Decompression of tension pneumothoraces in Asian trauma patients: greater success with lateral approach and longer catheter lengths based on computed tomography chest wall measurements.

INTRODUCTION: Our study aims to compare the anterior and lateral approaches for needle thoracostomy (NT) and determine the adequacy of catheter lengths used for NT in Asian trauma patients based on computed tomography chest wall measurements. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective review of chest computed tomography scans of 583 Singaporean trauma patients during period of 2011-2015 was conducted. Four measurements of chest wall thickness (CWT) were taken at the second intercostal space, midclavicular line and fifth intercostal space, midaxillary line bilaterally. Measurements were from the superficial skin layer of the chest wall to the pleural space. Successful NT was defined radiologically as CWT ≤ 5 cm. RESULTS: There were 593 eligible subjects. Mean age was 49.1 years (49.1 ± 21.0). Majority were males (77.0%) and Chinese (70.2%). Mean CWT for the anterior approach was 4.04 cm (CI 3.19-4.68) on the left and 3.92 cm (CI 3.17-4.63) on the right. Mean CWT for the lateral approach was 3.52 cm (CI 2.52-4.36) on the left, and 3.62 cm (CI 3.65-4.48) on the right. Mean CWT was shorter in the lateral approach by 0.52 cm on the left and 0.30 cm on the right (p = 0.001). With a 5.0 cm catheter in the anterior approach, 925 out of 1186 sites (78.8%) will have adequate NT as compared to 98.2% with a 7.0 cm catheter. Similarly, in the lateral approach 1046 out of 1186 (88.2%) will have adequate NT as compared to 98.5% with a 7.0 cm catheter. Obese subjects had significantly higher mean CWT in both approaches (p = 0.001). There was moderate correlation between BMI and CWT in the anterior approach, r 2 = 0.529 as compared to the lateral approach, r 2 = 0.244. CONCLUSION: Needle decompression using the lateral approach or a longer catheter is more likely to succeed in Asian trauma patients. A high BMI is an independent predictor of failure of NT, especially for the anterior as compared to lateral approach.

Transmesenteric Internal Herniation Leading to Small Bowel Obstruction Postlaparoscopic Radical Nephrectomy.

Internal herniation following laparoscopic surgery is rare. We present a case of small bowel obstruction secondary to internal herniation in a 76-year-old male patient. Presentation was on postoperative day 28 following transperitoneal laparoscopic radical left nephrectomy for suspected renal carcinoma. The herniation was through a defect in the large bowel mesentery identified at exploratory laparotomy. To date, 10 cases of internal herniation following laparoscopic nephrectomy have been described in the literature. Two cases were managed laparoscopically and the remainder by laparotomy. One case required resection of an ischaemic portion small bowel and the remainder were managed by reduction of the hernia and closure of the defect. Internal herniation is rare but carries significant morbidity. It must be considered in cases presenting with obstructive symptoms after laparoscopic nephrectomy. Early CT scanning and prompt surgical management are hallmarks of best management.

Occult pneumothorax in blunt trauma: is there a need for tube thoracostomy?

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND: Occult pneumothorax (OPTX) is defined as air within the pleural cavity that is undetectable on normal chest X-rays, but identifiable on computed tomography. Currently, consensus is divided between tube thoracostomy and conservative management for OPTX. METHODS: The aim of this retrospective study is to determine whether OPTX can be managed conservatively and whether any adverse events occur under conservative management. Data on all trauma patients from 1 Jan 2010 to 31 December 2012 were obtained from our hospital's trauma registry. All patients with occult pneumothorax who had chest X-ray (CXR) and any CT scan visualizing the thorax were included. The exclusion criteria included those with penetrating wounds; CXR showing pneumothorax, hemothorax, or hemopneumothorax; those with prophylactic chest tube insertion before CT; and those with no CT diagnosis of OPTX. The complications of these patients were analyzed to determine if tube thoracostomy is necessary for OPTX and whether not inserting it would alter the outcome significantly. RESULTS: A total of 1564 cases were reviewed and 83 patients were included. Of these 83 patients, 35 (42.2 %) had tube thoracostomy after OPTX detection and 48 (57.8 %) were observed initially. Patients who had tube thoracostomy had similar ISS compared to those without (median ISS 17 vs. 18.5, p = 0.436). Out of the 48 patients who did not have tube thoracostomy on detection of an OPTX, 4 (8.3 %) had complications. In the group of 35 patients who had tube thoracostomy on detection of an OPTX, 7 (20 %) had complications. Of the 83 patients, a total of 12 patients had IPPV, of which 7 (58.3 %) had tube thoracostomy and 5 (41.7 %) did not. Patients who had tube thoracostomy under our care have a statistically significant likelihood of experiencing any complication compared to those without tube thoracostomy (odds ratio 9.92. The median length of stay was also longer (13 days) in those who had tube thoracostomy compared to those without (5 days) (p value = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that patients with OPTX can be managed conservatively with close monitoring, but only in areas with ready access to emergency facilities should any adverse events occur.

Chronic pain and its impact on quality of life following a traumatic rib fracture.

PURPOSE: Traumatic rib fractures account for 7-40 % of trauma admissions and most of them heal spontaneously and do not contribute to disability. The prevalence of chronic pain and its impact on quality of life following a traumatic rib fracture has not been studied adequately. METHODS: A retrospective review of electronic medical records of all the traumatic rib fracture admissions from January 2007 to December 2008 was conducted. This was followed up with a brief telephonic survey of the following questions: (1) Do you have pain following the trauma? (2) If YES, how severe is your pain from a score of zero to ten? (3) Does the pain affect your life style? (4) Does the pain affect your work? (5) Do you need to take regular pain medications? RESULTS: One hundred and two patients responded to the survey and 23 patients (22.5 %) complained of chronic persistent pain. In patients with pain, six patients (26 %) had chronic pain that required regular use of analgesics, eight patients (35 %) complained of impairment of work life, and three patients (13 %) complained of impairment of personal quality of life. Chronic pain was not related to age, number of ribs fractured, flail chest, hemothorax and/or pneumothorax, chest tube insertion, or Injury Severity Score (ISS). CONCLUSION: This study confirms the high incidence of chronic pain after a traumatic rib fracture. While the majority of the patients can manage this pain without interference of their quality of life, a few do suffer from life style/work interference and may have to resort to regular analgesic usage.

Ministry of health clinical practice guidelines: clinical blood transfusion.

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) publish clinical practice guidelines on Clinical Blood Transfusion to provide doctors and patients in Singapore with evidence-based guidance for blood transfusion. This article reproduces the introduction and executive summary (with recommendations from the guidelines) from the HSA-MOH clinical practice guidelines on Clinical Blood Transfusion, for the information of readers of the Singapore Medical Journal. Chapters and page numbers mentioned in the reproduced extract refer to the full text of the guidelines, which are available from the Ministry of Health website (http://www.moh.gov.sg/mohcorp/publications.aspx?id=25700). The recommendations should be used with reference to the full text of the guidelines. Following this article are multiple choice questions based on the full text of the guidelines.