Thromboelastography Use to Guide Resuscitation and Antivenom Administration after Gaboon Viper Bite.

The Gaboon viper (Bitis gabonica) is an exotic snake native to sub-Saharan Africa. Gaboon viper venom is an extremely toxic hemotoxin, causing severe coagulopathy and local tissue necrosis. These are not aggressive snakes and therefore bites involving humans are rare and there is not a substantial amount of literature documenting how to manage these injuries and resultant coagulopathies. We report a 29-year-old male presenting 3 hours after a Gaboon viper envenomation resulting in coagulopathy requiring massive resuscitation and multiple doses of antivenom. The patient received various blood products based on thromboelastography (TEG) and also underwent early continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) to assist in correction of severe acidosis and acute renal failure. The combination of TEG to guide resuscitation, administration of antivenom, and early implementation of CRRT allowed our team to correct venom-induced consumptive coagulopathy and ultimately allow the patient to survive following this extremely deadly Gaboon viper envenomation.

The Trauma Activation Review Committee: Response to Undertriage During a Period of Rapid Growth at a Level II Trauma Center.

Trauma triage criteria are constantly being refined for improved identification of severely injured patients. When errors occur, they should be tracked, and triage criteria adjusted to minimize these events. Two time periods of trauma registry data at a single rural level II trauma center were retrospectively compared to evaluate demographics, injuries, and outcomes to identify triage errors. In 300 activated trauma patients during 2011, overtriage was 23% and undertriage was 3.7%. In 1035 activated trauma patients during 2019, overtriage was 20.5% and undertriage was 2.2%. Mortality decreased over time overall. In 2019, Trauma I patients were older, spent more time on the ventilator, and in the ICU (all P < .001). Trauma II patients were also older, had lower ISS, hospital days, and ventilator days (all P < .001). During rapid growth, evaluation of overtriage and undertriage can provide useful feedback for hospital staff to refine triage choices and improve patient outcomes.

Rib Fractures With Concomitant Spinal Fractures May Benefit From Surgical Stabilization.

Surgical stabilization of rib fractures has demonstrated benefits in patients with complex thoracic injuries. Limited information exists regarding patients with thoracic injuries and concomitant spinal injuries. We hypothesized that patients who suffer both thoracic cage and spinal fractures and undergo surgical fixation (FIX) will have improved outcomes compared to non-fixation (NFIX) patients. In our retrospective review, adult patients with rib injuries from 2015 to 2019 were pooled from the National Trauma Data Bank. Mortality with FIX rib fractures with spinal fractures decreased by 6.1% vs the NFIX group. Mortality of FIX of rib fractures without spinal fractures decreased by 2.2% vs the NFIX group. Patients with rib fractures with concomitant spinal fracture (RFWSF) are more likely to receive rib FIX than those with rib fractures without spinal fractures. Rib FIX in patients with RFWSF vs those with RFWO facilitates less ventilators days and shorter ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS) as well as decreases mortality.

Small Rotational Changes of the Chest on Portable Chest Films Produce Large Displacements of Test Projectiles in the Cardiac Box.

The cardiac box has been used to guide the management of trauma patients for decades. However, improper imaging can lead to erroneous assumptions about operative management in this patient population. In this study, we used a thoracic model to demonstrate imaging's effect on chest radiography. The data demonstrate that even small changes in rotation can lead to large discrepancies in results.

Inter-facility transfers for burn patients with concomitant traumatic injuries.

Burn patients with concomitant traumatic injuries suffer increased morbidity and mortality. Complex care coordination is necessary for these patients, and the prevalence of resulting inter-facility transfers has not yet been quantified by literature. This study examined the outcomes for traumatically injured burn patients to identify the occurrence of trauma system transfers in this group. The National Trauma Data Bank was reviewed from the years 2007-2016 for 6,565,577 patients with traumatic, burn, and concomitant burn & traumatic injuries. There were 5068 patients with both traumatic and burn injuries, 145,890 patients with burn injuries, and 6,414,619 patients with traumatic injuries. Trauma/burn patients were more often admitted to the ICU from the ED at a rate of 35.5% compared to 27.1% for burn and 19.4% for trauma (P < 0.001). For disposition when discharged from the hospital, trauma/burn patients required more inter-facility transfers at a rate of 2.5% compared to 1.7% for burn and 1.3% for trauma (P < 0.001). For level I trauma centers, 5.5% of trauma/burn, 7.1% of burn, and 0.5% of trauma patients required inter-facility transfers. For level II trauma centers, 29.1% of trauma/burn, 47.0% of burn, and 2.8% of trauma patients required inter-facility transfers. Among level I and level II trauma centers, patients with only burns and burn patients with concomitant traumatic injuries required more inter-facility transfers, and level II trauma centers required more inter-facility transfers for all patients. Quantifying these findings is the first step toward improving triage decisions and allocation of health care resources while expediting appropriate care.

Reconstruction After Grizzly Bear Attack in Wyoming.

Bear attacks are rare, although global incidents have been increasing. Injury patterns of bear attacks against humans consistently include injuries to the face, head, neck, chest, and upper extremities. Here, we have a brief report of a 59-year-old male hunter who was attacked by a grizzly bear in Wyoming. He sustained multiple lacerations to his face which included an avulsion of his nose and upper lip, as well as extensive associated facial fractures. Additional injuries included soft tissue and bony injuries to the upper extremities. He underwent 53 operations during his first hospitalization, primarily of facial reconstruction, which required nose and upper lip replant to his arm. His course was complicated by pressure ulcers, bacteria, acute kidney injury, and a urinary tract infection. After successful coordinated multidisciplinary care and a prolonged hospitalization, he was ultimately discharged to his home.

Coronavirus-Associated Coagulopathy After Trauma.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is linked with a hypercoagulable state called COVID-19-associated coagulopathy (CAC). Due to elevated levels of factor VIII and fibrinogen as well as inflammation-linked hyperviscosity of blood, the risk for venous thromboembolism is increased in patients who have CAC. We report the case of a patient with recent COVID-19 infection and no other past medical history who presented after a motorcycle collision with left middle and distal femur fractures, who underwent retrograde intramedullary nailing, and then developed immediate massive bilateral pulmonary emboli. The patient was treated with tissue plasminogen activator administration via bilateral pulmonary artery thrombolysis catheters without improvement, and was then placed on venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for subsequent cardiogenic shock. During a 58-day hospital stay, the patient recovered and was discharged with a good long-term prognosis. In this report, we discuss CAC, the role of surgical critical care in the management of the disease, and issues specific to this patient's disease process and treatment.

Obesity is Not Associated With Need for Skin Grafting After Hidradenitis Excision.

INTRODUCTION: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, debilitating disease associated with inflammation, recurrent abscesses, and fistulae of skin containing apocrine sweat glands. We hypothesize that the need for skin grafting after vacuum-assisted closure was decreased with increasing body mass index (BMI). METHODS: Seventy-one consecutive patients with excisions for HS were retrospectively evaluated for demographic data, number of excisions, the total area of excised skin, need for skin grafting, and BMI. Patients were stratified for BMI and underwent logistic regression to compare all other variables. RESULTS: Average for BMI was 30.8 ± 7.72, age was 36.89 ±13.52, area excised was 743 cm2 ± 774 cm2, mean operating room trips were 2.62 ± 1.59, and skin grafting was 0.52 ± 0.55. Patients were 60% male. Forty out of 71 patients were obese. There was no correlation between age, BMI, sex, thenumber of excisions, amount of skin excised, or need for a skin graft. There was a statistically significant relationship between the amount of skin excised and the need for skin grafting (P = .006). CONCLUSIONS: The amount of skin affected by HS appears to be independent of patient BMI. The need for skin grafting is solely dependent upon the amount of tissue excised. APPLICABILITY OF RESEARCH TO PRACTICE: This knowledge will help preoperative planning for all patients with HS, regardless of BMI.

The end of the assembly line: Shifting patterns of automotive burns.

INTRODUCTION: As recently as 2006, carburetor flash burns comprised as much as 27% of admissions for car-related burns, despite the fact carburetors were last installed in pre-1990 automobiles. The prevalence of this injury pattern is related to the estimated 14 million cars on the road today that were manufactured prior to that year. The aim of this study was to investigate modern sources of automotive burns and describe any new trends in automotive burn-related epidemiology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of all burn admissions from the years 2009-2013 to identify patients who suffered automotive-related burns. Pediatric patients (<18 years old) were excluded. Demographic information including age, gender, mechanism of injury, occupation, TBSA, number of operations, and length of hospital stay were recorded. RESULTS: From 2009-2013, the burn center saw 83 admissions for automotive-related burns. 14.5% of patients were mechanics. The most common injury pattern was from radiator burns (47%), followed by gasoline related burns (30%). There were only two carburetor burns (2.4%). 67.4% of patients were treated for less than two hospital days and there was one death (1.2% mortality). CONCLUSION: Despite the removal of carburetors from engines and a decrease in this specific mechanism, a significant morbidity remains with gasoline-inflicted burns. More public awareness is needed for the safe removal of radiator caps and handling of chemicals in overheating engines.

Damage control hip disarticulation: two-stage operation with index creation of a large medial flap for the septic hip.

BACKGROUND: Although rarely performed, hip disarticulation (HD) is usually used for the patient with a non-viable leg who is also in extremis. HD was first used for trauma and infection; however, the technique was perfected during the age of hindquarter amputation for osteosarcomas. The operation performed by most surgeons today is still based on the oncological principles of high vessel control and ligation. When this approach has been used in the overwhelmingly infected or mangled extremity, it has resulted in high mortality rates. During the last 20 years, the concept of damage control operation has been embraced by emergency surgeons in all fields. We sought to extrapolate this concept and to apply it to the non-viable lower extremity. METHODS: We describe a new concept of damage control HD, review the technique and discuss our consecutive series of nine patients who underwent the procedure for trauma or necrotizing infection without flap dehiscence or mortality. RESULTS: All patients survived to hospital discharge. At time of discharge or at follow-up, six of the nine patients were able to transfer to a wheelchair. DISCUSSION: Proper disarticulations for infection need to address these two operative and postoperative issues: damage control debridement with creation of sufficient flap size and thorough postoperative wound care.Level IV.

Minimizing Time to Plasma Administration and Fresh Frozen Plasma Waste: A Multimodal Approach to Improve Massive Transfusion at a Level 1 Trauma Center.

Massive transfusion protocols are part of damage control resuscitation for hemorrhaging trauma patients with the goal of returning the patient to hemodynamic stability. It is essential that patients receive blood products immediately and in the proper ratios. At our metropolitan Level 1 trauma center, we identified several challenges to deploying massive transfusion rapidly and within the recommended ratio guidelines. In 2016, we implemented a quality improvement project addressing 4 opportunities: fresh frozen plasma (FFP) bag breakage, plasma options, blood bank equipment, and multidisciplinary policy revision. Implementing packaging and shipping improvements, utilization of new products, and updating protocols have resulted in a 50% decrease in FFP bag breakage rates, a dramatic decrease in time for patients receiving massive transfusion to receive plasma products (mean time 3.5 min), and patients being administered the recommended ratio of blood products.

Levamisole-induced Necrosis Syndrome: Presentation and Management.

Levamisole is an antihelminthic drug with immunomod- ulatory properties. Recent estimates suggest the majority of the cocaine in the United States is adulterated with levamisole. Le- vamisole-induced necrosis syndrome (LINES) is characterized by vasculitis, neutropenia, and purpura that progresses to skin necro- sis. Diagnosis relies on physical examination ndings and history of previous cocaine use. The purpose of this case series is to describe the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of LINES. The au- thors' institutional database was reviewed from 2008 to 2015, and they found 3 patients with LINES. Subsequent management and outcomes data are discussed. Patients had a variety of outcomes ranging from local wound care to necrosis and amputation of pha- langes. Patients with LINES can have a wide variety of outcomes; thus, this syndrome must be aggressively managed. Psychotherapy should also be utilized to help patients with further cocaine use. Levamisole-induced necrosis syndrome incidence is expected to in- crease, and all providers should be aware of this patient population.

Marjolin's Ulcer in Chronic Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Rare Complication of an Often Neglected Disease.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, debilitating disease with definitive treatment consisting of wide surgical excision of all affected tissue. Originally described in burns, Marjolin's ulcer (MU) has been described in a variety of wound types, including hidradenitis. HS patients often have long delays to diagnosis and management of their chronic wounds, leading to increased risk of MU. A retrospective review of our burn database was performed from 2008 to 2014. Seventy-two consecutive patients taken to the operating room for HS were retrospectively evaluated for demographic data, number of excisions, total area of excised skin, need for skin grafting, pathology results, and outcome. Fifty-eight percent of patients were male. Mean age was 36.88 ± 13.52 years. Mean size of excision was 743.71 ± 774.75 cm. Total number of operative procedures was 187, averaging 2.612 per patient, with 52% of patients undergoing skin grafting. Two patients had confirmed pathology of squamous cell carcinoma. Both were women with perineal HS and had metastatic disease on further workup. Both patients underwent chemotherapy and radiation with progression of their disease. The incidence of MU of 2.78% in this study is similar to the 2% incidence described historically in the burn population. All practitioners who treat HS patients should be aware of the devastating complication of MU arising in the chronic wound bed. We recommend that all excised tissue be sent to pathology for evaluation, and to consider early wide local excision of any chronically inflamed tissues to alleviate the risk of MU for this patient population.

Management of adult pancreatic injuries: A practice management guideline from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic injury to the pancreas is rare but is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, including fistula, sepsis, and death. There are currently no practice management guidelines for the medical and surgical management of traumatic pancreatic injuries. The overall objective of this article is to provide evidence-based recommendations for the physician who is presented with traumatic injury to the pancreas. METHODS: The MEDLINE database using PubMed was searched to identify English language articles published from January 1965 to December 2014 regarding adult patients with pancreatic injuries. A systematic review of the literature was performed, and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework was used to formulate evidence-based recommendations. RESULTS: Three hundred nineteen articles were identified. Of these, 52 articles underwent full text review, and 37 were selected for guideline construction. CONCLUSION: Patients with grade I/II injuries tend to have fewer complications; for these, we conditionally recommend nonoperative or nonresectional management. For grade III/IV injuries identified on computed tomography or at operation, we conditionally recommend pancreatic resection. We conditionally recommend against the routine use of octreotide for postoperative pancreatic fistula prophylaxis. No recommendations could be made regarding the following two topics: optimal surgical management of grade V injuries, and the need for routine splenectomy with distal pancreatectomy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Systematic review, level III.