Sex disparities in adverse outcomes after surgically managed isolated traumatic spinal injury.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic spinal injury (TSI) encompasses a wide range of injuries affecting the spinal cord, nerve roots, bones, and soft tissues that result in pain, impaired mobility, paralysis, and death. There is some evidence suggesting that women may have different physiological responses to traumatic injury compared to men; therefore, this study aimed to investigate if there are any associations between sex and adverse outcomes following surgically managed isolated TSI. METHODS: Using the 2013-2019 TQIP database, all adult patients with isolated TSI, defined as a spine AIS ≥ 2 with an AIS ≤ 1 in all other body regions, resulting from blunt force trauma requiring spinal surgery, were eligible for inclusion in the study. The association between the sex and in-hospital mortality as well as cardiopulmonary and venothromboembolic complications was determined by calculating the risk ratio (RR) after adjusting for potential confounding using inverse probability weighting. RESULTS: A total of 43,756 patients were included. After adjusting for potential confounders, female sex was associated with a 37% lower risk of in-hospital mortality [adjusted RR (95% CI): 0.63 (0.57-0.69), p < 0.001], a 27% lower risk of myocardial infarction [adjusted RR (95% CI): 0.73 (0.56-0.95), p = 0.021], a 37% lower risk of cardiac arrest [adjusted RR (95% CI): 0.63 (0.55-0.72), p < 0.001], a 34% lower risk of deep vein thrombosis [adjusted RR (95% CI): 0.66 (0.59-0.74), p < 0.001], a 45% lower risk of pulmonary embolism [adjusted RR (95% CI): 0.55 (0.46-0.65), p < 0.001], a 36% lower risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome [adjusted RR (95% CI): 0.64 (0.54-0.76), p < 0.001], a 34% lower risk of pneumonia [adjusted RR (95% CI): 0.66 (0.60-0.72), p < 0.001], and a 22% lower risk of surgical site infection [adjusted RR (95% CI): 0.78 (0.62-0.98), p < 0.032], compared to male sex. CONCLUSION: Female sex is associated with a significantly decreased risk of in-hospital mortality as well as cardiopulmonary and venothromboembolic complications following surgical management of traumatic spinal injuries. Further studies are needed to elucidate the cause of these differences.

Early Tracheostomy in Older Trauma Patient Is Associated With Comparable Outcomes to Younger Cohort.

INTRODUCTION: Early tracheostomy (ET) is associated with a lower incidence of pneumonia (PNA) and mechanical ventilation duration (MVD) in hospitalized patients with trauma. The purpose of this study is to determine if ET also benefits older adults compared to the younger cohort. METHODS: Adult hospitalized trauma patients who received a tracheostomy as registered in The American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program from 2013 to 2019 were analyzed. Patients with tracheostomy prior to admission were excluded. Patients were stratified into 2 cohorts consisting of those aged ≥65 and those aged <65. These cohorts were analyzed separately to compare the outcomes of ET (<5 d; ET) versus late tracheostomy (LT) (≥5 d; LT). The primary outcome was MVD. Secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality, hospital length of stay (HLOS), and PNA. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed with significance defined as P value < 0.05. RESULTS: In patients aged <65, ET was performed within a median of 2.3 d (interquartile range, 0.47-3.8) after intubation and a median of 9.9 d (interquartile range, 7.5-13) in the LT group. The ET group's Injury Severity Score was significantly lower with fewer comorbidities. There were no differences in injury severity or comorbidities when comparing the groups. ET was associated with lower MVD (d), PNA, and HLOS on univariate and multivariate analyses in both age cohorts, although the degree of benefit was higher in the less than 65 y cohort [ET versus LT MVD: 5.08 (4.78-5.37), P < 0.001; PNA: 1.45 (1.36-1.54), P < 0.001; HLOS: 5.48 (4.93-6.04), P < 0.001]. Mortality did not differ based on time to tracheostomy. CONCLUSIONS: ET is associated with lower MVD, PNA, and HLOS in hospitalized patients with trauma regardless of age. Age should not factor into timing for tracheostomy placement.

A Comparative Survey Study of In-Person Versus Virtual Trauma Peer Review Meetings.

BACKGROUND: The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma mandates regular peer review meetings for verified trauma centers. The COVID-19 pandemic forced in-person meetings to transition to an online platform. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the opinions of participants regarding the benefits and negative aspects of the virtual peer review process. We hypothesize that physicians and nurses would prefer a virtual meeting format. METHODS: An anonymous online survey of members of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma and the Society of Trauma Nurses was distributed in May and June of 2021. Demographic data and Likert scale-based responses were collected using the Research Electronic Data Capture platform. RESULTS: Invitations were sent to 1,726 physicians and 2,912 nurses. In total, 137 (8%) physicians and 141 (5%) nurses completed the survey. Both groups felt that either platform was effective in addressing opportunities for improvement in care. Physicians disagreed with the statement that anonymous online voting improved their ability to more accurately address opportunities for improvement. In total, 108 (79%) physicians and 100 (71%) nurses preferred a hybrid meeting. Only 18 (13%) physicians and 23 (16%) nurses wanted virtual meetings, whereas only 29 (21%) physicians and 36 (26%) nurses wanted in-person meetings going forward. CONCLUSIONS: Virtual and in-person trauma peer review meetings are equally effective in terms of case discussion and identifying opportunities for improvement in care. Given that most people preferred a hybrid meeting, future studies evaluating how best to incorporate and implement this format are needed.

Cresting mortality: Defining a plateau in ongoing massive transfusion.

BACKGROUND: Blood-based balanced resuscitation is a standard of care in massively bleeding trauma patients. No data exist as to when this therapy no longer significantly affects mortality. We sought to determine if there is a threshold beyond which further massive transfusion will not affect in-hospital mortality. METHODS: The Trauma Quality Improvement database was queried for all adult patients registered between 2013 and 2017 who received at least one unit of blood (packed red blood cell) within 4 hours of arrival. In-hospital mortality was evaluated based on the total transfusion volume (TTV) at 4 hours and 24 hours in the overall cohort (OC) and in a balanced transfusion cohort, composed of patients who received transfusion at a ratio of 1:1 to 2:1 packed red blood cell to plasma. A bootstrapping method in combination with multivariable Poisson regression was used to find a cutoff after which additional transfusion no longer affected in-hospital mortality. Multivariable Poisson regression was used to control for age, sex, race, highest Abbreviated Injury Scale score in each body region, comorbidities, advanced directives limiting care, and the primary surgery performed for hemorrhage control. RESULTS: The OC consisted of 99,042 patients, of which 28,891 and 30,768 received a balanced transfusion during the first 4 hours and 24 hours, respectively. The mortality rate plateaued after a TTV of 40.5 units (95% confidence interval [CI], 40-41) in the OC at 4 hours and after a TTV of 52.8 units (95% CI, 52-53) at 24 hours following admission. In the balanced transfusion cohort, mortality plateaued at a TTV of 39 units (95% CI, 39-39) and 53 units (95% CI, 53-53) at 4 hours and 24 hours following admission, respectively. CONCLUSION: Transfusion thresholds exist beyond which ongoing transfusion is not associated with any clinically significant change in mortality. These TTVs can be used as markers for resuscitation timeouts to assess the plan of care moving forward. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic and epidemiological, Level III.

Survey of surgical critical care applicant and program director views on virtual interviews for fellowship training: a Surgical Critical Care Program Directors Society sponsored study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic forced postgraduate interview processes to move to a virtual platform. There are no studies on the opinions of faculty and applicants regarding this format. The aim of this study was to assess the opinions of surgical critical care (SCC) applicants and program directors regarding the virtual versus in-person interview process. Methods: An anonymous survey of the SCC Program Director's Society members and applicants to the 2019 (in-person) and 2020 (virtual) interview cycles was done. Demographic data and Likert scale based responses were collected using Research Electronic Data Capture. Results: Fellowship and program director responses rates were 25% (137/550) and 58% (83/143), respectively. Applicants in the 2020 application cycle attended more interviews. The majority of applicants (57%) and program faculty (67%) strongly liked/liked the virtual interview format but felt an in-person format allows better assessment of the curriculum and culture of the program. Both groups felt that an in-person format allows applicants and faculty to establish rapport better. Only 9% and 16% of SCC program directors wanted a purely virtual or purely in-person interview process, respectively. Applicants were nearly evenly split between preferring a purely in-person versus virtual interviews in the future. Discussion: The virtual interview format allows applicants and program directors to screen a larger number of programs and applications. However, the virtual format is less useful than an in-person interview format for describing unique aspects of a training program and for allowing faculty and applicants to establish rapport. Future strategies using both formats may be optimal, but such an approach requires further study. Level of evidence: Epidemiologic level IV.