1 death, and that patient died nearly 3 months after surgery from complications not directly related to the bile leak. CONCLUSIONS: Bile leak after liver resection can be managed nonoperatively in most cases with a combination of percutaneous drain placement and biliary stenting. Most bile leaks will close with time, although a drain may be required for many months.

Upper gastrointestinal cancer risk in familial adenomatous polyposis.

Familial adenomatous polyposis has a known risk of colorectal carcinoma. Less well recognized, however, is the association with duodenal polyps and their subsequent malignant degeneration. While frequent endoscopic surveillance is acceptable, a case of early malignant transformation is presented, and the argument for prophylactic preemptive pancreaticoduodenectomy is made.

What is an hour-lecture worth?

BACKGROUND: Although there are many ways to convey knowledge, attitudes, and techniques when teaching residents and students, the most optimal method (lecture, online lecture, online tutorial, simulator practice, and so on) is yet to be determined. METHODS: This study was designed to be a prospective analysis of change in resident behavior, and the model chosen was resident compliance with alcohol screening during admissions to the trauma service. Baseline values were determined the month before the educational "intervention," which was planned to be a 1-hour lecture during Grand Rounds on the importance of screening for alcohol disuse syndromes. After the "intervention," results were analyzed at 3 points in time: during the first month after the lecture and then at 3 and 12 months. RESULTS: Resident compliance with alcohol usage screening rose from 53% at baseline to 80% at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: This straightforward model of utility of a lecture showed a significant change in resident behavior.

Cigarette smoke components inhibited intercellular communication and differentiation in human pancreatic ductal epithelial cells.

Smoking is a well-documented risk factor for the development of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Although the most abundant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in cigarette smoke are methylated anthracenes and phenanthrenes, the epigenetic toxicity of these compounds has not been extensively studied. We previously showed that methylanthracenes, which possess a bay-like structure, affect epigenetic events such as an induced release of arachidonic acid, inhibition of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) and induction of mitogen-activated protein kinases in a pluripotent rat liver epithelial stem cell line. Anthracenes with no bay-like structures were inactive. These biological effects are all molecular events associated with the promotional phase of cancer. A human immortalized, nontumorigenic pancreatic ductal epithelial cell line, H6c7, was examined to study the epigenetic toxicity of PAHs related to pancreatic cancer by using scrape-loading dye transfer, immunostaining, RT-PCR and telomerase assay methods. H6c7 cells were GJIC-incompetent and exhibited high telomerase activity when grown in growth factor and hormone-supplemented medium. In the presence of the cAMP elevating drugs (forskolin and IBMX) the cells became GJIC competent and expressed connexins. Telomerase activity was also decreased by cAMP elevating drug treatment. After induction of cAMP, 1-methylanthracene with bay-like structures inhibited GJIC, whereas the 2-methylanthracene lacking a bay-like structure had no effect on GJIC. Telomerase activity remained high in 1-methylanthracene treatment but not with 2-methylanthracene. These results indicate that a prominent component of cigarette smoke, namely methylanthracenes with distinct structural configurations, could be a potential etiological agent contributing to the epigenetic events of pancreatic cancer.

Use of a single question to screen trauma patients for alcohol dependence.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol-dependent trauma patients are known to be at future risk for both recidivism and mortality. Psychological tools exist to screen for alcohol-dependent disorders, and among patients with alcohol-dependent disorders, a brief intervention has been shown to modify behavior. However, the training involved and time required to administer these tools may decrease their utility. We explored the possibility that yet simpler screening tools could be used. METHODS: A prospective consecutive study was designed whereby all adult patients admitted to the trauma service were asked to participate in the study. If consent was obtained, one trained member of the research team would apply a standard alcohol-misuse screening tool (i.e., the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test [AUDIT]). One hundred forty-nine patients met criteria and agreed to participate. Fully completed questionnaires were then subjected to statistical analysis. RESULTS: Among the 149 participating patients, 36% were women and 64% were men, and 146 had blood alcohol levels (BALs) drawn. Those 146 patients form the basis of this report. Fifty-seven of the 146 (39%) patients had positive BALs and, among them, 74% of men and 54% of women recorded screening results consistent with harmful or dependent drinking. Among those with negative blood alcohol levels, 8% of women and 13% of men had scores consistent with harmful or dependent drinking by the AUDIT score. In both groups of patients, a cutoff of three or more drinks per day as a response to question 2 on the AUDIT (i.e., "On a typical day when you are drinking, how many drinks do you have?") correlated strongly with scores on the entire screening tool (AUDIT) in identifying those at risk for alcohol misuse. CONCLUSION: It may be reasonable to substitute a single question for the entire AUDIT screening instrument to screen for those at risk for alcohol misuse. If so, this single question could easily be incorporated into the history taken among patients admitted to a trauma service. Confirmation with a larger study is recommended.

Risk factors for delirium tremens in trauma patients.

BACKGROUND: The development of delirium tremens (DT) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This study identifies characteristics in trauma patients that are predictive of DT. METHODS: Data from 1,856 trauma patients who either developed DT (n = 105) or had a positive blood alcohol concentration but did not develop DT (n = 1,751) were collected from the trauma registry of a Level I trauma center. Odds ratios were used to measure the association between predictors and DT as an outcome and between DT and length of stay as an outcome. RESULTS: Of seven significant (p < 0.05) predictors of DT, four were retained after stepwise logistic regression: age >40, white race, burn as a mechanism of injury and, as a negative predictor, motor vehicle collision as a mechanism of injury. The DT group stayed an average of 6.5 and 5.2 days longer in the hospital and the intensive care unit, respectively, than those in the control group. CONCLUSION: It is possible to determine which intoxicated trauma patients are at increased risk for DT using the above predictors. Patients who develop DT have worse outcomes than those who do not. Whether routine DT prophylaxis would improve outcomes among those at increased risk for DT is unknown, but deserves further study.

Redox-mediated enrichment of self-renewing adult human pancreatic cells that possess endocrine differentiation potential.

OBJECTIVES: The limited availability of transplantable human islets has stimulated the development of methods needed to isolate adult pancreatic stem/progenitor cells capable of self-renewal and endocrine differentiation. The objective of this study was to determine whether modulation of intracellular redox state with N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) would allow for the propagation of pancreatic stem/progenitor cells from adult human pancreatic tissue. METHODS: Cells were propagated from human pancreatic tissue using a serum-free, low-calcium medium supplemented with NAC and tested for their ability to differentiate when cultured under different growth conditions. RESULTS: Human pancreatic cell (HPC) cultures coexpressed alpha-amylase, albumin, vimentin, and nestin. The HPC cultures, however, did not express other genes associated with differentiated pancreatic exocrine, duct, or endocrine cells. A number of transcription factors involved in endocrine cell development including Beta 2, Islet-1, Nkx6.1, Pax4, and Pax6 were expressed at variable levels in HPC cultures. In contrast, pancreatic duodenal homeobox factor 1 (Pdx-1) expression was extremely low and at times undetectable. Overexpression of Pdx-1 in HPC cultures stimulated somatostatin, glucagon, and carbonic anhydrase expression but had no effect on insulin gene expression. HPC cultures could form 3-dimensional islet-like cell aggregates, and this was associated with expression of somatostatin and glucagon but not insulin. Cultivation of HPCs in a differentiation medium supplemented with nicotinamide, exendin-4, and/or LY294002, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase, stimulated expression of insulin mRNA and protein. CONCLUSION: These data support the use of intracellular redox modulation for the enrichment of pancreatic stem/progenitor cells capable of self-renewal and endocrine differentiation.