Epidemiology of trauma deaths: a reassessment.

OBJECTIVE: Recognizing the impact of the 1977 San Francisco study of trauma deaths in trauma care, our purpose was to reassess those findings in a contemporary trauma system. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All trauma deaths occurring in Denver City and County during 1992 were reviewed; data were obtained by cross-referencing four databases: paramedic trip reports, trauma registries, coroner autopsy reports and police reports. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: There were 289 postinjury fatalities; mean age was 36.8 +/- 1.2 years and mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 35.7 +/- 1.2. Predominant injury mechanisms were gunshot wounds in 121 (42%), motorvehicle accidents in 75 (38%) and falls in 23 (8%) cases. Seven (2%) individuals sustained lethal burns. Ninety eight (34%) deaths occurred in the pre-hospital setting. The remaining 191 (66%) patients were transported to the hospital. Of these, 154 (81%) died in the first 48 hours (acute), 11 (6%) within three to seven days (early) and 26 (14%) after seven days (late). Central nervous system injuries were the most frequent cause of death (42%), followed by exsanguination (39%) and organ failure (7%). While acute and early deaths were mostly due to the first two causes, organ failure was the most common cause of late death (61%). CONCLUSIONS: In comparison with the previous report, we observed similar injury mechanisms, demographics and causes of death. However, in our experience, there was an improved access to the medical system, greater proportion of late deaths due to brain injury and lack of the classic trimodal distribution.

Gut ischemia/reperfusion produces lung injury independent of endotoxin.

OBJECTIVE: Bacterial translocation from the gut has been invoked as a common inciting event for postinjury multiple organ failure. We previously showed that gut ischemia/reperfusion induces remote organ injury. The purpose of this study was to ascertain if endotoxin has a pivotal mechanistic role in this process. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized study. SETTING: Animal laboratory. SUBJECTS: Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 300 to 350 g. INTERVENTIONS: Anesthetized animals underwent 45 mins of superior mesenteric artery occlusion and 2 hrs of reperfusion; sham laparotomy served as controls. Endotoxin was eliminated with the murine immunoglobulin (Ig) M antibody E5, 3 mg/kg i.v. before the study. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Plasma endotoxin was measured by the limulus amebocyte lysate assay. At 2 hrs of reperfusion, circulating neutrophil priming was determined by the difference in superoxide generation with and without the activating stimulus, N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe. Neutrophil sequestration in the lung was quantitated by myeloperoxidase activity, and by lung endothelial permeability by 125I albumin lung/blood ratio. Endotoxin concentrations were not significantly (significance determined as p < .05) different between the gut ischemia/reperfusion and laparotomy groups (n = > or = 5) during ischemia or reperfusion. Circulating neutrophil priming, neutrophil accumulation in the lung, and lung injury were provoked by gut ischemia/reperfusion, but not altered by endotoxin elimination. CONCLUSION: Gut ischemia/reperfusion primes circulating neutrophils and produces lung injury by a mechanism independent of endotoxin.

A critical analysis of acutely injured children managed in an adult level I trauma center.

The triage of all injured children to regional pediatric trauma centers may be impractical and unnecessarily exclude adult level I trauma centers from the care of the acutely injured child. The purpose of this study was to critically evaluate the outcome of injured children treated in an adult level I trauma center by adult trauma surgeons. The records of 410 consecutively treated children (age < or = 15 years) and 188 young adults (age 16 to 18 years) admitted to the trauma service during a 2-year period (ending December 1991) were studied. The probability of survival was calculated using TRISS methodology. Results were analyzed using the Z statistic, permitting objective comparison with national norms (Major Trauma Outcome Study). Severity of injury (RTS and ISS) was equivalent (P > .05) in children and young adults. The observed survival (98.0%) in children compared favorably with the predicted survival (TRISS) of 97.7%. Calculation of the Z statistic showed no difference in outcomes of acutely injured children (+0.47) relative to young adults (+0.45) or national norms (MTOS). The triage of injured children to an adult level I trauma center does not adversely affect outcome. Subset analysis of injured children showed no differences in observed outcome relative to predicted outcome (national control) or outcome in young adults (institutional control). These data support the continued triage of acutely injured children to regional trauma centers regardless of pediatric or adult designation.

Postinjury multiple organ failure: role of extrathoracic injury and sepsis in adult respiratory distress syndrome.

Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and multiple organ failure (MOF) occur as a result of an unbridled systemic inflammatory response (i.e., severe systemic inflammatory response syndrome [SIRS]). Early epidemiologic studies concluded that infection with systemic sepsis was the common pathway for the development of ARDS and eventual MOF. As a consequence, research investigation from 1977 to 1987 focused on later clinical events (e.g., immunosuppression, persistent hypercatabolism, and bacterial translocation). Now, it is believed that an initial massive traumatic insult can create severe SIRS independent of infection (one-hit model). Alternatively, a less severe traumatic insult can create an inflammatory environment (i.e., primes the host) such that a later, otherwise innocuous, secondary inflammatory insult precipitates severe SIRS (two-hit model). As a result of these newer inflammatory models, research interest over the last 5 yrs has shifted to investigating earlier clinical events (e.g., unrecognized flow-dependent oxygen consumption, ischemia/reperfusion, and priming/activation of the inflammatory response). The traditional infection models of ARDS and MOF are applicable to current research and patient care efforts. However, the inflammatory models emphasize the pivotal role of the initial traumatic insult. Moreover, while ARDS occurs earlier than other types of overt organ failure, it is now believed that simultaneous organ injury is occurring, presumably via similar inflammatory mechanisms.

A.T.L.S. on the ski slopes--a steamboat experience.

The Steamboat Mountain Ski Patrol incorporates local emergency physicians and a visiting trauma surgeon as a second-tier response to life-threatening mountain events. The case of a 48-year-old man surviving a potentially lethal postinjury tension pneumothorax and a review of the 1989-1990 major trauma experience on this ski mountain underscores the value of this concept.

Angiographic artifacts that simulate arterial pathology in acute trauma.

Films from 246 angiograms performed for acute trauma were reviewed for artifacts that mimic arterial pathology. The population studied was young (mean age 31.8 years), and preexisting arterial disease was uncommon. Thirty patients (12%) exhibited 35 artifactual abnormalities. Artifacts included stationary wave formation (15 patients), admixture in the leading edge of the contrast column (7 patients) or streaming from the inside aspect of an arterial curve (13 patients), Mach bands (8 patients), and abnormal densities caused by the mishandling of film (1 patient) or discharge of static electricity (1 patient). These artifacts have typical morphologic appearances and locations that allow differentiation from pathological processes that manifest as intraluminal filling defects or arterial wall irregularity.

The benefits of 7.5% NaCl/6% dextran 70 (HSD) for prehospital resuscitation of hemorrhagic shock: improved oxygen transport.

The purpose of this study was to compare the benefit of small volume hypertonic saline/dextran (HSD) versus the risk of obligatory time to administer it on-scene in a model of acute hemorrhagic shock. Dogs were bled to a mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 20 mmHg and then randomized to either: a) direct transport to the emergency department (ED) or b) 10 min delay to insert an iv HSD (4 ml/kg) infusion over 5 min, and then transport. The animals receiving HSD had improved (P less than 0.05) cardiac work and oxygen consumption during transport (MAP = 59 +/- 3 vs 38 +/- 4 mmHg; cardiac index (CI) = 3.2 +/- 0.2 vs 1.3 +/- 0.1 L min-1 M-2; O2CI = 115 +/- 7 vs 104 +/- 7 ml min-1 M-2), paralleled by reduced serum lactate (5.3 +/- 0.8 vs 7.0 +/- 2.3 mmol/L) and decreased metabolic acidosis. The benefits of HSD in attenuating shock-induced oxygen debt were corroborated by lower O2CI (98 +/- 4 vs 112 +/- 5 ml min-1 M-2) and higher pH (7.30 +/- 0.01 vs 7.24 +/- 0.02) in the postresuscitation period.

The benefits of 7.5 NaCl/6 dextran 70 (HSD) for prehospital resuscitation of hemorrhagic shock: improved oxygen transport

The purpose of this study was to compare the benefit of small volume hyperonic saline/dextran (HSD) versus the risk of obligatory time to administer it on-scene in a model of acute hemorrhagic shock. Dogs were bled to a mean arteiral pressure (MAP) of 20 mmHg and the randomized to either: a) direct transport to the emergency department (ED) or b) 10 min delay to insert an iv HSD (4 ml/Kg) infusion over 5 min, and then transport. The animals receiving HSD had improved (P<0.05) cardiac work and oxigen consumption during transport (MAP = 59 ñ 3 vs 38 ñ 4 mmHg; cardiac index (CI) = 3.2 ñ 0.2 vs 1.3 ñ 0.1 L min-1 M-2; O2CI = 115 ñ 7 vs 104 ñ 7 mlmin-1M-2), paralleled by reduced serum lactate (5.3 ñ 0.8 vs 7.0 ñ 2.3 mmol/L) and decreased metabolic acidosis. The benefitsof HSD in attenuating shock-induced oxygen debt were corroborated by lower O2CI(98 ñ 4 vs 112 ñ 5 ml min-1 M-2) and higher pH (7.30 ñ 0.01 vs 7.24 ñ 0.02) in the postresuscitation period

Free intraperitoneal rupture of a pancreatic pseudocyst: a presentation of acute abdominal trauma.

A rare case of traumatic rupture of a pancreatic pseudocyst is presented. Its unique aspect is definitive pseudocyst drainage via a Roux-en-Y cystjejunostomy at initial laparotomy.