Moving the needle on time to resuscitation: An EAST prospective multicenter study of vascular access in hypotensive injured patients using trauma video review.

BACKGROUND: Vascular access in hypotensive trauma patients is challenging. Little evidence exists on the time required and success rates of vascular access types. We hypothesized that intraosseous (IO) access would be faster and more successful than peripheral intravenous (PIV) and central venous catheter (CVC) access in hypotensive patients. METHODS: An EAST prospective multicenter trial was performed; 19 centers provided data. Trauma video review was used to evaluate the resuscitations of hypotensive (systolic blood pressure ≤90 mm Hg) trauma patients. Highly granular data from video recordings were abstracted. Data collected included vascular access attempt type, location, success rate, and procedural time. Demographic and injury-specific variables were obtained from the medical record. Success rates, procedural durations, and time to resuscitation were compared among access strategies (IO vs. PIV vs. CVC). RESULTS: There were 1,410 access attempts that occurred in 581 patients with a median age of 40 years (27-59 years) and an Injury Severity Score of 22 [10-34]. Nine hundred thirty-two PIV, 204 IO, and 249 CVC were attempted. Seventy percent of access attempts were successful but were significantly less likely to be successful in females (64% vs. 71%, p = 0.01). Median time to any access was 5.0 minutes (3.2-8.0 minutes). Intraosseous had higher success rates than PIV or CVC (93% vs. 67% vs. 59%, p < 0.001) and remained higher after subsequent failures (second attempt, 85% vs. 59% vs. 69%, p = 0.08; third attempt, 100% vs. 33% vs. 67%, p = 0.002). Duration varied by access type (IO, 36 [23-60] seconds; PIV, 44 [31-61] seconds; CVC 171 [105-298]seconds) and was significantly different between IO versus CVC ( p < 0.001) and PIV versus CVC ( p < 0.001) but not PIV versus IO. Time to resuscitation initiation was shorter in patients whose initial access attempt was IO, 5.8 minutes versus 6.7 minutes ( p = 0.015). This was more pronounced in patients arriving to the hospital with no established access (5.7 minutes vs. 7.5 minutes, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Intraosseous is as fast as PIV and more likely to be successful compared with other access strategies in hypotensive trauma patients. Patients whose initial access attempt was IO were resuscitated more expeditiously. Intraosseous access should be considered a first line therapy in hypotensive trauma patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic/Care Management; Level II.

Implementation of an evidence-based accelerated pathway: can hospital length of stay for children with blunt solid organ injury be safely decreased?

BACKGROUND: Recent work has demonstrated that an accelerated pathway for pediatric patients with blunt solid organ injuries is safe; however, this is not well-studied in a dual trauma center. We hypothesized that implementation of an accelerated pathway would decrease length of stay (LOS) and hospitalization cost without increased mortality. METHODS: Retrospective review of patients < 15 years presenting to a dual level 1 trauma center between 2015 and 2020 with traumatic blunt liver and splenic injuries. Patients presenting pre- and post-protocol implementation were compared. The primary outcome was total hospital LOS. Secondary outcomes were number of lab draws, intensive care unit (ICU) LOS, cost of hospitalization, readmissions within 30 days, and mortality. RESULTS: 103 patients were evaluated, 67 pre-protocol and 63 post-protocol. LOS was significantly shorter post-protocol (2 days vs. 4 days, p < 0.001). The ICU LOS was unchanged. There was a decrease in direct hospitalization cost per patient from $6,246 pre-protocol to $4,294 post-protocol (p = 0.001). There was one readmission post-protocol and none pre-protocol. There were no deaths. CONCLUSION: Implementation of an accelerated pathway for management of blunt solid organ injury at a dual trauma center was associated with decreased LOS and decreased costs with no increased morbidity or mortality.

Fatal cardiac injury sustained from an air gun: Case report with review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Traditionally promoted as "toy guns," air guns have long been used by children and lack many regulatory guidelines compared to conventional firearms. However these weapons possess serious lethal potential and have led to numerous injuries and deaths. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We describe a 21 year old man who sustained a penetrating cardiac wound from a pellet gun that led to cardiac tamponade and death. Post-mortem examination showed the pellet had penetrated the left ventricle and anterior esophagus with subsequent intraluminal migration into the stomach. DISCUSSION: Review of the literature identified 39 other cases of penetrating cardiac injuries from air guns. Sternotomy was the most frequently used surgical approach and the right and left ventricles were the most commonly affected chambers. Bullet embolization was the most frequently reported complication. Including our case, five deaths related to penetrating cardiac injury from air guns were identified. CONCLUSIONS: This report highlights the seriousness of air guns and demonstrates a unique intra-thoracic injury.

Minimally invasive surgical management of penetrating chest injury from kinetic impact bean bag projectile.

Bean bag guns are considered "non-lethal" weapons used by law enforcement. There are emerging reports in the medical literature on management of penetrating, intrathoracic injuries and none were found that involve potential cardiac complications. We present a case of a penetrating bean bag involving the pericardium. A young, adult man was shot in the left axillary region by law enforcement and presented hemodynamically stable. Computed Tomography (CT) demonstrated a bean bag anterolateral to the pericardium, associated with a small pulmonary contusion and hemopneumothorax. He underwent a left tube thoracostomy and sub-xiphoid pericardial window with cardiopulmonary bypass on standby. The diagnostic pericardial window showed no pericardial effusion and the foreign body extraction was successfully performed through the subxiphoid incision via Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery. There were no intra-operative or post-operative complications.

Timing of Surgery and Internal Medicine Clerkships and Surgery Shelf Examination Scores.

BACKGROUND: Many medical students believe that third-year clerkship rotation sequence affects their success. We hypothesized that students who completed the internal medicine clerkship before the surgery clerkship received higher surgery shelf examination scores compared with the students who did not. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Deidentified academic data including preclinical data and National Board of Medical Examiners shelf examination scores for surgery for all third-year medical students at a single institution from 2012 to 2017 were analyzed. Students who did not complete all six core clerkships during the standard third-year time frame were excluded. Data were analyzed using 2-tailed t-tests and Z-scores. RESULTS: Four hundred and twenty four students were included in the study. Average undergraduate grade point average, Medical College Admission Test scores, and United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 scores showed no significant differences between groups. In aggregate, average shelf examination scores of students who completed the internal medicine clerkship before the surgery clerkship were significantly higher than those of students who did not. When the average shelf examination scores for the two groups were analyzed by individual rotation slot, no significant difference was found between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Initially, it appeared that students who completed the internal medicine clerkship before the surgery clerkship scored higher on their surgery shelf examinations. When the data were analyzed by individual rotation slot, we found no difference between the students who had already completed the internal medicine clerkship and those who had not. Experience over the year rather than completion of the internal medicine rotation was associated with higher surgery shelf examination scores.

Team-based simulations for new surgeons: Does early and often make a difference?

BACKGROUND: Current work hour restrictions and the expansion of requirements for surgery residents has led to decreased time on high-acuity rotations such as trauma and acute care surgery. In an effort to improve resident competency, we examined the efficacy of a new team-based trauma curriculum for postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) residents. METHODS: After completing required Advanced Trauma Life Support certification, PGY1s participated in a series of trauma simulations in 3-person teams from June to August. Scenarios were created to develop skills related to trauma management, teamwork, and communication. Each simulation was followed by video-based debriefing with a faculty facilitator. Clinical performance on a 1-month trauma rotation during the year was assessed by trauma faculty using a 24-item evaluation assessing management of acutely ill patients, leadership, communication, cooperation, and professionalism on a 1 (poor) to 5 (very effective) scale. Performance metrics of this intern class were compared with 2 years of previous cohorts who had not participated in any trauma-focused simulation curricula. One-way analysis of variance was used to examine differences in performance ratings across groups. RESULTS: The 2015 intern class (n = 30) each participated in 6 scenarios during their first 2 months in residency. Trauma as intended specialty and performance on preinternship Advanced Trauma Life Support course were similar across 2013, 2014, and 2015 cohorts. Average performance on the trauma rotation was 3.55 ± 0.56 for the 2013 cohort (n = 11), 3.50 ± 0.57 for the 2014 cohort (n = 11), and 4.35 ± 0.68 for the 2015 cohort (n = 12). Post hoc analyses indicated no difference between means of the 2013 and 2014 cohort. However, the mean of the 2015 cohort was statistically significantly better than both the 2013 cohort (P < .01) and the 2014 cohort (P < .01). CONCLUSION: Trauma-focused simulation improved PGY1 faculty ratings of performance in the clinical setting compared with previous cohorts with no such simulation experience. Adoption of these curricula is both feasible and beneficial.

The Parkland grading scale for cholecystitis.

BACKGROUND: Gallbladders (GBs) with severe inflammation have longer operative times and an increased risk for complications. We propose a grading system using intraoperative images to better stratify GB inflammation. METHODS: After reviewing the intraoperative images of GBs obtained during several hundred laparoscopic cholecystectomies, we developed a five-tiered grading system based on anatomy and inflammatory changes. Fifty intraoperative photographs were taken prior to dissection and then distributed to 11 surgeons who rated each GB's severity per the grading system. The two-way random effects Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) was used to assess the reliability among the raters. RESULTS: The ICC among the raters of GB severity was 0.804 (95% CI: 0.733 to 0.867; p = 0.0001). Nineteen GB images had greater than 82% agreement and 16 were clustered around GBs with severe inflammation (grades 3-5). CONCLUSION: This study proposes a simple, reliable grading system that characterizes GB complexity based on inflammation and anatomy.

Randomized controlled trial comparing dynamic simulation with static simulation in trauma.

BACKGROUND: Current general surgery residents have limited exposure to open trauma operative cases. Simulation supplements variable rotation volume and provides experience with critical but rarely performed procedures. Open simulation classically focuses on static models with anatomic accuracy but lacks practicality when hemorrhage control is the lifesaving maneuver. We sought to evaluate whether training on a dynamic simulator, while much less expensive than training on a static cadaver, might be at least as effective in training surgery residents to expeditiously place temporary vascular shunts (TVSs). METHODS: Our research team developed an inexpensive, reusable dynamic simulator with ongoing hemorrhage to instruct trainees in the steps of TVS placement. We enrolled 54 general surgery residents in a noninferiority randomized controlled trial comparing training of TVS placement on the dynamic simulator (n = 28) versus a cadaver arm (n = 26). After standardized video didactics, trainees practiced on either the simulator or cadaver arm. After the trainees achieved competency, they were tested on placing a TVS for a live swine femoral artery injury. Two blinded trauma surgeons evaluated the recorded performances. RESULTS: Residents did not differ in baseline characteristics between groups, and all residents in both groups successfully completed the TVS placement test. Subjects trained on the simulator placed the TVS faster than those trained on a cadaver (584 seconds vs. 751 seconds; difference, +167 seconds faster; 90% confidence interval [CI], +52 to +282 seconds), with a trend toward faster time to hemorrhage control (110 seconds vs. 148 seconds; difference, +38 seconds faster; 90% CI, -8 to +84). There was no significant difference in Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills scores (3.72 vs. 3.44; difference, +0.27 units better; 90% CI, -0.04 to +0.59). CONCLUSION: Training on a dynamic simulator resulted in noninferior time to completion of vascular shunt placement compared with training on a cadaver. The addition of dynamic hemorrhage to simulators might inexpensively augment trauma skills training.

Do more with less: a surgery directed institutional model for resident central line training.

BACKGROUND: Simulation training can improve proficiency in central line placement, but it is expensive and resource intensive. The authors developed a 3-phase approach to central venous catheter placement training, including an online module, mannequin-based simulation using a single faculty member, followed by department directed clinical observation. The hypothesis was that standardizing institutional central venous catheter placement training would maintain training efficiency and reduce faculty and resource demands. METHODS: Preintervention and postintervention assessments of the trainees' performance were collected to evaluate program effectiveness. Program surveys were collected to evaluate residents' satisfaction and comfort with the procedure. Resource utilization was compared between the period before program implementation and the 2 following years. RESULTS: Mean pretest to posttest scores for the online module improved significantly from 7.0 to 8.4 in 2010 and from 7.1 to 8.4 in 2011. Video evaluation demonstrated significant improvement across all postgraduate year levels. Surveys revealed high resident satisfaction and increased procedural confidence. Overall resource costs and faculty requirements decreased. CONCLUSIONS: A standardized training program for an entire institution can maintain quality while being more cost effective than traditional central venous catheter placement training.