Predictors for infection severity for open tibial fractures: major trauma centre perspective.

INTRODUCTION: Open diaphyseal tibial fractures are the most common long-bone fractures and require a rapid approach to prevent devastating complications. Current literature reports the outcomes of open tibial fractures. However, there is no robust, up-to-date research on the predictive indicators of infection severity in a large open tibial fracture patient cohort. This study investigated the predictive factors of superficial infections and osteomyelitis in open tibial fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the tibial fracture database was carried out from 2014 to 2020. Criteria for inclusion was any tibial fracture including tibial plateau, shaft, pilon or ankle, with an open wound at the fracture site. Exclusion criteria included patients with a follow-up period of less than 12 months and who are deceased. A total of 235 patients were included in our study, of which 154 (65.6%), 42 (17.9%), and 39 (16.6%) developed no infection, superficial infection, or osteomyelitis, respectively. Patient demographics, injury characteristics, fracture characteristics, infection status and management details were collected for all patients. RESULTS: On multivariate modelling, patients with BMI > 30 (OR = 2.078, 95%CI [1.145-6.317], p = 0.025), Gustilo-Anderson (GA) type III (OR = 6.120, 95%CI [1.995-18.767], p = 0.001), longer time to soft tissue cover (p = 0.006) were more likely to develop a superficial infection, and patients with wound contamination (OR = 3.152, 95%CI [1.079-9.207], p = 0.036), GA-3 (OR = 3.387,95%CI [1.103-10.405], p = 0.026), longer to soft tissue cover (p = 0.007) were more likely to develop osteomyelitis. Univariate analysis also determined that risk factors for superficial infection were: BMI > 35 (OR = 6.107, 95%CI [2.283-16.332], p = 0.003) and wound contamination (OR = 2.249, 95%CI [1.015-5.135], p = 0.047); whilst currently smoking (OR = 2.298, 95%CI [1.087-4.856], p = 0.025), polytrauma (OR = 3.212, 95%CI [1.556-6.629], p = 0.001), longer time to definitive fixation (p = 0.023) were for osteomyelitis. However, none of these reached significance in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Higher GA classification is a significant risk factor for developing superficial infection and osteomyelitis, with a stronger association with osteomyelitis, especially GA 3C fractures. Predictors for superficial infection included BMI and time to soft tissue closure. Time to definitive fixation, time to soft tissue closure, and wound contamination were associated with osteomyelitis.

Increased proportion of alcohol-related trauma in a South London major trauma centre during lockdown: A cohort study.

PURPOSE: Alcohol has been associated with 10%-35% trauma admissions and 40% trauma-related deaths globally. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Kingdom entered a state of "lockdown" on March 23, 2020. Restrictions were most significantly eased on June 1, 2020, when shops and schools re-opened. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effect of lockdown on alcohol-related trauma admissions. METHODS: All adult patients admitted as "trauma calls" to a London major trauma centre during April 2018 and April 2019 (pre-lockdown, n = 316), and 1st April-31st May 2020 (lockdown, n = 191) had electronic patient records analysed retrospectively. Patients' blood alcohol level and records of intoxication were used to identify alcohol-related trauma. Trauma admissions from pre-lockdown and lockdown cohorts were compared using multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: Alcohol-related trauma was present in a significantly higher proportion of adult trauma calls during lockdown (lockdown 60/191 (31.4%), vs. pre-lockdown 62/316 (19.6%); (odds ratio (OR): 0.83, 95% CI: 0.38-1.28, p < 0.001). Lockdown was also associated with increased weekend admissions of trauma (lockdown 125/191 weekend (65.5%) vs. pre-lockdown 179/316 (56.7%); OR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.79 to -0.02, p = 0.041). No significant difference existed in the age, gender, or mechanism between pre-lockdown and lockdown cohorts (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The United Kingdom lockdown was independently associated with an increased proportion of alcohol-related trauma. Trauma admissions were increased during the weekend when staffing levels are reduced. With the possibility of further global "waves" of COVID-19, the long-term repercussions of dangerous alcohol-related behaviour to public health must be addressed.

Effects of job embeddedness and nursing working environment on turnover intention among trauma centre nurses: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: To investigate the effects of job embeddedness and nursing working environment on trauma centre nurses' turnover intention. BACKGROUND: Trauma centre nurses have higher average turnover intention than hospital nurses. However, factors that increase the turnover intention of trauma centre nurses remain unexplored. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted from August to October 2019, with 120 trauma centre nurses working at three trauma centres in B, D and U cities using measures of demographic characteristics, job embeddedness, nursing working environment and turnover intention. RESULTS: The mean turnover intention score was 3.60/5 points. There were significant correlations among turnover intention and fit, sacrifice, foundation for quality nursing, ability and leadership of nursing managers, cooperation of nurses and doctors, nurse participation in hospital management and sufficient manpower and material support. Turnover intention was predicted by nurse participation in hospital management, gender, clinical experience and fit, which explained 54%. CONCLUSIONS: Factors that influence nurses' turnover intention at trauma centres were gender, clinical experience, job fit and, especially, nurses' participation in hospital management, which had the most effect on the nursing working environment. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: To expand participation of trauma centre nurses, hospital management systems and organisational culture need improvement.

A study of mapping usual care and unmet need for vocational rehabilitation and psychological support following major trauma in five health districts in the UK.

OBJECTIVE: To identify where and how trauma survivors' rehabilitation needs are met after trauma, to map rehabilitation across five UK major trauma networks, and to compare with recommended pathways. DESIGN: Qualitative study (interviews, focus groups, workshops) using soft-systems methodology to map usual care across trauma networks and explore service gaps. Publicly available documents were consulted. CATWOE (Customers, Actors, Transformation, Worldview, Owners, Environment) was used as an analytic framework to explore the relationship between stakeholders in the pathway. SETTING: Five major trauma networks across the UK. SUBJECTS: 106 key rehabilitation stakeholders (service providers, trauma survivors) were recruited to interviews (n = 46), focus groups (n = 4 groups, 17 participants) and workshops (n = 5 workshops, 43 participants). INTERVENTIONS: None. RESULTS: Mapping of rehabilitation pathways identified several issues: (1) lack of vocational/psychological support particularly for musculoskeletal injuries; (2) inconsistent service provision in areas located further from major trauma centres; (3) lack of communication between acute and community care; (4) long waiting lists (up to 12 months) for community rehabilitation; (5) most well-established pathways were neurologically focused. CONCLUSIONS: The trauma rehabilitation pathway is complex and varies across the UK with few, if any patients following the recommended pathway. Services have developed piecemeal to address specific issues, but rarely meet the needs of individuals with multiple impairments post-trauma, with a lack of vocational rehabilitation and psychological support for this population.

A geospatial examination of specialist care accessibility and impact on health outcomes for patients with acute traumatic spinal cord injury in New South Wales, Australia: a population record linkage study.

BACKGROUND: Timely treatment is essential for achieving optimal outcomes after traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI), and expeditious transfer to a specialist spinal cord injury unit (SCIU) is recommended within 24 h from injury. Previous research in New South Wales (NSW) found only 57% of TSCI patients were admitted to SCIU for acute post-injury care; 73% transferred within 24 h from injury. We evaluated pre-hospital and inter-hospital transfer practices to better understand the post-injury care pathways impact on patient outcomes and highlight areas in the health service pathway that may benefit from improvement. METHODS: This record linkage study included administrative pre-hospital (Ambulance), admissions (Admitted Patients) and costs data obtained from the Centre for Health Record Linkage, NSW. All patients aged ≥16 years with incident TSCI in NSW (2013-2016) were included. We investigated impacts of geographical disparities on pre-hospital and inter-hospital transport decisions from injury location using geospatial methods. Outcomes assessed included time to SCIU, surgery and the impact of these variables on the experience of inpatient complications. RESULTS: Inclusion criteria identified 316 patients, geospatial analysis showed that over half (53%, n = 168) of all patients were injured within 60 min road travel of a SCIU, yet only 28.6% (n = 48) were directly transferred to a SCIU. Patients were more likely to experience direct transfer to a SCIU without comorbid trauma (p < 0.01) but higher ICISS (p < 0.001), cervical injury (p < 0.01), and transferred by air-ambulance (p < 0.01). Indirect transfer to SCIU was more likely with two or more additional traumatic injuries (p < 0.01) or incomplete injury (p < 0.01). Patients not admitted to SCIU at all were older (p = 0.05) with lower levels of injury (p < 0.01). Direct transfers received earlier operative intervention (median (IQR) 12.9(7.9) hours), compared with patients transferred indirectly to SCIU (median (IQR) 19.5(18.9) hours), and had lower risk of complications (OR 3.2 v 1.4, p < 0.001). Complications included pressure injury, deep vein thrombosis, urinary infection, among others. CONCLUSIONS: Getting patients with acute TSCI patients to the right place at the right time is dependent on numerous factors; some are still being triaged directly to non-trauma services which delays specialist and surgical care and increases complication risks. The higher rates of complication following delayed transfer to a SCIU should motivate health service policy makers to investigate reasons for this practice and consent to improvement strategies. More stringent adherence to recommended guidelines would prioritise direct SCIU transfer for patients injured within 60 min radius, enabling the benefits of specialised care.

In-Hospital Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Fragility Fractures of the Lumbar Spine, Thoracic Spine, and Pelvic Ring: A Comparison of Data before and after Certification as a DGU® Geriatric Trauma Centre.

Background and Objectives: The implementation of orthogeriatric co-management (OGCM) reflects the demand for interdisciplinary collaborations due to the increasing comorbidities of geriatric trauma patients. This study aimed to assess clinical in-hospital outcomes in lumbar spine, thoracic spine, and pelvic ring fragility fracture patients before and after the implementation of a Geriatric Trauma Centre (GTC) certified by the German Trauma Society (DGU®). Materials and Methods: In this observational, retrospective cohort study, geriatric trauma patients (>70 years of age) were stratified into either a pre-GTC group (hospital admission between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2013) or a post-GTC group (hospital admission between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2018). Patients' pre-injury medical complexity was measured by ASA class (American Society of Anaesthesiologists classification), the use of anticoagulant medication, and the ACCI (Age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index). Outcome parameters were patients' in-hospital length of stay (LOS) and mortality rates, as well as new in-hospital findings and diagnoses. Further, the necessity of deviation from initial management plans due to complications was assessed using the Adapted Clavien-Dindo Scoring System in Trauma (ACDiT score of ≥1). Results: Patients in the post-GTC group (n = 111) were older (median age 82.0 years) compared to the pre-GTC group (n = 108, median age 80.0 years, p = 0.016). No differences were found in sex, body mass index, ASA class, or ACCI (all p > 0.05). Patients in the post-GTC group used vitamin K antagonists or direct oral anticoagulants more frequently (21.3% versus 10.8%). The incidence of non-surgical treatment and mortality was comparable between groups, while LOS tended to be shorter in the post-GTC group (7.0 days versus 9.0 days, p = 0.076). In the post-GTC group, the detection of urinary tract infections (UTI) increased (35.2% versus 16.2%, p = 0.001), and the delirium diagnoses tended to increase (13.0% versus 6.3%, p = 0.094), while an ACDiT score of ≥1 was comparable between groups (p = 0.169). Conclusions: In this study including lumbar spine, thoracic spine, and pelvic ring geriatric fragility fractures, patients in the post-GTC group were more medically complex. More UTIs and the tendency for increased delirium detection was observed in the post-GTC group, likely due to improved diagnostic testing. Nonetheless, the necessity of deviation from initial management plans (ACDiT score of ≥1) was comparable between groups, potentially a positive result of OGCM.

Which factors influence the decision to transfer patients with traumatic brain injury to a neurosurgery unit in a major trauma network?

Objectives: Within the pan London Major Trauma System many patients with minor or non-life threatening traumatic brain injury (TBI) remain at their local hospital and are not transferred to a major trauma centre (MTC). Our aim was to identify factors that influence the decision to transfer patients with TBI to a neurosurgical centre.Methods: This is a single centre prospective cohort study of all patients with TBI referred to our neurosurgery unit from regional acute hospitals over a 4-month period (Sept 2016-Jan 2017). Our primary outcome was transferred to a neurosurgical centre. We identified the following factors that may predict decision to transfer: patient demographics, transfer distance, antithrombotic therapy and severity of TBI based on initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Marshall CT score. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed.Results: A total of 339 patients were referred from regional hospitals with TBI and of these, 53 (15.6%) were transferred to our hospital. The mean age of patients referred was 70.6 years, 62.5% were men and 43% on antithrombotic drugs. Eighty-six percent of patients had mild TBI (GCS 13-15) on initial assessment and 79% had a Marshall CT score of 2. The adjusted analysis revealed only higher age, higher Marshall Score, the presence of chronic subdural haematoma (CSDH), the presence of contusion(s) and fracture(s) predicted transfer (p<.05). Subgroup analysis consistently showed a higher Marshall score predicted transfer (p<.05).Conclusions: In our cohort higher Marshall score consistently predicted transfer to our neurosurgical centre. Presenting GCS, transfer distance and antithrombotic therapy did not influence decision to transfer.

Reflections from London's Level-1 Major Trauma Centres during the COVID crisis.

Emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in dramatic changes in global healthcare provision. Resources were redirected across all healthcare sectors to support the treatment of viral pneumonia with resultant effects on other essential services. We describe the impact of this on the provision of major trauma care in a major capital city.

Four years of experience as a major trauma centre results in no improvement in patient selection for whole-body CT scans following blunt trauma.

INTRODUCTION: Management of major trauma patients with evidence of polytrauma involves the use of immediate whole-body CT (WBCT). Identification of patients appropriate for immediate WBCT remains challenging. Our study aimed to assess for improvement in patient selection for WBCT over time as a major trauma centre (MTC). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of patients who presented to our MTC during distinct two-month periods, one in 2013 and the other in 2017. Patients over 18 years of age who presented primarily following blunt trauma and activated a major trauma call were included. All patients underwent either immediate WBCT or standard ATLS workup. Those undergoing WBCT had the results of their scan recorded as positive or negative. RESULTS: A total of 516 patients were included, 232 from 2 months in 2013 and 284 from 2 months in 2017. There was no significant difference in the proportion of patients undergoing WBCT (61.6% vs 59.5%), selective CT (31.9% vs 32.4%) or no CT (6.5% vs 8.1%) between the cohorts. There was no improvement in the rate of negative WBCT observed between 2013 and 2017 (47.6% vs 39.6%, p = 0.17). CONCLUSION: There was no improvement in patient selection for WBCT following trauma at our institution over a three-year period. Optimal patient selection presents an ongoing clinical challenge, with 39-47% of patients undergoing a scan demonstrating no injuries.

Traumatic renal injury in a UK major trauma centre - current management strategies and the role of early re-imaging.

OBJECTIVES: To analyse the contemporary management of renal injuries in a UK major trauma centre and to evaluate the utility and value of re-imaging. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The prospectively maintained 'Trauma Audit and Research Network' database was interrogated to identify patients with urinary tract injuries between January 2014 and December 2017. Patients' records and imaging were reviewed to identify injury grades, interventions, outcomes, and follow-up. RESULTS: Renal injury was identified in 90 patients (79 males and 11 females). The mean (sd; range) age was 35.5 (17.4; 1.5-94) years. Most of the renal traumas were caused by blunt mechanisms (74%). The overall severity of injuries was: 18 (20%) Grade I, 19 (21%) Grade II, 27 (30%) Grade III, 22 (24%) Grade IV, and four (4%) Grade V. Most patients (84%) were managed conservatively. Early intervention (<24 h) was performed in 14 patients (16%) for renal injuries. Most of these patients were managed by interventional radiology techniques (nine of 14). Only two patients required an emergency nephrectomy, both of whom died from extensive polytrauma. In all, 19 patients underwent laparotomy for other injuries and did not require renal exploration. The overall 30-day mortality was 13%. Re-imaging was performed in 66% of patients at an average time of 3.4 days from initial scan. The majority of re-imaging was planned (49 patients) and 12% of these scans demonstrated a relevant finding (urinoma, pseudoaneurysm) that altered management in three of the 49 patients (6.1%). CONCLUSION: Non-operative management is the mainstay for all grades of injury. Haemodynamic instability and persistent urine leak are primary indications for intervention. Open surgical management is uncommon. Repeat imaging after injury is advocated for stable patients with high-grade renal injuries (Grade III-V), although more research is needed to determine the optimal timing.

Penetrating Neck Injury in Two Dutch Level 1 Trauma Centres: the Non-Existent Problem.

OBJECTIVES: Penetrating neck injuries (PNIs) have a low incidence in European trauma populations. Selective non-operative management of PNI has been suggested as a safe alternative to standard surgical neck exploration, but evidence is lacking. This clinical scenario evaluates institutional PNI management, specifically the associated carotid artery injury, and compares it with current guidelines. METHODS: Retrospectively, PNI patients presenting at two Dutch level 1 trauma centres from 2007 to 2015, were identified. International guidelines on PNI management were reviewed and recommendations were assessed in relation to current institutional management, and considering an illustrative case. RESULTS: Two current guidelines on PNI management were reviewed. Both advocate a zone based approach; one recommends a prominent role for computed tomography angiography (CTA) scanning in stable patients, supplemented by endoscopy when indicated. A combined total of 43 PNI patients were identified over a nine year period. Haemodynamically unstable patients and patients with other hard signs (i.e. active bleeding, expanding haematoma, air/saliva leak, massive subcutaneous emphysema) received immediate exploration (n = 9). Haemodynamically stable patients and those responding to resuscitation (transient responders) had a CTA scan (n = 31). Three asymptomatic patients were treated conservatively, and had an uncomplicated clinical course regarding the PNI. In 10 of 14 patients who received surgical exploration, a significant vascular or aerodigestive injury was found and repaired (71%). All patients treated conservatively after CTA scanning had an uncomplicated clinical course regarding the PNI (n = 17). Six patients with penetrating carotid artery injury underwent primary arterial reconstruction, of whom five survived. CONCLUSIONS: This clinical scenario evaluates institutional management in two trauma centres for PNI and associated carotid artery injury, and compares it to current guidelines. In comparison with guideline recommendations, CTA scanning and the so called "No zone" approach appears to have assumed a more prominent role in management of PNI.

Conscious status is associated with the likelihood of trauma centre care and mortality in patients with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between The International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification-derived conscious status and mortality rates in trauma centres (TC) vs. non-trauma centres (NTC). METHODS: Patients in the 2006-2011 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample meeting, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for traumatic brain injury (TBI), with head/neck Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) scores ≥3 were included. Loss of consciousness (LOC) was computed for each patient. Primary outcomes included treatment at a level I/II TC vs. NTC and in-hospital mortality. We compared logistic regression models controlling for patient demographics, injury characteristics, and AIS score with identical models that also included LOC. RESULTS: Of 66,636 patients with isolated TBI identified, 15,761 (23.6%) had missing LOC status. Among the remaining 50,875 patients, 59.0% were male, 54.0% were ≥65 years old, 56.7% were treated in TCs, and 27.3% had extended LOC. Patients with extended LOC were more likely to be treated in TCs vs. those with no/brief LOC (71.1% vs. 51.4%, p < 0.001). Among patients aged <65, TC treatment was associated with increased odds of mortality [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 1.79]; accounting for LOC substantially mitigated this relationship [AOR 1.27]. Similar findings were observed among older patients, with reduced effect size. CONCLUSION: Extended LOC was associated with TC treatment and mortality. Accounting for patient LOC reduced the differential odds of mortality comparing TCs vs. NTCs by 60%. Research assessing TBI outcomes using administrative data should include measures of consciousness.

The role of plastic and reconstructive surgeon in trauma care: Perspectives from a Level 1 trauma centre in India.

BACKGROUND: As the morbidity and mortality due to trauma are ever increasing, there is proportionally growing need of trauma care facilities across the country. In the context of expanding designated trauma care facilities, the role of plastic and reconstructive surgeon needs to be analysed and defined at least at a Level 1 trauma centre. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included the patients who were operated under the department of plastic, reconstructive & burns surgery at a Level 1 urban trauma centre between January 2016 and December 2017. We analysed the demographic data and categorised operative data according to anatomical areas and interacting specialties. RESULTS: A total of 1539 procedures were performed under the division of plastic reconstructive and burn surgery. Amongst them, 81% were male, and 19% were female. Mean age was 27.3 years (range: 3-90 years). The anatomical locations treated were upper limb (49%), lower limb (35%), head and neck (8%) and trunk (8%). Interdepartmental cases were 600 and majority of them were in collaboration with orthopaedics (n = 298), general surgery (n = 163), neurosurgery (79) and maxillofacial surgery (60). CONCLUSION: There is a significant role of plastic surgeon at a Level 1 trauma centre in India. The plastic surgeon's interventions are limb saving and sometimes lifesaving, many at times morbidity of post-traumatic sequelae are either prevented or treated. Along with other core specialties involved in the management of trauma, plastic surgeons play an integral role in a Level 1 trauma centre. The policymakers should take note to augment the number of plastic surgeons at a Level 1 apex trauma centre on par with other specialties, as the workload is heavy and is steadily on an increasing trend.

[Prevention of psychological disorders after a road accident]. / Prévention des troubles psychiques après un accident de la voie publique.

A psychological intervention programme, set up within a trauma centre, revealed common factors contributing to the emotional upheaval felt by road accident victims. These factors are linked to the event itself, its medical management, the quality of family support and the patient's history. Early psychotherapy, the awareness of the nursing teams and the involvement of the families are the key elements ensuring coherent and effective prevention.

Discharge Against Medical Advice in Traumatic Brain Injury: Follow-Up and Readmission Rate.

BACKGROUND: Patients who leave hospital against medical advice (AMA) may be at risk of adverse health outcomes, medical complications, and readmission. In this study, we examined the characteristics of patients who left AMA after traumatic brain injury (TBI), their rates of follow-up visits, and readmission. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 106 consecutive patients who left the tertiary trauma center AMA (1.8% of all admitted patients with a TBI). Preinjury health and social issues, mechanism of injury, computed tomography findings, and injury markers were collected. They were correlated to compliance with follow-up visits and unplanned emergency room (ER) visits and readmission rates. RESULTS: The most prevalent premorbid health or social-related issues were alcohol abuse (33%) and assault as a mechanism of trauma (33%). Only 15 (14.2%) subjects came to follow-up visit for their TBI. Sixteen (15.1%) of the 106 subjects had multiple readmissions and/or ER visits related to substance abuse. Seven (6.6%) had multiple readmissions or ER visits with psychiatric reasons. Those patients with multiple readmissions and ER visits showed in higher proportion preexisting neurological condition (p=0.027), homelessness (p=0.012), previous neurosurgery (p=0.014), preexisting encephalomalacia (p=0.011), and had a higher ISS score (p=0.014) than those who were not readmitted multiple times. CONCLUSIONS: The significantly increased risks of multiple follow-up visits and readmission among TBI patients who leave hospital AMA are related to a premorbid vulnerability and psychosocial issues. Clinicians should target AMA TBI patients with premorbid vulnerability for discharge transition interventions.

Differences in survival outcome for severely injured paediatric trauma by type of trauma centre.

AIM: Whether treatment at paediatric trauma centres (PTCs) provides a survival advantage for injured children over treatment at adult trauma centres (ATCs) remains inconclusive. This study examines the association between trauma centre type and in-hospital mortality for severely injured paediatric trauma patients in New South Wales, Australia. METHODS: A retrospective examination of paediatric patient characteristics (aged ≤15 years), treatment and injury outcome was conducted using data from the New South Wales Trauma Registry for 2009-2014. Logistic regression was used to examine the association of in-hospital mortality and type of trauma centre. RESULTS: There were 1230 children who were severely injured (i.e. Injury Severity Score; ISS > 12) and 81.0% received definitive care at a PTC. Two-thirds were male, 37.8% were aged 11-15 years and falls represented 32.0% of the injuries. Almost half (48.9%) the injured children had an ISS between 16 and 24, 31.9% between 25 and 39 and 3.8% an ISS between 40 and 75. The mean and median hospital length of stay was 17.5 and 5 days, respectively. Fifty percent of children that received definitive care at a PTC were admitted to an ICU compared to 23.9% at a Level 1 ATC. There were 119 (9.7%) in-hospital deaths. Children aged ≤15 years who were treated at a Level 1 ATC had 6.1 times higher odds of not surviving their injuries than if treated at a PTC. CONCLUSION: Children who received definitive care at a PTC had a survival advantage compared to those treated at a Level 1 ATC. Prospectively examining the processes of care for severely injured children may assist in identification of quality and system changes required to ensure optimal trauma care within the health-care system.

Traumatic brain injury in the elderly: A level 1 trauma centre study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the characteristics and outcome of patients with TBI over 65 years old admitted to an acute care Level 1 Trauma centre in Montreal, Canada. METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected on patients (n = 1812) who were admitted post-TBI to the McGill University Health Centre-Montreal General Hospital from 2000-2011. The cohort was composed of four groups over 65 years old (65-75; 76-85; 86-95; and 96 and more). Outcome measures used were the extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE) as well as discharge destination. RESULTS: As the patients got older, the odds of having a poor outcome increased (OR = 2.344 for those 75-85 years old, 4.313 for those 86-95 years of age and 3.465 for those aged 96 years of age or older). Also, the proportion of patients going home or going home with out-patient rehabilitation decreased as age increased (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). In contrast, the proportion of patients being discharged to long-term care facilities increased significantly as age increased (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This descriptive study provides a better understanding of characteristics and outcome of different age groups of patients with TBI all over 65 years old in Montreal, Canada.

Characteristics of patients with acute traumatic brain injury discharged against medical advice in a level 1 urban trauma centre.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To predict which characteristics are associated with patients at risk of discharge against medical advice (AMA). RESEARCH DESIGN: Data were retrospectively collected on individuals (n = 5642) admitted to the Traumatic Brain Injury Program of the MUHC-MGH. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Outcome measures used were length of stay (LOS), the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE) as well as the Functional Independence Measure (FIM®). MAIN OUTCOMES: The overall rate of patients leaving AMA was 1.9% (n = 108). Age was negatively associated with AMA discharge (95% CI OR = [0.966;0.991]). Patients with a history of substance abuse were ∼2-times more likely to leave AMA than those not using substances before injury (95% CI OR = [1.172;3.314]) and the homeless were ∼3-times more likely to leave AMA compared to those who were not homeless (95% CI OR = [1.260;7.138]). Length of stay (LOS) was shorter for patients leaving AMA (p < 0.001) and they showed better outcome (GOSE: p < 0.001; FIM: p = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: Knowing the profile of patients with TBI leaving AMA hospitalized in an urban Level 1 Trauma centre will help in the development of effective strategies based on patient needs, values and pre-injury psychosocial situation to encourage them to complete their treatment course in hospital.

Relationship of trauma centre characteristics and patient outcomes: a systematic review.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To systematically review the relationship of trauma centre characteristics and trauma patient outcomes. BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have documented the impact of trauma centre level, trauma centre verification, volume per centre and per surgeon or resource availability on outcomes among trauma patients. However, there continues to be debated about whether trauma care is comparable by these trauma centre characteristics. DESIGN: Systematic review. METHODS: Eligible studies were identified via electronic database searches, footnote chasing and contact with clinical experts. Quality of selected studies was assessed in terms of internal and external validity using 14 questions. Two reviewers independently examined titles, abstracts and whether each met the predefined criteria. RESULTS: A total of 50 studies which met criteria were selected. Ten of 17 articles showed that level I trauma centres had better patient outcomes than level II centres. The achievement of trauma centre verification by American College of Surgeons or State was beneficial to decreasing mortality and length of stay in 9 of 11 studies. High trauma admission volume was beneficial in 8 of 16 studies. The volume per trauma surgeon did not contribute to better patient outcomes in 4 of 5 studies. The availability of in-house trauma surgeon was beneficial to lower mortality and shorter length of stay in only 2 of 9 studies. CONCLUSION: This review supports that achieving the trauma centre verification by American College of Surgeons or State is definitely beneficial to patient outcomes. However, the benefit of level I centres compared with level II centres, and volume of annual trauma patients to outcomes is still debating. Further prospective study examining this relationship is required. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Understanding which characteristics of trauma centre provides the best prospect for improved outcomes depending on patient need and resource availability would allow further appreciation of the processes that foster such enhancement.