Full and Partial Thickness Burns from Spontaneous Combustion of E-Cigarette Lithium-Ion Batteries with Review of Literature.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) has increased worldwide. Most electronic nicotine delivery systems use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which are relatively safe, but in rare cases these batteries can spontaneously combust, leading to serious full and partial thickness burn injuries. Explosions from lithium-ion batteries can cause a flash fire and accelerant-related burn injuries. CASE REPORT: A retrospective chart review was conducted of 3 patients with lithium-ion battery burns seen at our Level I community-based trauma center. Clinical presentation, management, and outcome are presented. All 3 patients sustained burn injuries (total body surface area range 5-13%) from the spontaneous combustion of lithium-ion batteries used for e-cigarettes. All patients were treated with debridement and local wound care. All fully recovered without sequelae. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Emergency physicians can expect to treat burn cases due to spontaneous lithium-ion battery combustion as e-cigarette use continues to increase. The cases presented here are intended to bring attention to lithium-ion battery-related burns, prepare physicians for the clinical presentation of this burn mechanism, and facilitate patient education to minimize burn risk.

Fulminant Overwhelming Necrotizing Vibrio vulnificus Sepsis Secondary to Oyster Consumption.

Vibrio vulnificus is an opportunistic gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria found in warm, low salinity waters. Transmission through open wounds or consumption of contaminated seafood can lead to wound infections, sepsis, and potentially death. A 44-year-old man with a history of poly-substance abuse, cirrhosis, and recent oyster consumption presented to the emergency department in June with acute onset bilateral leg pain associated with rash and fever. Within 6 hours of his arrival, the rash rapidly progressed to large bullae with extensive necrosis ascending to the level of the abdomen, and he developed septic shock. Despite prompt surgical intervention and appropriate antibiotic and resuscitative therapies, the patient had progressive multi-system organ failure and died 7 days after admission. Concurrent necrotizing fasciitis with sepsis secondary to V. vulnificus infection is rare and potentially fatal, as demonstrated in this case.

Integral Use of Thromboelastography With Platelet Mapping to Guide Appropriate Treatment, Avoid Complications, and Improve Survival of Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019-Related Coagulopathy.

OBJECTIVES: Coagulopathy of coronavirus disease 2019 is largely described as hypercoagulability, yet both thrombotic and hemorrhagic complications occur. Although therapeutic and prophylactic anticoagulant interventions have been recommended, empiric use of antifactor medications (heparin/enoxaparin) may result in hemorrhagic complications, including death. Furthermore, traditional (antifactor) anticoagulation does not address the impact of overactive platelets in coronavirus disease 2019. The primary aim was to evaluate if algorithm-guided thromboelastography with platelet mapping could better characterize an individual's coronavirus disease 2019-relatedcoagulopathic state and, secondarily, improve outcomes. DESIGN SETTING AND PATIENTS: Coronavirus disease 2019 patients (n = 100), receiving thromboelastography with platelet mapping assay upon admission to an 800-bed tertiary-care hospital, were followed prospectively by a hospital-based thromboelastography team. Treating clinicians were provided with the option of using a pre-established algorithm for anticoagulation, including follow-up thromboelastography with platelet mapping assays. Two groups evolved: 1) patients managed by thromboelastography with platelet mapping algorithm (algorithm-guided-thromboelastography); 2) those treated without thromboelastography with platelet mapping protocols (non-algorithm-guided). Outcomes included thrombotic/hemorrhagic complications, pulmonary failure, need for mechanical ventilation, acute kidney injury, dialysis requirement, and nonsurvival. INTERVENTIONS: Standard-of-care therapy with or without algorithm-guided-thromboelastography support. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Although d-dimer, C-reactive protein, and ferritin were elevated significantly in critically ill (nonsurvivors, acute kidney injury, pulmonary failure), they did not distinguish between coagulopathic and noncoagulopathic patients. Platelet hyperactivity (maximum amplitude-arachidonic acid/adenosine diphosphate > 50 min), with or without thrombocytosis, was associated with thrombotic/ischemic complications, whereas severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 100,000/µL) was uniformly fatal. Hemorrhagic complications were observed with decreased factor activity (reaction time > 8 min). Non-algorithm-guided patients had increased risk for subsequent mechanical ventilation (relative risk = 10.9; p < 0.0001), acute kidney injury (relative risk = 2.3; p = 0.0017), dialysis (relative risk = 7.8; p < 0.0001), and death (relative risk = 7.7; p < 0.0001), with 17 of 28 non-algorithm-guided patients (60.7%) dying versus four algorithm-guided-thromboelastography patients (5.6%) (p < 0.0001). Thromboelastography with platelet mapping-guided antiplatelet treatment decreased mortality 82% (p = 0.0002), whereas non-algorithm-guided (compared with algorithm-guided-thromboelastography) use of antifactor therapy (heparin/enoxaparin) resulted in 10.3-fold increased mortality risk (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Thromboelastography with platelet mapping better characterizes the spectrum of coronavirus disease 2019 coagulation-related abnormalities and may guide more tailored, patient-specific therapies in those infected with coronavirus disease 2019.

Clinical Diagnosis of Infection in Surgical Intensive Care Unit: You're Not as Good as You Think!

Background: Because of the everincreasing costs and the complexity of institutional medical reimbursement policies, the necessity for extensive laboratory work-up of potentially infected patients has come into question. We hypothesized that intensivists are able to differentiate between infected and non-infected patients clinically, without the need to pan-culture, and are able to identify the location of the infection clinically in order to administer timely and appropriate treatment. Methods: Data collected prospectively on critically ill patients suspected of having an infection in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) was obtained over a six-month period in a single tertiary academic medical center. Objective evidence of infection derived from laboratory or imaging data was compared with the subjective answers of the three most senior physicians' clinical diagnoses. Results: Thirty-nine critically ill surgical patients received 52 work-ups for suspected infections on the basis of signs and symptoms (e.g., fever, altered mental status). Thirty patients were found to be infected. Clinical diagnosis differentiated infected and non-infected patients with only 61.5% accuracy (sensitivity 60.3%; specificity 64.4%; p = 0.0049). Concordance between physicians was poor (κ = 0.33). Providers were able to predict the infectious source correctly only 60% of the time. Utilization of culture/objective data and SICU antibiotic protocols led to overall 78% appropriate initiation of antibiotics compared with 48% when treatment was based on clinical evaluation alone. Conclusion: Clinical diagnosis of infection is difficult, inaccurate, and unreliable in the absence of culture and sensitivity data. Infection suspected on the basis of signs and symptoms should be confirmed via objective and thorough work-up.

Enhancing patient safety in the trauma/surgical intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Preventable deaths due to errors in trauma patients with otherwise survivable injuries account for up to 10% of fatalities in Level I trauma centers, 50% of these errors occur in the intensive care unit (ICU). The root cause of 67% of the Joint Commission sentinel events is communication errors. The objective is (1) to study how critical information degrades and how it is lost over 24 hours and (2) to determine whether a structured checklist for ICU handoffs prevents information loss. METHODS: Prospective cohort study of trauma and surgical ICU teams observed with and without use of the checklist. An observational period (control group) was followed by a didactic session on the science and use of a checklist (study group), which was used for patient management and handoffs. Information was tracked for a 24-hour period and all handoffs. Comparisons use chi or Fisher's exact test and a p value <0.05 was defined as significant. RESULTS: Three hundred and thirty-two patient ICU days were observed (119 control, 213 study) and 689 patient care items (303 control, 386 study) were followed. Seventy-five (10.9%) items were lost over 24 hours; 61 of 303 (20.1%) without checklist and 14 of 386 (3.6%) with checklist (p < 0.0001). Critical laboratory values and test results were the most frequent lost items (36.1% control vs. 4.5% study p < 0.0001). Six of 75 (8.1%) items were correctly ordered but not carried out by ICU nursing staff--all caught and corrected with checklist use. CONCLUSION: Critical information is degraded over 24 hours in the ICU. A structured checklist significantly reduces patient errors due to lost information and communication lapses between trauma ICU team members at handoffs of care.

Melanosis Coli: A Case of Mistaken Identity-A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Melanosis coli is a condition in which the colon develops a brown to black discoloration. It is associated with chronic laxative use and frequently diagnosed incidentally during colonoscopy or histopathologic evaluation. CASE PRESENTATION: A 74-year-old woman presented to the Emergency Department with severe abdominal pain and bilious emesis. During a cecal volvulus repair, her melanosis coli was nearly misdiagnosed as bowel ischemia. DISCUSSION: Melanosis coli is a diagnostic finding that can easily be confused with bowel ischemia, which may create a dilemma for the surgeon who is attempting to make a decision regarding the extent of a colonic resection. As such, a pathology consult is warranted in any patient with suspected ischemic colitis and concerns for concomitant melanosis coli.

Investigating Clinical and Cost Burdens of Law Enforcement-Related K9 Injuries: The Impact of "the Bite" on a Community Hospital.

The decision to introduce canines (K9s) to a law enforcement (LE) agency does not typically involve the evaluation of the fiscal or clinical impact on local hospitals. This study compared injury, cost, and care associated with K9s to a common nonlethal force method, the Thomas A Swift Electrical Rifle (TASER), to highlight the cost and resources required to treat both patient types. Patients treated for LE-related K9 and TASER injuries at a Level I community-based trauma center (2011-2016) were evaluated for level of care required (e.g., surgeon/specialist), clinical interventions, proxy medical costs, and length of stay (LOS). Nearly one-third of K9 patients required tertiary-level medical care. The cost of treating the K9-inflicted injuries (n = 75) was almost twice as costly as care for patients subdued with a TASER (n = 80); the K9 patients had significantly (one-tailed t tests) higher medical costs (P = 0.036), required more medical procedures (P = 0.014), and had longer LOS (P = 0.0046) than the TASER patients. Patients with K9 injuries had higher acuity and were significantly more expensive to treat with longer LOS than TASER injuries. LE agencies considering establishing and operating a K9 unit should initiate discussions with their local medical first responders and health-care facilities regarding the capabilities to treat severe K9 injuries to ensure adequate resource allocation.

Necrotizing Fasciitis Resulting from an Anastomotic Leak after Colorectal Resection.

One of the most feared complications in colorectal surgery is an anastomotic leak (AL) following a colorectal resection. While various recommendations have been proposed to prevent this potentially fatal complication, anastomotic leaks still occur. We present a case of an AL resulting in a complicated and fatal outcome. This case demonstrates the importance of high clinical suspicion, early recognition, and immediate management.

Inclusion of the Acute Care Surgeon in the Difficult Airway Protocol: A Nine-Year Experience.

An emergency surgical airway is a lifesaving intervention required in the event of airway loss or respiratory failure when conventional endotracheal intubation cannot be performed. The Acute Care Surgery/Trauma Service is a critical component in the angioedema/difficult airway protocol at our institution. We conducted a retrospective review (2007-2016) to analyze the role our service has in managing patients requiring an emergency surgical airway. Cases were analyzed for preexisting conditions, hospital location of procedure, techniques, complications, and mortality. Our protocol involves early coordination between anesthesia and the Acute Care Surgery/Trauma Service for patients with a potentially difficult airway. If anesthesia is unable to intubate the patient, a surgical airway is performed. Patients are preemptively taken to the operating room (OR) if stable for transport. There were 43 surgical airways performed during the study period. All patients had a failed attempt with oral endotracheal intubation. The most common factors associated with these patients were history of tracheostomy, angioedema, or difficult anatomy. Nineteen (44%) of the surgical airways were performed in the OR. Three deaths (7%) occurred from cardiac or respiratory arrest despite the emergency procedure. No immediate deaths occurred in the patients taken to the OR. Early coordination in patients with a difficult airway is another hospital resource that the acute care surgeon can provide to improve patient outcomes.

A unique case of popliteal artery transection after a motorcycle collision.

Popliteal artery injuries may have devastating consequences if not recognized in a timely fashion. The risk of delayed diagnosis of a vascular injury is particularly high in blunt trauma to the lower extremity. We present a case of popliteal artery injury that is unusual in two respects: severity (a complete transection in the setting of a blunt injury) and lack of clinical and radiographic signs of the commonly associated musculoskeletal injuries.

Intraoperative rescue extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and damage control during repair of a traumatic aortic injury.

A 21-year-old male involved in a motorcycle crash presented with abdominal hemorrhage and a widened mediastinum on chest radiograph. He required an initial exploratory laparotomy for mesenteric injuries. An aortic injury was confirmed on computed tomography imaging and he subsequently underwent attempted endovascular repair. During that procedure, the patient experienced massive thoracic hemorrhage with cardiac arrest and profound respiratory failure. Damage-control thoracic surgery and rescue extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were successfully utilized with a favorable outcome.

Lightning Burns and Electrical Trauma in a Couple Simultaneously Struck by Lightning.

More people are struck and killed by lightning each year in Florida than any other state in the United States. This report discusses a couple that was simultaneously struck by lightning while walking arm-in-arm. Both patients presented with characteristic lightning burns and were admitted for hemodynamic monitoring, serum labs, and observation and were subsequently discharged home. Despite the superficial appearance of lightning burns, serious internal electrical injuries are common. Therefore, lightning strike victims should be admitted and evaluated for cardiac arrhythmias, renal injury, and neurological sequelae.

Acute Care/Trauma Surgeon's role in obstetrical/gynecologic emergencies (The OBCAT Alert).

BACKGROUND: Overwhelming hemorrhage or other intra-abdominal complications may be associated with obstetrical or gynecologic (OB/GYN) procedures and may require the surgical training of an Acute Care/Trauma Surgeon. The OB Critical Assessment Team (OBCAT Alert) was developed at our institution to facilitate a multidisciplinary response to complex OB/GYN cases. We sought to review and characterize the Acute Care/Trauma Surgeon's role in these cases. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of all emergency consults during an OB/GYN case at our institution from 2008 to 2015. An OBCAT is a hospital based alert system designed to immediately notify OB/GYN, anesthesiology, Acute Care/Trauma, the intensive care unit (ICU), and the blood bank of a potential emergency during an OB/GYN case. RESULTS: There were 7±3 OBCAT alerts/year. Seventeen patients required Acute Care/Trauma surgery intervention for hemorrhage. Thirteen patients required damage control packing during their hospitalization. Blood loss averaged 6.8±5.5 L and patients received a total of 21±14 units during deliveries with hemorrhage. There were 17 other surgical interventions not related to hemorrhage; seven of these cases were related to adhesions or intestinal injury. Seven additional cases required evaluation post routine OB/GYN procedure; the most common reason was for severe wound complications. There were three deaths during this study period. CONCLUSION: Emergency OB/GYN cases are associated with high morbidity and may require damage control or other surgical techniques in cases of overwhelming hemorrhage. Acute Care/Trauma Surgeons have a key role in the treatment of these complex cases.

Medical and Surgical Management of Postpartum Hemorrhage in a Woman with Factor XIII Deficiency.

Factor XIII deficiency is a rare inherited coagulopathy. Factor XIII is the last clotting factor in the coagulation cascade to insure strength and stability to fibrin clots. Without this enzyme, the fibrous clot is unstable and nonresistant to fibrinolysis. Gravid women with this congenital disease are especially at risk for complications including miscarriages and hemorrhage without appropriate interventions. We present a case of a woman in her 20s with Factor XIII deficiency who was treated with cryoprecipitate and had a successful normal spontaneous vaginal delivery; subsequently, patient suffered from postpartum hemorrhage and consumptive coagulopathy due to consumption of Factor XIII, requiring emergency surgical intervention. Intraoperative management was challenged by an ethical dilemma involving the patient's religious beliefs about not receiving blood. This paper will discuss the mechanism of Factor XIII and the medical and surgical management involved with this patient.

Traumatic Lung Herniation following Skateboard Fall.

Lung herniation (LH) is a rare clinical entity involving the protrusion of lung outside the thoracic cage. It has a variety of etiologies and clinical presentations, making diagnosis difficult. We present a case of a 20-year-old male who reported pleuritic pain after falling from a skateboard. Evaluation through computed tomography (CT) scanning of the chest revealed an anterior lung hernia associated with rib fractures. This case emphasizes the need for clinicians to include lung herniation in the differential diagnosis of patients with trauma and inexplicable or persistent pulmonary issues.

Congenital Renal Fusion and Ectopia in the Trauma Patient.

We present two separate cases of young male patients with congenital kidney anomalies (horseshoe and crossed fused renal ectopia) identified following blunt abdominal trauma. Despite being rare, ectopic and fusion anomalies of the kidneys are occasionally noted in a trauma patient during imaging or upon exploration of the abdomen. Incidental renal findings may influence the management of traumatic injuries to preserve and protect the patient's renal function. Renal anomalies may be asymptomatic or present with hematuria, flank or abdominal pain, hypotension, or shock, even following minor blunt trauma or low velocity impact. It is important for the trauma clinician to recognize that this group of congenital anomalies may contribute to unusual symptoms such as gross hematuria after minor trauma, are readily identifiable during CT imaging, and may affect operative management. These patients should be informed of their anatomical findings and encouraged to return for long-term follow-up.

A unique case of venous air embolus with survival.

Venous air embolus (VAE) occurs when gas, specifically atmospheric air, enters into the vascular system. Although rare, they can be fatal due to risk of cardiovascular collapse. In this report, we present a unique case of a 66-year-old female trauma patient with an inferior vena cava air embolism. An overview of the potential cause is presented, along with a review of the management of VAE.

Blunt chest trauma.

Blunt aortic injury is the most lethal injury of the thorax, of which aortic transection is the second leading cause of death. Pseudoaneurysm formation is seen in patients who survive the injury and arrive to the emergency department with small or partial-thickness tears of the aorta. In general, the proximal descending aorta is most commonly afflicted due to the relatively mobile aortic arch moving against the fixed descending aorta. There are several factors associated with a high risk of aortic injury including high-speed motor vehicle collision (MVC) accidents, unrestrained drivers and passengers, extensive impact/collision and abrupt deceleration of motor vehicles. In this case study, a 28-year-old male patient with a thoracic aorta injury is presented. Diagnostic findings consistent with transection and/or dissection and a review of his surgical management are also discussed.

Unique presentation of urachal cyst disease: incidental finding to complicated infection.

Urachal remnant disease is uncommon in adults and can present with symptoms ranging from drainage near the umbilicus to a severe abdominal infection. Most cases are referred for treatment once diagnosed either clinically or radiographically with ultrasound or computerized tomography. We present a unique case of an infected urachal cyst visualized on a series of CT scans in an adult patient with abdominal pain over a period of years.