Association between Young-Burgess pelvic ring injury classification and concomitant injuries requiring urgent intervention.

BACKGROUND: Young-Burgess classification (YB) is a mechanistic system which classifies pelvic ring injuries into anterior-posterior compression (APC), lateral compression (LC), vertical shear (VS) injuries, and combined mechanism (CM). The objective of this study was to identify associated injuries which require urgent operative intervention by YB classification. We hypothesize that YB classification is associated with 1) need for urgent intervention for pelvic fracture-related hemorrhage and 2) patterns of injury complexes requiring surgery. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of severely injured trauma patients with pelvic ring injuries who presented to an urban Level-1 trauma center from 2007 to 2017. Associated injuries and procedures were determined by Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) and ICD-9/10 codes. YB classes were compared, followed by a cluster analysis to identify injury patterns and association with YB classifications. RESULTS: Overall, 135 patients were included. 98 (72%) of patients presented with LC, 16 (12%) with APC, 8 (6%) with VS, and 13 (10%) with CM. VS and APC groups had higher rates of REBOA use compared to LC and CM groups (38% and 31% versus 11% and 0%, respectively, p = 0.01). The CM group, compared to LC, APC, and VS, had higher rates of urgent operative intervention for bleeding control (69% versus 32%, 50% and 43%, respectively, p = 0.01). 39 (29%) patients had a concomitant injury which was identified by CT scan in initial trauma work up and altered management, 46% which merited urgent intervention. On cluster analysis, there were no distinct injury complexes which required urgent operative intervention by YB class. CONCLUSIONS: These data failed to identify unique injury complexes which merit urgent operative intervention by YB class. Nearly one in four patients had injuries identified by initial CT imaging which altered initial management, demonstrating the importance of early, full body CT imaging in severely injured patients with pelvic ring injuries.

Just add water? Chlorhexidine's antimicrobial properties are minimally affected by dilution in saline compared to water.

BACKGROUND: Dilute chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) in sterile water is an antiseptic solution approved for intraoperative wound irrigation by the United States Food and Drug Administration. In practice, however, CHG is commonly diluted with normal saline, which can result in its precipitation potentially reducing the antimicrobial effect. The purpose of this study was to determine if the antimicrobial properties of CHG are reduced after dilution with normal saline compared to sterile water. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sterile paper disks were placed into undiluted 4% CHG (positive control), 0.05% CHG in sterile water, 0.05% CHG in normal saline, or normal saline alone (negative control) and then placed in triplicate onto the agar plates inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus. After incubating at 37 °C for 24 h, the diameter of the zone of inhibition around each disk was measured. RESULTS: The mean zone of inhibition for 4% CHG, 0.05% CHG in sterile water, 0.05% CHG in normal saline, and normal saline alone was 24 ± 0.6 mm, 16 ± 0.9 mm, 14 ± 0.5 mm, and 0 ± 0 mm, respectively (p < 0.01). The zone of inhibition for dilute CHG in normal saline was on average 2.5 mm less (95% CI 1.7-3.2 mm) than that of CHG in sterile water. CONCLUSIONS: Dilute CHG in normal saline, versus sterile water, retained its antimicrobial activity with a small reduction in the zone of inhibition. Surgeons and scientists should be aware of the interaction between normal saline and CHG. Future scientific studies need to control for what solution is used for dilution.

High Rate of Fibrinolytic Shutdown and Venous Thromboembolism in Patients With Severe Pelvic Fracture.

BACKGROUND: Trauma patients with pelvic fractures have a high rate of venous thromboembolism (VTEs). The reason for this high rate is unknown. We hypothesize that fibrinolysis shutdown (SD) predicts VTE in patients with severe pelvic fracture. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of trauma patients who presented with pelvic fracture from 2007 to 2017 was performed. Inclusion criteria were injury severity score > 15, abdomen/pelvis abbreviated injury scale >/= 3, blunt mechanism, admission citrated rapid thrombelastography (TEG). Fibrinolytic phenotypes were defined by fibrinolysis on citrated rapid TEG as hyperfibrinolysis, physiologic lysis, and SD. Univariate analysis of TEG measurements and clinical outcomes, followed by multivariable logistic regression (MV) with stepwise selection, was performed. RESULTS: Overall, 210 patients were included. Most patients (59%) presented in fibrinolytic shutdown. VTE incidence was 11%. There were no significant differences in fibrinolytic phenotypes or other TEG measurements between those who developed VTE and those who did not. There was a higher rate of VTE in patients who underwent pelvic external fixation or resuscitative thoracotomy. On MV, pelvic fixation and resuscitative thoracotomy were independent predictors of VTE. CONCLUSIONS: In severely injured patients with pelvic fractures, there was a high rate of VTE and the majority presented in SD. However, we were unable to correlate initial SD with VTE. Ultimately, the high rate of VTE in this patient population supports the concept of implementing VTE chemoprophylaxis measures as soon as hemostasis is achieved.

Posterolateral clamp placement on the pelvic brim provides optimal reduction of transtectal acetabular fractures fixed through the anterior intrapelvic approach.

PURPOSE: To determine the optimal position of reduction clamps applied to reduce transtectal transverse acetabular fractures approached through the anterior intrapelvic route. METHODS: Transtectal transverse fractures were created in sawbone hemipelvis models. Fractures were reduced and held with a large pointed reduction clamp with one tine centered on the quadrilateral plate and the other placed in one of nine various positions on the pelvic brim accessible from the anterior intrapelvic (AIP) approach. Reduction was assessed by measuring maximum gapping and step-off at the joint surface. RESULTS: The posterolateral pelvic brim clamp position provided the most accurate reduction with the smallest articular fracture gap (mean 1.09 ± 1.05 mm) and step-off (mean 0.87 ± 1.35 mm). This clamp position, compared with the other positions as a whole, also yielded the highest proportion of perfect reductions (0 mm maximum displacement) for both step-off (83% vs 34%; RR 2.4, 95% CI 1.7-3.2) and gap (88% vs 49%; RR 1.8, 95% CI 1.4 to 2.2). CONCLUSIONS: When clamping transtectal fractures through the AIP approach, positioning the clamp posterolaterally on the pelvic brim appears to provide the best reduction in this fracture model.