Higher center volume is significantly associated with lower mortality in trauma patients with shock.

INTRODUCTION: Injured patients presenting in shock are at high risk of mortality despite numerous efforts to improve resuscitation. Identifying differences in outcomes among centers for this population could yield insights to improve performance. We hypothesized that trauma centers treating higher volumes of patients in shock would have lower risk-adjusted mortality. METHODS: We queried the Pennsylvania Trauma Outcomes Study from 2016 to 2018 for injured patients ≥16 years of age at Level I&II trauma centers who had an initial systolic blood pressure (SBP) of <90 mmHg. We excluded patients with critical head injury (abbreviated injury score [AIS] head ≥5) and patients coming from centers with a shock patient volume of ≤10 for the study period. The primary exposure was tertile of center-level shock patient volume (low, medium, or high volume). We compared risk-adjusted mortality by tertile of volume using multivariable Cox proportional hazards model incorporating age, injury severity, mechanism, and physiology. RESULTS: Of 1,805 included patients at 29 centers, 915 (50.7%) died. The median annual shock trauma patient volume was 9 patients for low volume centers, medium 19.5, and high 37. Median ISS was higher at high volume compared to low volume centers (22 vs 18, p <0.001). Raw mortality was 54.9% at high volume centers, 46.7% for medium, and 42.9% for low. Time elapsed from arrival to emergency department (ED) to the operating room (OR) was lower at high volume than low volume centers (median 47 vs 78 min) p = 0.003. In adjusted analysis, hazard ratio for high volume centers (referenced to low volume) was 0.76 (95% CI 0.59-0.97, p = 0.030). CONCLUSION: After adjusting for patient physiology and injury characteristics, center-level volume is significantly associated with mortality. Future studies should seek to identify key practices associated with improved outcomes in high-volume centers. Furthermore, shock patient volume should be considered when new trauma centers are opened.

Adolescent Gun Violence Shows an Age Group to Focus Trauma Prevention.

INTRODUCTION: Gun violence continues to escalate in America's urban areas. Peer groups of gun wound victims are potential targets for violence prevention initiatives; identification of this cohort is pivotal to efficient deployment strategies. We hypothesize a specific age at which the incidence of penetrating trauma increases significantly in adolescence, below which should be the focus on future trauma prevention. METHODS: Adolescent trauma patients with gunshot wounds seen from July 2011 through June 2021 at a well-established, urban, academic level 1 trauma center were reviewed retrospectively and grouped by age. A linear regression and repeated measured analysis of variance evaluated the change in gunshot wound victims over this time, grouped by age. Demographics were extrapolated, and standard statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 1304 adolescent trauma patients were included. Those aged 15 y and under had an unchanged incidence of gunshot wounds. However, those aged 16 y and more experienced the majority of increased gun violence; 92% were Black and 90% were male with a mortality of 12%. Adolescents aged 15 y and below were 95% Black and 84% male, with a mortality of 18%. CONCLUSIONS: Primary prevention efforts to mitigate gun violence should be focused on adolescents below 16 y of age. Prevention of gun violence should include community outreach efforts directed toward middle school-aged children and younger, hoping to decrease the incidence of injury due to gun violence in older adolescents in the future.

Admission Triage With Pain, Inspiratory Effort, Cough Score can Predict Critical Care Utilization and Length of Stay in Isolated Chest Wall Injury.

INTRODUCTION: Damage to the thoracic cage is common in the injured patient, both when the injuries are confined to this single cavity and as part of the overall injury burden of a polytraumatized patient. In a subset of these patients, the severity of injury to the intrathoracic viscera is either underappreciated at admission or blossom over the following 48-72 h. The ability to promptly identify these patients and abrogate complications therefore requires triage of such at-risk patients to close monitoring in a critical care environment. At our institution, this triage hinges on the Pain, Inspiratory effort, Cough (PIC) score, which generates a composite unitless score from a nomogram which aggregates several variables-patient-reported Pain visual analog scale, Incentive spirometry effort, and the perceived adequacy of Cough. We thus sought to audit PIC's discriminant power in predicting intensive care unit (ICU) need. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was performed at an urban, academic, level 1 trauma center. All isolated chest wall injuries (excluded any Abbreviated Injury Score >2 in head or abdomen) from January 2020 to June 2021 were identified in the local trauma registry. The electronic medical record was queried for standard demographics, admission PIC score, postadmission destination, ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS), and any unplanned admissions to the ICU. Chi-squared tests were used to determine differences between PIC score outcomes and the recursive partitioning method correlated admission PIC score to ICU LOS. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty six isolated chest wall injury patients were identified, of whom 194 were included in the final analysis. The median age was 60 (interquartile range [IQR] 50-74) years, 63.1% were male, and the median (IQR) number of rib fractures was 3.0 (2.0-5.0). A cutoff PIC score of 7 or lower was associated with ICU admission (odds ratio [OR] 95% CI: 8.19 [3.39-22.55], P < 0.001 with a PPV = 41.4%, NPV = 91%), and with ICU admission for greater than 48 h [OR (95% CI): 26.86 (5.5-43.96), P < 0.001, with a PPV = 25.9%, NPV = 98.7%] but not anatomic injury severity score, hospital LOS or ICU, or the requirement for mechanical ventilation. The association between PIC score 7 or below and the presence of bilateral fractures, flail chest, or sternal fracture did not meet statistical significance. The accurate cut point of the PIC score to predict ICU admission over 48 h in our retrospective cohort was calculated as PIC ≤ 7 for P = 0.013 and PIC ≤ 6 for P = 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with isolated chest wall injuries require effective reproducible triage for ICU-level care. The PIC score appears to be a moderate discriminator of critical care need, per se, as judged by our recorded complication rate requiring critical care intervention. This vigilance may pay dividends in early detection and abrogation of respiratory failure emergencies. Furthermore, PIC score delineation for ICU need appears to be appropriate at 7 or less; this threshold can be used during admission triage to guide care.

Compounding Trauma: the Intersections of Racism, Law Enforcement, and Injury.

Purpose of Review: Traumatic injury sits at the nexus of law enforcement and structural racism. This narrative review aims to explore the major impacts of law enforcement on health, its intersections with US structural racism, and their joint impacts on traumatic injury and injury care. Recent Findings: Many of the same forces of systemic disadvantage that put Black people, other people of color, and other marginalized groups at risk for violent injury also expose these same individuals and communities to intensive policing. Recent evidence speaks to the broad impact of police exposure and police violence on individual and community physical and mental health. Moreover, injured patients who are exposed to law enforcement during their care are at risk for erosion of trust in and relationships with their healthcare providers. To optimize the role of law enforcement agencies in injury prevention, collaboration across sectors and with communities is essential. Summary: A broad approach to the prevention of injury and violence must incorporate an understanding of the intersecting impacts of law enforcement and structural racism on health and traumatic injury. Clinicians who seek to provide trauma-informed injury care should incorporate an understanding of the role of law enforcement in individual and community health.

First rib fracture: A harbinger of severe trauma?

BACKGROUND: Prior to routine CT scanning, first rib fractures (FRFs) were considered a harbinger of great vessel injuries. We hypothesized FRFs identified on screening CXR have significant associated injuries, while those identified on CT alone do not. METHODS: We reviewed adult blunt thoracic trauma patients 2014-2015 to identify all FRFs and then tabulated demographics, injury characteristics, and outcomes. RESULTS: Of 429 patients with chest trauma, 56 had a FRF. CXR diagnosed 20% and CT 80%. Those diagnosed on CXR were older (61 vs 48 p = 0.03), had more severe chest trauma (45% vs 13% chest AIS>3, p = 0.029), longer ICU stays (10 vs 4 days, p = 0.046), and risk for intubation (73% vs 27%, p = 0.011). There was only one major vascular injury in each group. Most FRF patients had associated injuries, including 82% with pelvic fractures. CONCLUSIONS: Widespread use of CT scanning has resulted in a 5-fold increase in FRF diagnoses. While vascular injuries are not common, especially when identified on initial CXR, FRFs correlate with morbidity and associated injuries.

Exploring residents' interest and career aspirations in global surgery.

BACKGROUND: Surgical residents increasingly seek global surgery (GS) experiences during training. Understanding their motives and goals is important to develop the optimal educational programs. A survey for surgical residents was developed to explore this interest. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey administered in 2016 to residents in three surgical programs within the same academic institution assessed interest, prior global health experience, preferred training opportunities, and career goals in GS. RESULTS: Seventy-four surgical residents responded (78%) with 82% expressing interest in GS and 86% motivated by a desire for volunteerism. International electives (65%) and volunteer missions (49%) were the preferred experiences during residency over longer commitments such as advanced degrees. A majority of residents planned to incorporate GS into their career (76%) most commonly by volunteering on missions (70%) with a smaller group aiming for a career in GS (13%). Residents with prior global health experience (n = 27, 36%) showed greater interest in GS (96% versus 72%, P = 0.02) and a commitment after residency (93% versus 68%, P = 0.02), and trended toward greater interest in GS careers (22% versus 6%, P = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS: Institutional interest in GS remains high among surgical residents, motivated primarily by a desire for volunteerism. Following training, most residents plan to participate in short-term volunteer commitments, though a small group envisions GS as part of their long-term career goals. Prior global health experience is associated with interest in GS both in the present and long term. Providing these experiences early may be a strategy to support academic interest.

Mortality after emergent trauma laparotomy: A multicenter, retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Two decades ago, hypotensive trauma patients requiring emergent laparotomy had a 40% mortality. In the interim, multiple interventions to decrease hemorrhage-related mortality have been implemented but few have any documented evidence of change in outcomes for patients requiring emergent laparotomy. The purpose of this study was to determine current mortality rates for patients undergoing emergent trauma laparotomy. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of all adult, emergent trauma laparotomies performed in 2012 to 2013 at 12 Level I trauma centers was reviewed. Emergent trauma laparotomy was defined as emergency department (ED) admission to surgical start time in 90 minutes or less. Hypotension was defined as arrival ED systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≤90 mm Hg. Cause and time to death was also determined. Continuous data are presented as median (interquartile range [IQR]). RESULTS: One thousand seven hundred six patients underwent emergent trauma laparotomy. The cohort was predominately young (31 years; IQR, 24-45), male (84%), sustained blunt trauma (67%), and with moderate injuries (Injury Severity Score, 19; IQR, 10-33). The time in ED was 24 minutes (IQR, 14-39) and time from ED admission to surgical start was 42 minutes (IQR, 30-61). The most common procedures were enterectomy (23%), hepatorrhaphy (20%), enterorrhaphy (16%), and splenectomy (16%). Damage control laparotomy was used in 38% of all patients and 62% of hypotensive patients. The Injury Severity Score for the entire cohort was 19 (IQR, 10-33) and 29 (IQR, 18-41) for the hypotensive group. Mortality for the entire cohort was 21% with 60% of deaths due to hemorrhage. Mortality in the hypotensive group was 46%, with 65% of deaths due to hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: Overall mortality rate of a trauma laparotomy is substantial (21%) with hemorrhage accounting for 60% of the deaths. The mortality rate for hypotensive patients (46%) appears unchanged over the last two decades and is even more concerning, with almost half of patients presenting with an SBP of 90 mm Hg or less dying.

Severe dysphagia requiring gastrostomy following cervical spine fracture fixation.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of severe dysphagia requiring gastrostomy tube (GT) placement following operative fixation of traumatic cervical spine fractures is unknown. Risk factors for severe dysphagia are not well identified and GT placement is often delayed due to the belief that it will resolve quickly. We hypothesized that patient and clinical factors could be used to predict severe dysphagia requiring GT placement in this population. METHODS: A retrospective multicenter review of all adult patients requiring operative fixation of cervical spine fractures was performed. Data on demographics, injury severity score, presence of spinal cord injury, operative approach, presence of severe traumatic brain injury, and the need and timing of tracheostomy and GT were collected. The timing, number and results of formal speech, and language pathology examinations were also recorded. RESULTS: 243 patients underwent cervical spine fixation for traumatic fractures, of which 72 (30%) required GT placement. Patients requiring gastrostomy were significantly older, 54 versus 45 years (p=0.002), and had higher injury severity scores at 24 versus 18 (p<0.0001). Tracheostomy was strongly associated with severe dysphagia; GT was required in 83% of patients who underwent tracheostomy versus 5% of those who did not require tracheostomy. 50% of patients underwent tracheostomy and GT on the same day after injury, with the remaining patients having an average of 9 days delay between procedures. The need for gastrostomy placement was also higher in patients undergoing combined operative approach versus anterior or posterior approach alone (p=0.02). There were no GT-related complications. CONCLUSIONS: Severe dysphagia requiring GT placement occurs commonly (30%) in patients who undergo operative fixation of cervical spine fractures. Gastrostomy placement was delayed in 50%. Tracheostomy was strongly associated with the need for GT placement. Earlier GT placement, especially in patients requiring tracheostomy, would improve patient care and disposition.