Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture with combined thoracoabdominal injuries: Difference between penetrating and blunt injuries.

PURPOSE: Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture (TDR) needs early diagnosis and operation. However, the early diagnosis is usually difficult, especially in the patients without diaphragmatic hernia. The objective of this study was to explore the early diagnosis and treatment of TDR. METHODS: Data of 256 patients with TDR treated in our department between 1994 and 2013 were analyzed retrospectively regarding to the diagnostic methods, percentage of preoperative judgment, incidence of diaphragmatic hernia, surgical procedures and outcome, etc. Two groups were set up according to the mechanism of injury (blunt or penetrating). RESULTS: Of 256 patients with a mean age of 32.4 years (9-84), 218 were male. The average ISS was 26.9 (13-66); and shock rate was 62.9%. There were 104 blunt injuries and 152 penetrating injuries. Preoperatively diagnostic rate was 90.4% in blunt injuries and 80.3% in penetrating, respectively, P < 0.05. The incidence of diaphragmatic hernia was 94.2% in blunt and 15.1% in penetrating respectively, P < 0.005. Thoracotomy was performed in 62 cases, laparotomy in 153, thoracotomy plus laparotomy in 29, and combined thoraco-laparotomy in 12. Overall mortality rate was 12.5% with the average ISS of 41.8; and it was 21.2% in blunt injuries and 6.6% in penetrating, respectively, P < 0.005. The main causes of death were hemorrhage and sepsis. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosis of blunt TDR can be easily obtained by radiograph or helical CT scan signs of diaphragmatic hernia. For penetrating TDR without hernia, "offside sign" is helpful as initial assessment. CT scan with coronal/sagittal reconstruction is an accurate technique for diagnosis. All TDR require operation. Penetrating injury has a relatively better prognosis.

Management of multiple trauma with mainly thoracic and abdominal injuries: a report of 1166 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the diagnosis and treatment of multiple trauma with mainly thoracic and abdominal injuries. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on data of multiple trauma cases with mainly thoracic and/or abdominal injuries. RESULTS: Of 1166 cases, 72.3% were found with shock. The operation rates of thoracic and abdominal injuries were 14.8% (119/804) and 83.5% (710/850) respectively (X(2) equal to 780.683, P less than 0.01). The operation rates of blunt and penetrating thoracic injuries was 6.8% (42/617) and 40.6% (76/187) respectively (X(2) equal to 131.701, P less than 0.01). The operation rates of blunt and penetrating abdominal injuries were 77.1% (434/563) and 96.1% (276/287) respectively (X(2) equal to 50.302, P less than 0.01). The operation rates of blunt thoracio-abdominal injuries were 6.8% (42/617) in thoracic region and 77.1% (434/563) in abdomen respectively (X(2) equal to 544.043, P less than 0.01). Among the cases of abdominal injuries, 41 received arteriography embolism, with the efficacy of 95.1% (39/41). Total mortality rate was 6.1%. The mortality rates of blunt and penetrating injuries were 7.3% (62/854) and 2.9% (9/312) (X(2) equal to 6.51, P less than 0.005). The deaths were mainly due to large volume of blood loss. CONCLUSIONS: When both thoracic and abdominal injuries exist, laparotomy is frequently required rather than thoracotomy. Laparotomy is seldomly used for blunt thoracic injuries, but usually used for penetrating thoracic and abdominal injuries. Mortality rate of penetrating thoracic and abdominal injuries is markedly lower than that of blunt injuries. Surgical operation is still important for those patients with penetrating thoracic or abdominal injuries.

[Management of severe pelvic fracture associated with injuries of viscera].

OBJECTIVE: To probe the approach of emergency management for severe pelvic fracture associated with injuries of adjacent viscera and evaluate the therapeutic effect. METHODS: The data of 79 patients with severe pelvic fracture associated with injuries of adjacent viscera were retrospectively studied, and the study covered a period of 14 years. RESULTS: Ligation of internal iliac arteries was performed in 33 cases for ceasing massive bleeding due to pelvic fracture, and angioembolization in 8. Of 42 patients with cystic or/and urethral injury, 35 underwent cystostomy and delayed reconstruction, and 7 received a primary realignment. All of 17 patients with injury of retroperitoneal rectum underwent diverting colostomy of the proximal end of sigmoid with presacral drainage, but 4 received primary repair without colostomy. In 22 patients with intraperitoneal colorectal injury, 19 were managed with primary repair or anastomosis while 3 received a colostomy. The overall mortality rate was 9% (7/79); The main causes were hemorrhagic shock and associated injury. The complications included urethro-rectal fistula in 4, thrombosis of right common iliac artery in 1, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) following chest trauma in 1, and paraplegia in 1. Except the patient with paraplegia, all of them were cured. CONCLUSIONS: Prompt diagnosis and proper treatment were the key of the success. Devascularization of internal iliac arteries with external fixation cage of pelvis, cystostomy and proximal sigmoidostomy were effective procedures frequently used in the emergency treatment of the severe pelvic fracture patients.

Liver trauma: experience in 348 cases.

Liver trauma, the main cause of death in patients suffering abdominal injury, remains an unresolved problem, especially in its most severe forms. The objective of this study was to probe effective surgical procedures and improve the outcome for patients with severe hepatic injury. A retrospective study of 348 patients with hepatic trauma seen in our institution during the past 12 years was carried out. Of these 348 patients, 259 (74.4%) underwent surgery. To manage severe liver trauma (American Association for the Surgery of Trauma grade III to grade V), procedures such as packing of the laceration with omentum, hepatectomy or direct control of bleeding vessels within the liver substance by means of the Pringle maneuver, selective hepatic artery ligation, retrohepatic caval repair with total hepatic vascular occlusion, and perihepatic packing were selected and combined based on the specific injury. In the 259 patients treated operatively, the survival rate was 86.9% (225/259); and 15 of 40 with retrohepatic venous injury (RHVI) were cured with the maximum blood transfusion of 60 units. In 42 patients treated by perihepatic packing, the bleeding was stopped in 20 of 25 (80%) with RHVI and in 14 of 17 (82%) without such injury ( p > 0.75). The percentage of failure of nonoperative management was 17.2% (17/99); and it was 46.7% (14/30) in patients with grade III-V injury. Death occurred in 3 (50%) of 6 failures of grade IV-V injury. The overall mortality rate was 11.8% (41/348), and 51% of the deaths were due to exsanguination. The results suggest that severe hepatic injuries, especially grade IV-V injuries, usually require surgical intervention; reasonable surgical procedures based on classification of liver trauma and combined application of techniques can increase the survival rate; and perihepatic packing is effective in dealing with RHVI.