Pediatric Mortality at Pediatric versus Adult Trauma Centers.

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric trauma centers (PTCs) were created to address the unique needs of injured children with the expectation that outcomes would be improved. However, prior studies to evaluate the impact of PTCs have had conflicting results. Our study was conducted to further clarify this question. We hypothesize that severely injured children ≤ 14 years of age have better outcomes at PTCs and that better survival may be due to higher emergency department (ED) survival rates than at adult trauma centers (ATCs). METHODS: A retrospective analysis of severely injured children (ISS>15) ≤18 years of age entered into the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) between 2011 and 2012 was performed. Subjects were stratified into 2 age cohorts; young children (0-14 years) and adolescents (15-18 years). Primary outcomes were emergency department (ED) and in-patient (IP) mortality. Secondary outcomes included in-hospital complications, hospital and ICU length of stay, and ventilator days. Outcome differences were assessed using multilevel logistic and negative binomial regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 10,028 children were included. Median ISS was 22 (Interquartile range 17-29). Adjusting for confounders on multivariate analysis, children ≤ 14 had lower odds of ED (0.42[CI 0.25-0.71], p=0.001) and IP mortality (0.73[CI 0.5-0.9], p=0.02) at PTCs. There were no differences in odds of ED mortality (0.81 [CI 0.5-1.3], p=0.4) or IP mortality (1.01 [CI 0.8-1.2], p=0.88) for adolescents between centers. There were no differences in complication rates between PTCs and ATCs (OR 0.86 [CI 0.69-1.06], p=1.7) but children were more likely to be discharged to home and have more ICU and ventilator free days if treated at a PTC. CONCLUSION: Young children but not adolescents have better ED survival at PTCs compared to ATCs.Level of Evidence: Level IV, Therapeutic.

Wheelchair ramp navigation in snow and ice-grit conditions.

OBJECTIVE: To explore manual wheelchair propulsion strategies for ramp ascent and descent in snow and snow-ice-grit conditions. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Climatic Engineering and Testing Chamber (Ottawa, Canada). PARTICIPANTS: Manual wheelchair users (N=11) who typically self-propel their wheelchair in winter. INTERVENTIONS: Ramp ascent and descent at 3 grades (1:10, 1:12, 1:16) and 2 winter conditions (packed snow, packed snow with a freezing rain cover, and traction grit). MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Type of ascent and descent strategy, success rate, number and severity of obstructions, average speed, and perceived ramp navigation rating. A questionnaire regarding the subject's past experiences with wheelchair propulsion in winter. RESULTS: Snow accumulation on ramps at 1:10 grade will render the ramp inaccessible for many wheelchair users who do not have external assistance. For snow conditions, the transition area from the level group to the first 2m of ramp incline were the most difficult to traverse for both ascent and descent. All subjects were able to ascend and descend the ramp for the ice-grit condition. Two-railing propulsion is a preferred strategy for ice-grit ramp navigation because of enhanced trajectory control and reducing the potential for wheel-slip problems. Backwards ramp ascent was a successful strategy for ascent in soft-snow conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The 1:16 grade is preferred for winter ramp navigation. Backwards ramp ascent for snow conditions should be considered for people with sufficient shoulder and trunk range of motion. Two handrails are recommended for exterior ramps for both propulsion and wheelchair extraction from ruts and other snow-related obstacles. For ice ramp navigation, the amount of grit required and the effective time (ie, time to when grit becomes embedded in snow-ice, becoming much less effective) should be addressed in further research. Front wheels typically available with manual wheelchairs are not appropriate for soft-snow conditions.

Disasters and mass casualties: I. General principles of response and management.

Disaster planning and response to a mass casualty incident pose unique demands on the medical community. Because they would be required to confront many casualties with bodily injury and surgical problems, surgeons in particular must become better educated in disaster management. Compared with routine practice, triage principles in disasters require an entirely different approach to evaluation and care and often run counter to training and ethical values. An effective response to disaster and mass casualty events should focus on an "all hazards" approach, defined as the ability to adapt and apply fundamental disaster management principles universally to any mass casualty incident, whether caused by people or nature. Organizational tools such as the Incident Command System and the Hospital Incident Command System help to effect a rapid and coordinated response to specific situations. The United States federal government, through the National Response Plan, has the responsibility to respond quickly and efficiently to catastrophic incidents and to ensure critical life-saving assistance. International medical surgical response teams are capable of providing medical, surgical, and intensive care services in austere environments anywhere in the world.

Disasters and mass casualties: II. explosive, biologic, chemical, and nuclear agents.

Terrorists' use of explosive, biologic, chemical, and nuclear agents constitutes the potential for catastrophic events. Understanding the unique aspects of these agents can help in preparing for such disasters with the intent of mitigating injury and loss of life. Explosive agents continue to be the most common weapons of terrorists and the most prevalent cause of injuries and fatalities. Knowledge of blast pathomechanics and patterns of injury allows for improved diagnostic and treatment strategies. A practical understanding of potential biologic, chemical, and nuclear agents, their attendant clinical symptoms, and recommended management strategies is an important prerequisite for optimal preparation and response to these less frequently used agents of mass casualty. Orthopaedic surgeons should be aware of the principles of management of catastrophic events. Stress is less an issue when one is adequately prepared. Decontamination is essential both to manage victims and prevent further spread of toxic agents to first responders and medical personnel. It is important to assess the risk of potential threats, thereby allowing disaster planning and preparation to be proportional and aligned with the actual casualty event.

Designing a tobacco counter-marketing campaign for African American youth.

The objectives of this qualitative study were to: a) identify common marketing themes and tactics used by the tobacco industry to entice African Americans (AA's) and youth to initiate and maintain smoking behavior, especially smoking mentholated brands of cigarettes, and b) determine AA youths' knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and beliefs about smoking and the tobacco industry. Together, these activities could aid in the development of effective tobacco counter-marketing campaigns for AA youth. Using publicly available tobacco industry documents, computerized searches using standardized keywords were run and results were cataloged and analyzed thematically. Subsequently, 5 focus groups were conducted with n = 28 AA middle school-aged youth. Results suggest that the tobacco industry consistently recruited new AA smokers through a variety of means, including social and behavioral marketing studies and targeted media and promotional campaigns in predominantly AA, urban, and low income areas. AA youth interviewed in this study were largely unaware of these tactics, and reacted negatively against the industry upon learning of them. Youth tended to externalize control over tobacco, especially within the AA community. In designing a counter-marketing campaign for this population, partnering knowledge of tobacco industry practices with youth needs and community resources will likely increase their effectiveness.

Triage and outcome of patients with mediastinal penetrating trauma.

BACKGROUND: A retrospective study was conducted detailing an experience with echocardiography and contrast-enhanced helical computed tomographic angiographic (CTA) scans in the evaluation of stable patients with mediastinal penetrating trauma (MPT). METHODS: Unstable patients underwent emergent operative intervention, and stable patients underwent chest roentgenogram, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), and CTA. Further testing (angiogram, bronchoscopy, esophagoscopy, esophagogram) was done only if one of these studies revealed evidence of a trajectory in the vicinity of major vasculature or viscera. RESULTS: Between 1997 and 2003, 207 patients had MPT. Seventy-two (35%) were unstable (45 gun shot wounds, 27 stab wounds) and 19 died in the emergency department. Fifty-three had emergent intervention and 32 survived. Work-up was done on 135 stable patients (65%) consisting of 46 gunshot wounds and 89 stab wounds, of which 5 had a positive TTE result and underwent a repair of a cardiac injury. CTA evaluation was normal in almost 80% of patients, who subsequently did not require further evaluation or treatment. In the stable patients, endoscopy or esophagography confirmed one tracheal injury and no esophageal injury. In the entire group, 10 patients (7%) had occult injury, and there were no deaths or missed injuries. CONCLUSIONS: In cases of MPT, unstable patients require surgery, and in stable patients, TTE and chest CTA are effective screening tools. Patients with a negative TTE and CTA results can be observed and may not require further testing or endoscopy, whereas patients with positive TTE or CTA results require further assessment to exclude occult injury.

An update on the surgeons scope and depth of practice to all hazards emergency response.

This article outlines the position of The Eastern Association of the Surgery of Trauma (EAST) in defining the role of surgeons, and specifically trauma/critical care surgeons, in the development of public health initiatives that are designed to react to and deal effectively with acts of terrorism. All aspects of the surgeon's role in response to mass casualty incidents are considered, from prehospital response teams to the postevent debriefing. The role of the surgeon in response to mass casualty incidents (MCIs) is substantial in response to threats and injury from natural, unintentional, and intentional disasters. The surgeon must take an active role in pre-event community preparation in training, planning, and executing the response to MCI. The marriage of initiatives among Departments of Public Health, the Department of Homeland Security, and existing trauma systems will provide a template for successful responses to terrorist acts.

Analysis of 162 colon injuries in patients with penetrating abdominal trauma: concomitant stomach injury results in a higher rate of infection.

BACKGROUND: Fecal contamination from colon injury has been thought to be the most significant factor for the development of surgical site infection (SSI) after trauma. However, there are increasing data to suggest that other factors may play a role in the development of postinjury infection in patients after colon injury. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of gastric wounding on the development of SSI and nonsurgical site infection (NSSI) in patients with colon injury. METHODS: Post hoc analysis was performed on data prospectively collected for 317 patients presenting with penetrating hollow viscus injury. One hundred sixty-two patients with colon injury were subdivided into one of three groups: patients with isolated colon wounds (C), patients with colon and stomach wounds with or without other organ injury (C+S), and patients with colon and other organ injury but no stomach injury (C-S) and assessed for the development of SSI and NSSI. Infection rates were also determined for patients who sustained isolated gastric injury (S) and gastric injury in combination with other injuries other than colon (S-C). Penetrating Abdominal Trauma Index, operative times, and transfusion were assessed. Discrete variables were analyzed by Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel chi2 test and Fisher's exact test. Risk factor analysis was performed by multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: C+S patients had a higher rate of SSI infection (31%) than C patients (3.6%) (p=0.008) and C-S patients (13%) (p=0.021). Similarly, the incidence of NSSI was also significantly greater in the C+S group (37%) compared with the C patients (7.5%) (p=0.07) and the C-S patients (17%) (p=0.019). There was no difference in the rate of SSI or NSSI between the C and C-S groups (p=0.3 and p=0.24, respectively). The rate of SSI was significantly greater in the C+S patients when compared with the S-C patients (31% vs. 10%, p=0.008), but there was no statistical difference in the rate of NSSI in the C+S group and the S-C group (37% vs. 24%, p=0.15). CONCLUSION: The addition of a gastric injury to a colon injury has a synergistic effect on the rate of postoperative infection.