Risk Factors and Management of Blunt Inferior Vena Cava Injury: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic inferior vena cava (IVC) injuries are uncommon, but the mortality rate remains high at 38-70%. To date, most studies on traumatic IVC injuries have evaluated blunt rather than penetrating injuries. We aimed to identify the clinical features and risk factors that affect the prognosis of patients with blunt IVC injuries to improve treatment strategies for these patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients diagnosed with blunt IVC injury over 8 years at a single trauma center. Clinical and biochemical parameters; transfusion, surgical, and resuscitation methods; associated injuries; intensive care unit stay; and complications data were compared between survival and death groups to identify clinical features and risk factors of blunt IVC injury-related mortality. RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients with blunt IVC injury were included during the study periods. Twenty-five (89%) patients underwent surgical treatment, and the mortality was 54%. The mortality rate according to the IVC injury location was the lowest for supra-hepatic IVC injury (25%, n = 2/8), whereas it was the highest for retrohepatic IVC injury (80%, n = 4/5). In the logistic regression analysis, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) (odds ratio [OR] = 0.566, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.322-0.993], p = 0.047) and red blood cell (RBC) transfusion for 24 h (OR = 1.132, 95% CI [0.996-1.287], p = 0.058) were independent predictors for mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Low GCS score and high-volume packed RBC transfusion requirements for 24 h were significant predictors of mortality in patients with blunt IVC injuries. Unlike IVC injuries caused by penetrating trauma, supra-hepatic IVC injuries caused by blunt trauma have a good prognosis.

Ketamine versus etomidate for rapid sequence intubation in patients with trauma: a retrospective study in a level 1 trauma center in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Ketamine and etomidate are commonly used as sedatives in rapid sequence intubation (RSI). However, there is no consensus on which agent should be favored when treating patients with trauma. This study aimed to compare the effects of ketamine and etomidate on first-pass success and outcomes of patients with trauma after RSI-facilitated emergency intubation. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 944 patients who underwent endotracheal intubation in a trauma bay at a Korean level 1 trauma center between January 2019 and December 2021. Outcomes were compared between the ketamine and etomidate groups after propensity score matching to balance the overall distribution between the two groups. RESULTS: In total, 620 patients were included in the analysis, of which 118 (19.9%) were administered ketamine and the remaining 502 (80.1%) were treated with etomidate. Patients in the ketamine group showed a significantly faster initial heart rate (105.0 ± 25.7 vs. 97.7 ± 23.6, p = 0.003), were more hypotensive (114.2 ± 32.8 mmHg vs. 139.3 ± 34.4 mmHg, p < 0.001), and had higher Glasgow Coma Scale (9.1 ± 4.0 vs. 8.2 ± 4.0, p = 0.031) and Injury Severity Score (32.5 ± 16.3 vs. 27.0 ± 13.3, p < 0.001) than those in the etomidate group. There were no significant differences in the first-pass success rate (90.7% vs. 90.1%, p > 0.999), final mortality (16.1% vs. 20.6, p = 0.348), length of stay in the intensive care unit (days) (8 [4, 15] (Interquartile range)), vs. 10 [4, 21], p = 0.998), ventilator days (4 [2, 10] vs. 5 [2, 13], p = 0.735), and hospital stay (days) (24.5 [10.25, 38.5] vs. 22 [8, 40], p = 0.322) in the 1:3 propensity score matching analysis. CONCLUSION: In this retrospective study of trauma resuscitation, those receiving intubation with ketamine had greater hemodynamic instability than those receiving etomidate. However, there was no significant difference in clinical outcomes between patients sedated with ketamine and those treated with etomidate.

Mid-Term Outcomes of Nonoperative Management for Patients with Grade III Blunt Thoracic Aortic Injury.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of our study was to assess the mid-term outcomes of the patients with grade III blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) who were treated non-operatively and to determine the specific conditions for successful NOM. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients with grade III BTAI at a single level 1 trauma center between January 2012 and March 2020, and compared the demographics and outcomes of NOM and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). We also examined the factors contributing to the selection of NOM by calculating the odds ratios for age, sex, initial systolic blood pressure, injury severity score, abbreviated injury scale score, pseudoaneurysm/neck (P/N) ratio, and comorbidity. RESULTS: In total, 46 adults were included. Thirty patients underwent NOM and 19 underwent TEVAR. The time from injury to computed tomography, hospital days, intensive care unit length of stay, and follow-up period showed no difference between the two groups. Aorta-related mortality was not observed in either group. Two patients (7.4%) in the NOM group experienced an increase in pseudoaneurysms: one of them underwent delayed surgical repair without complications, and the other maintained regular follow-up. The odds ratio for selecting NOM was significant when the P/N ratio was < 1.30 (OR = 4.687 [95% CI, 1.229-17.882], p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that carefully selected patients with BTAI grade III could be observed nonoperatively or treated by delayed intervention on outpatient basis, and a P/N ratio < 1.30 can be used as a cutoff to decide treatment options for BTAI grade III.

National Follow-up Survey of Preventable Trauma Death Rate in Korea.

BACKGROUND: The preventable trauma death rate survey is a basic tool for the quality management of trauma treatment because it is a method that can intuitively evaluate the level of national trauma treatment. We conducted this study as a national biennial follow-up survey project and report the results of the review of the 2019 trauma death data in Korea. METHODS: From January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019, of a total of 8,482 trauma deaths throughout the country, 1,692 were sampled from 279 emergency medical institutions in Korea. All cases were evaluated for preventability of death and opportunities for improvement using a multidisciplinary panel review approach. RESULTS: The preventable trauma death rate was estimated to be 15.7%. Of these, 3.1% were judged definitive preventable deaths, and 12.7% were potentially preventable deaths. The odds ratio for preventable traumatic death was 2.56 times higher in transferred patients compared to that of patients who visited the final hospital directly. The group that died 1 hour after the accident had a statistically significantly higher probability of preventable death than that of the group that died within 1 hour after the accident. CONCLUSION: The preventable trauma death rate for trauma deaths in 2019 was 15.7%, which was 4.2%p lower than that in 2017. To improve the quality of trauma treatment, the transfer of severe trauma patients to trauma centers should be more focused.

An Evaluation of the Effect of Performance Improvement and Patient Safety Program Implemented in a New Regional Trauma Center of Korea.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the impact of the performance improvement and patient safety (PIPS) program implemented in 2015 on outcomes for trauma patients in a regional trauma center established by a government-led project for a national trauma system in Korea. METHODS: The PIPS program was based on guidelines by the World Health Organization and American College of Surgeons. The corrective strategies were proceeded according to the loop closure principle: data-gathering and monitoring, identification of preventable trauma deaths (PTDs), evaluation of preventable factors, analysis of findings, and corrective action plans. We established guidelines and protocols for trauma care, conducted targeted education and peer review presentations for problematic cases, and enhanced resources for improvement accordingly. A comparative analysis was performed on trauma outcomes over a four-year period (2015-2018) since implementing the PIPS program, including the number of trauma team activation and admissions, time factors related to resuscitation, ventilator duration, and the rate of PTDs. RESULTS: Human resources in the center significantly increased during the period; attending surgeons responsible for trauma resuscitation from 6 to 11 and trauma nurses from 85 to 218. Trauma admissions (from 2,166 to 2,786), trauma team activations (from 373 to 1,688), and severe cases (from 22.6 to 33.8%) significantly increased (all P < 0.001). Time to initial resuscitation and transfusion significantly decreased from 120 to 36 minutes (P < 0.001) and from 39 to 16 minutes (P < 0.001). Time to surgery for hemorrhage control and decompressive craniotomy improved from 99 to 54 minutes (P < 0.001) and 181 to 135 minutes (P = 0.042). Ventilator duration and rate of PTDs significantly decreased from 6 to 4 days (P = 0.001) and 22.2% to 8.4% (P = 0.008). CONCLUSION: Implementation of the PIPS program resulted in improvements in outcomes at a regional trauma center that has just been opened in Korea. Further establishment of the PIPS program is required for optimal care of trauma patients.

Analysis of the need for surgery for different anatomical locations of splenic injury and radiologic intervention.

The splenic surface can be anatomically divided into the visceral surface connected to major blood vessels and the diaphragmatic surface attached to the diaphragm. This study aimed to investigate differences in future treatment and outcomes according to the anatomical location of splenic injuries following abdominal trauma. Patients who were treated at a single trauma center between January 2011 and April 2018 were included. The presence of lacerations or hematoma on the visceral surface was evaluated via computed tomography. Differences in the location of splenic surgery between a group that underwent surgical or radiologic intervention and a group that received conservative care only were analyzed. Of 355 patients with splenic injury analyzed, the total mortality rate was 15.2%. A total of 167 patients underwent surgery and angiographic embolization, and 168 received conservative care only. Splenic injuries involved the visceral surface in 127 and 105 patients in the respective groups. Significant differences in the incidence of splenic injuries involving the visceral surface were found between the two groups in the univariate and logistic regression analyses. The likelihood of needing surgery and treatments such as embolization was higher for cases of splenic injury involving the visceral surface than for splenic injuries that did not involve the visceral surface. Through additional research, it may become possible to analyze the location of a splenic injury to determine an effective and safe method of treatment and accurately predict a prognosis. Clin. Anat. 33:516-521, 2020. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Trauma Versus Nontrauma Intensive Care Unit Nursing: A Workload Comparison.

BACKGROUND: Trauma centers with dedicated trauma intensive care units (TICUs) have recently been developed in South Korea. It is hypothesized that TICU nurse staffing is driven not only by the number of patients but also by the work intensity. This study aims to compare nursing workload characteristics between TICUs and non-TICUs. METHODS: A 1-year retrospective study was performed in one TICU and five non-TICUs in a single trauma center from September 2014 to August 2015. Demographic data were collected along with nursing workload characteristics using the Workload Management System of Critical Care Nurses (WMSCN) score. RESULTS: A total of 332 trauma patients in the TICU and 2,346 nontrauma patients in non-TICUs were studied. TICU patients were younger (49.27 vs. 60.44, p < .001) and more frequently male (75.6% vs. 24.4%, p < .001). The most common admission reasons were motor vehicle crash (38.6%) and cardiovascular conditions (24.9%). Both intensive care unit and hospital length of stay were longer in TICU patients (12.72 vs. 5.43, p < .001; and 35.61 vs. 18.16, p < .001), whereas the mortality rates in the TICU were lower (11.1% vs. 15.1%, p < .001). Total WMSCN scores were significantly higher in the TICU (115.99 vs. 110.19; p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: This study found that nursing workload or work intensity was significantly higher in the TICU than in non-TICUs. Further multicenter studies using objective medical severity scores are warranted.

Sign of Life is Associated with Return of Spontaneous Circulation After Resuscitative Thoracotomy: Single Trauma Center Experience of Republic of Korea.

BACKGROUND: Resuscitative thoracotomy (RT) can be a lifesaving treatment, but it has not yet been performed in Korea. In this study, we review our experience of RT after a regional trauma center was constructed. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of RT conducted at a single Korean trauma center from May 2014 to March 2018. The primary outcome was survival, and the secondary outcome was return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). The clinical characteristics of the patients were compared between the ROSC and non-ROSC groups. Survivors were also reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 62 patients were reviewed, and 60 patients had experienced blunt injury. Thirty-nine patients had ROSC. The ROSC group had short cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) time (6 [2-10] min vs 11 [8-12] min, p < 0.001), the presence of sign of life at the trauma bay [32 (86.5%) vs 7 (28.0%), p < 0.001], and a low Injury Severity Score [26 (25-39) vs 37 (30-75), p = 0.038] compared to the non-ROSC group. On multivariate analysis, only the presence of sign of life was significantly associated with ROSC [11.297 (1.496-85.309) OR (95% CI), p = 0.019]. The 24-h survival rate was 8.1%, and the successful discharge rate was 4.8%. CONCLUSION: The outcome of RT in a Korean trauma center was favorable. ROSC after RT was strongly associated with the presence of sign of life, and RT may be performed in the presence of sign of life regardless of prehospital CPR time.

Erratum: Correction of Author Order: Reduced Mortality by Physician-Staffed HEMS Dispatch for Adult Blunt Trauma Patients in Korea.

This corrects the article on p. 1656 in vol. 31, PMID: 27550497.

Efficacy of Uncross-Matched Type O Packed Red Blood Cell Transfusion to Traumatic Shock Patients: a Propensity Score Match Study.

A new blood bank system was established in our trauma bay, which allowed immediate utilization of uncross-matched type O packed red blood cells (UORBCs). We investigated the efficacy of UORBC compared to that of the ABO type-specific packed red blood cells (ABO RBCs) from before the bank was installed. From March 2016 to February 2017, data from trauma patients who received UORBCs in the trauma bay were compared with those of trauma patients who received ABO RBCs from January 2013 to December 2015. Propensity matching was used to overcome retrospective bias. The primary outcome was 24-hour mortality, while the secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS). Data from 252 patients were reviewed and UORBCs were administered to 64 patients. The time to transfusion from emergency room admission was shorter in the UORBC group (11 [7-16] minutes vs. 44 [29-72] minutes, P < 0.001). After propensity matching, 47 patients were included in each group. The 24-hour mortality (4 [8.5%] vs. 9 [13.8%], P = 0.135), in-hospital mortality (14 [29.8%] vs. 18 [38.3%], P = 0.384), and ICU LOS (9 [4-19] days vs. 5 [0-19] days, P = 0.155) did not differ significantly between groups. The utilization of UORBCs resulted in a faster transfusion but did not significantly improve the clinical outcomes in traumatic shock patients in this study. However, the tendency for lower mortality in the UORBC group suggested the need for a large study.

Reduced Mortality by Physician-Staffed HEMS Dispatch for Adult Blunt Trauma Patients in Korea.

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency of domestic physician-staffed helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) for the transport of patients with severe trauma to a hospital. The study included patients with blunt trauma who were transported to our hospital by physician-staffed HEMS (Group P; n = 100) or nonphysician-staffed HEMS (Group NP; n = 80). Basic patient characteristics, transport time, treatment procedures, and medical treatment outcomes assessed using the Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) were compared between groups. We also assessed patients who were transported to the hospital within 3 h of injury in Groups P (Group P3; n = 50) and NP (Group NP3; n = 74). The severity of injury was higher, transport time was longer, and time from hospital arrival to operation room transfer was shorter for Group P than for Group NP (P < 0.001). Although Group P patients exhibited better medical treatment outcomes compared with Group NP, the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.134 vs. 0.730). However, the difference in outcomes was statistically significant between Groups P3 and NP3 (P = 0.035 vs. 0.546). Under the current domestic trauma patient transport system in South Korea, physician-staffed HEMS are expected to increase the survival of patients with severe trauma. In particular, better treatment outcomes are expected if dedicated trauma resuscitation teams actively intervene in the medical treatment process from the transport stage and if patients are transported to a hospital to receive definitive care within 3 hours of injury.

Central Venous Catheter-Related Infection in Severe Trauma Patients.

AIM: To evaluate the CVC-related infection rate according to catheter insertion site and to analyze the risk factors for catheter-related local infections (CRLI) and bloodstream infections (CRBSI) among severe trauma patients. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 736 severe trauma patients with an Injury Severity Score of >15. Poisson regression was used to compare the infection rates according to the catheter insertion sites. Univariate analysis of the groups with and without CVC-related infection was used to identify confounding variables for inclusion in multivariate models that were used to identify the risk factors for CRLI and CRBSI. RESULTS: We evaluated 1646 catheter insertions and their duration of insertion and found 1241 subclavian (18,461 days), 251 internal jugular (3454 days), and 154 femoral catheters (1526 days). The CRLI infection rate per 1000 catheter days was significantly lower for subclavian, compared to that for internal jugular (4.83 vs. 9.55, respectively; P < 0.001) and femoral catheters (4.83 vs. 7.93, respectively; P = 0.013). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that catheter insertion duration [odds ratio (95 % confidence interval): 1.035 (1.021-1.050), P < 0.001] and subclavian access [0.532 (0.366-0.775), P < 0.001] were significantly associated with CRLI, while catheter insertion duration [1.024 (1.002-1.046), P = 0.032] was significantly associated with CRBSI. CONCLUSIONS: To reduce the rate of CVC-related infections in severe trauma patients, we suggest that catheters be shifted from the internal jugular or femoral veins to the subclavian vein as soon as possible and that the duration of catheter insertion should be minimized.

Management of severe blunt liver injuries by applying the damage control strategies with packing-oriented surgery: experiences at a single institution in Korea.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was conducted to investigate effective management strategies for patients with severe blunt liver injuries. METHODOLOGY: Treatment methods and outcomes of 77 patients with grade IV-V damage among patients with liver injury managed between 2009 and 2013 were investigated. RESULTS: Of the 77 patients, 32 were managed surgically. Packing was performed in 29 of these patients, while 26 also underwent liver surgery to maximize the hemostatic effect of packing. All 32 underwent temporary abdominal closure, and the mean amount of blood products used in the first 24 hours after admission included packed red blood cell, 13.3 units; fresh frozen plasma, 12.4 units; and platelets, 12.2 units, very close to 1:1:1. A total of 9 of 77 (11.7%) patients and 8 of 32 who underwent the operation died (operative mortality rate, 25%). Liver-related uncontrolled hemorrhage contributing to death occurred in four patients (12.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Although nonoperative management can first be pursued if the patient's condition allows for it, hemodynamic instability and evidence of peritonitis requires surgical management. Surgical management should abide by the damage control surgery principles that focus on packing to minimize surgical time, followed by aggressive critical care according to damage control resuscitation.

Effective transport for trauma patients under current circumstances in Korea: a single institution analysis of treatment outcomes for trauma patients transported via the domestic 119 service.

In Korea, which still lacks a well-established trauma care system, the inability to transport patients to adequate treatment sites in a timely manner is a cause of low trauma patient survival. As such, this study was conducted to serve as a basis for the establishment of a future trauma transport system. We performed a comparative analysis of the transport time, and treatment outcomes between trauma victims transported by ground ambulance (GAMB) and those transported via the helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) through the National Emergency Management Agency's 119 reporting system, which is similar to the 911 system of the United States, from March 2011 to May 2014. The HEMS-transported patients received treatment instructions, by remote communication, from our trauma specialists from the time of accident reporting; in certain instances, members of the trauma medical staff provided treatment at the scene. A total of 1,626 patients were included in the study; the GAMB and HEMS groups had 1,547 and 79 patients, respectively. The median transport time was different between 2 groups (HEMS, 60 min vs. GAMB, 47 min, P<0.001) but for all patients was 49 min (less than the golden hour). Outcomes were significantly better in the HEMS compared to the GAMB, using the trauma and injury severity score (survival rate, 94.9% vs. 90.5%; Z score, 2.83 vs. -1.96; W score, 6.7 vs. -0.8). A unified 119 service transport system, which includes helicopter transport, and the adoption of a trauma care system that allows active initial involvement of trauma medical personnel, could improve the treatment outcome of trauma patients.

Impact of a Rounding Checklist Implementation in the Trauma Intensive Care Unit on Clinical Outcomes.

We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an intensive care unit (ICU) round checklist, FAST HUGS BID (Feeding, Analgesia, Sedation, Thromboembolic prophylaxis, Head-of-bed elevation, Ulcer prophylaxis, Glycemic control, Spontaneous breathing trial, Bowel regimen, Indwelling catheter removal, and De-escalation of antibiotics-abbreviated as FD hereafter), in improving clinical outcomes in patients with severe trauma. We included patients admitted to our trauma ICU from 2016 to 2020 and divided them into two groups: before (before-FD, 2016-2017) and after (after-FD, 2019-2020) implementation of the checklist. We compared patient characteristics and clinical outcomes, including ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS) and in-hospital mortality. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariable logistic regression models; furthermore, multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify independent factors associated with ICU and hospital LOS. Compared with the before-FD group, the after-FD group had significantly lower in-hospital mortality and complication rates, shorter ICU and hospital LOS, and reduced duration of mechanical ventilation. Moreover, implementation of the checklist was a significant independent factor in reducing ICU and hospital LOS and in-hospital mortality. Implementation of the FD checklist is associated with decreased ICU and hospital LOS and in-hospital mortality.

Successful treatment of a blunt retrohepatic vena cava injury using an atriocaval shunt without sternotomy or thoracotomy: a case report.

Retrohepatic vena cava (RHIVC) injury is often fatal and can be very difficult to manage. Total hepatic vascular isolation, a shunt, or bypass surgery is required for the surgical treatment of RHIVC injury in hemodynamically unstable patients; however, these are not easy procedures. Here, we present a case of RHIVC injury that was successfully treated by atriocaval shunt placement via a transdiaphragmatic incision without sternotomy or thoracotomy. In addition, we review the resuscitation and surgical procedures used for total hepatic vascular isolation in patients with RHIVC injury.

Early experience with resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta for unstable pelvic fractures in the Republic of Korea: a multi-institutional study.

PURPOSE: Recently, trauma centers in the Republic of Korea introduced resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) for application in severe pelvic fracture cases. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of REBOA and its associated factors in enhancing survival. METHODS: Data from patients with severe pelvic injuries at two regional trauma centers from 2016 to 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were dichotomized into REBOA and no-REBOA groups, and patient characteristics and clinical outcomes were compared using 1:1 propensity score matching. Additional survival-based analysis was performed in the REBOA group. RESULTS: REBOA was performed in 42 of the 174 patients with pelvic fractures. As patients in the REBOA group had more severe injuries than did patients in the no-REBOA group, 1:1 propensity score matching was performed to adjust for severity. After matching, 24 patients were included in each group and mortality was not significantly different (REBOA 62.5% vs. no-REBOA 41.7%, P = 0.149). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed no significant differences in mortality between the two matched groups (log-rank test, P = 0.408). Among the 42 patients treated with REBOA, 14 survived. Shorter REBOA duration (63 [40-93] vs. 166 [67-193] min, P = 0.015) and higher systolic blood pressure before REBOA (65 [58-76] vs. 54 [49-69] mmHg, P = 0.035) were associated with better survival. CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of REBOA has not been definitively established; however, it was not associated with increased mortality in this study. Additional studies are required to better understand how REBOA can be effectively used for treatment.

Trauma system establishment and outcome improvement: a retrospective national cohort study in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: Trauma is a major cause of mortality, disability, and health care costs worldwide. The establishment of a trauma system is known to solve these problems, but few studies have objectively evaluated the impact of a trauma system on outcomes. Since 2012, South Korea has established a national trauma system based on the implementation of 17 regional trauma centers nationwide and the improvement of the prehospital transfer system. This study aimed to measure the changes in performance and outcome according to the established national trauma system. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this national cohort-based, retrospective follow-up observational study, the authors calculated the preventable trauma death rate (PTDR) by conducting a multipanel review of patients who died in 2015, 2017, and 2019. Furthermore, the authors constructed a risk-adjusted mortality prediction model of 4 767 876 patients between 2015 and 2019 using the extended-International Classification of Disease Injury Severity Scores to compare outcomes. RESULTS: The PTDR was lower in 2019 than in 2015 (15.7 vs. 30.5, P <0.001) and 2017 (15.7 vs. 19.9%, P <0.001) representing 1247 additional lives saved in 2019 compared to that in 2015. In the risk-adjusted model, total trauma mortality was highest in 2015 at 0.56%, followed by that in 2016 and 2017 (0.50%), 2018 (0.51%), and 2019 (0.48%), revealing a significant decrease in mortality over the years ( P <0.001 for trend), representing nearly 800 additional lives saved. The number of deaths for more severe patients with a probability of survival less than 0.25 significantly decreased from 81.50% in 2015 to 66.17% in 2019 ( P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The authors observed a significant reduction in the PTDR and risk-adjusted trauma mortality in the 5-year follow-up since 2015 when the national trauma system was established. These findings could serve as a model for low-income and middle-income countries, where trauma systems are not yet established.

Changes in the characteristics of trauma patients after the early COVID-19 outbreak: A retrospective study of a regional level 1 trauma center in Republic of Korea.

ABSTRACT: Gyeonggi-do (Gyeonggi province) has the second highest number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the Republic of Korea after Seoul, with approximately 25% of the COVID-19 patients as of January 2021. Our center is a level I trauma center located in south Gyeonggi-do, and we aimed to evaluate whether the characteristics of trauma patients changed after the COVID-19 pandemic.We retrospectively reviewed the trauma patients registered with the Korea Trauma Database of the Center from February 2019 to January 2021. The patients were dichotomized into pre-coronavirus disease (pre-COVID) and coronavirus disease (COVID) groups, and their trauma volumes, injury characteristics, intentionality, and outcomes were compared.A total of 2628 and 2636 patients were included in the pre-COVID and COVID groups, respectively. During the COVID-19 period, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, and penetrating injury cases increased, and pedestrian traffic accidents, slips, and injury by machines decreased. The average daily number of patients in the COVID group was lower in March (5.6 ±â€Š2.6/day vs 7.2 ±â€Š2.4/day, P = .014) and higher in September (9.9 ±â€Š3.2/day vs 7.7 ±â€Š2.0/day, P = .003) compared to the pre-COVID group. The COVID group also had a higher ratio of direct admissions (67.5% vs 57.2%, P < .001), proportion of suicidal patients (4.1% vs 2.7%, P = .005), and injury severity scores (14 [9-22] vs 12 [4-22], P < .001) than the pre-COVID group. The overall mortality (4.7% vs 4.9%, P = .670) and intensive care unit length of stay (2 [0-3] days vs 2 [0-4] days, P = .153) was not different between the 2 groups.Although the total number of patients did not change, the COVID-19 pandemic affected the number of monthly admissions and the injury mechanisms changed. More severely injured patients were admitted directly to the trauma center.