Pneumonectomy following penetrating trauma with ECMO as postoperative support: case report - (Lung trauma and ECMO).

BACKGROUND: Penetrating thoracic injuries have a significant risk of morbi-mortality. Despite the advancements in damage control methods, a subset of patients with severe pulmonary vascular lesions and bronchial injuries persists. In some of these cases, post-traumatic pneumonectomy is required, and perioperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support may be required due to right ventricular failure and respiratory failure. CASE DESCRIPTION: A male was brought to the emergency department (ED) with a penetrating thoracic injury, presenting with massive right hemothorax and active bleeding that required ligation of the right pulmonary hilum to control the bleeding. Subsequently, he developed right ventricular dysfunction and ARDS, necessitating a dynamic hybrid ECMO configuration to support his condition and facilitate recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Penetrating thoracic injuries with severe pulmonary vascular lesions may need pneumonectomy to control bleeding. ECMO support reduces the associated mortality by decreasing the complications rate. A multidisciplinary team is essential to achieve good outcomes in severe compromised patients.

Damage control surgery in lung trauma.

Damage control techniques applied to the management of thoracic injuries have evolved over the last 15 years. Despite the limited number of publications, information is sufficient to scatter some fears and establish management principles. The severity of the anatomical injury justifies the procedure of damage control in only few selected cases. In most cases, the magnitude of the physiological derangement and the presence of other sources of bleeding within the thoracic cavity or in other body compartments constitutes the indication for the abbreviated procedure. The classification of lung injuries as peripheral, transfixing, and central or multiple, provides a guideline for the transient bleeding control and for the definitive management of the injury: pneumorraphy, wedge resection, tractotomy or anatomical resection, respectively. Identification of specific patterns such as the need for resuscitative thoracotomy, or aortic occlusion, the existence of massive hemothorax, a central lung injury, a tracheobronchial injury, a major vascular injury, multiple bleeding sites as well as the recognition of hypothermia, acidosis or coagulopathy, constitute the indication for a damage control thoracotomy. In these cases, the surgeon executes an abbreviated procedure with packing of the bleeding surfaces, primary management with packing of some selected peripheral or transfixing lung injuries, and the postponement of lung resection, clamping of the pulmonary hilum in the most selective way possible. The abbreviation of the thoracotomy closure is achieved by suturing the skin over the wound packed, or by installing a vacuum system. The management of the patient in the intensive care unit will allow identification of those who require urgent reintervention and the correction of the physiological derangement in the remaining patients for their scheduled reintervention and definitive management.

Las técnicas de control de daños aplicadas al manejo de lesiones torácicas han evolucionado en los últimos 15 años. A pesar de que el número de publicaciones es limitado, la información es suficiente para desvirtuar algunos temores y establecer los principios de manejo. La severidad del compromiso anatómico justifica el procedimiento de control de daños solamente en algunos casos. En la mayoría, la magnitud del deterioro fisiológico y la presencia de otras fuentes de sangrado dentro del tórax o en otros compartimientos corporales constituyen la indicación del procedimiento abreviado. La clasificación de la lesión pulmonar como periférica, transfixiante y central o múltiple, proporciona una pauta para el control transitorio del sangrado y para el manejo definitivo de la lesión: neumorrafía, resección en cuña, tractotomía o resecciones anatómicas, respectivamente. La identificación de ciertos patrones como la necesidad de toracotomía de reanimación o de oclusión aórtica, la existencia de un hemotórax masivo, de una lesión pulmonar central, una lesión traqueobronquial o una lesión vascular mayor, así como el reconocimiento de hipotermia, acidosis o coagulopatía, constituyen la indicación de una toracotomía de control de daños. En estos casos, el cirujano concluye de manera abreviada los procedimientos con empaquetamiento de las superficies sangrantes, el manejo primario con empaquetamiento de algunas lesiones pulmonares periféricas o transfixiante seleccionadas y el aplazamiento de la resección pulmonar, pinzando el hilio de la manera más selectiva posible. La abreviación del cierre de la toracotomía se logra con la sutura de la piel sobre el empaquetamiento de la herida, o mediante la instalación de un sistema de presión negativa. El manejo del paciente en cuidados intensivos permitirá identificar aquellos que requieren reintervención urgente y corregir la alteración fisiológica de los restantes para su reoperación programada y manejo definitivo.

Comparison of the effects of TripleGates and Gates-Glidden burs on cervical dentin thickness and root canal area by using cone beam computed tomography

The search for new instruments to promote an appropriate cervical preparation has led to the development of new rotary instruments such as TripleGates. However, to the best of the authors' knowledge, there is no study evaluating TripleGates effect on the “risk zone” of mandibular molars. Objectives : The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a crown-down sequence of Gates-Glidden and TripleGates burs on the remaining cervical dentin thickness and the total amount of dentin removed from the root canals during the instrumentation by using cone beam computed tomography. The number of separated instruments was also evaluated. Material and Methods : Mesial roots of 40 mandibular first molars were divided into 2 equal groups: crown-down sequence of Gates-Glidden (#3, #2, #1) and TripleGates burs. Cervical dentin thickness and canal area were measured before and after instrumentation by using cone beam computed tomography and image analysis software. Student’s t-test was used to determine significant differences at p<0.05. Results : No significant differences (p>0.05) were observed between the instruments, regarding the root canal area and dentin wall thickness. Conclusion : Both tested instruments used for cervical preparation were safe to be used in the mesial root canal of mandibular molars. .

Damage-control techniques in the management of severe lung trauma.

BACKGROUND: Damage control (DC) has improved survival from severe abdominal and extremity injuries. The data on the surgical strategies and outcomes in patients managed with DC for severe thoracic injuries are scarce. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of patients treated with DC for thoracic/pulmonary complex trauma at two Level I trauma centers from 2006 to 2010. Subjects 14 years and older were included. Demographics, trauma characteristics, surgical techniques, and resuscitation strategies were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 840 trauma thoracotomies were performed. DC thoracotomy (DCT) was performed in 31 patients (3.7%). Pulmonary trauma was found in 25 of them. The median age was 28 years (interquartile range [IQR], 20-34 years), Revised Trauma Score (RTS) was 7.11 (IQR, 5.44-7.55), and Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 26 (IQR, 25-41). Nineteen patients had gunshot wounds, four had stab wounds, and two had blunt trauma.Pulmonary trauma was managed by pneumorrhaphy in 3, tractotomy in 12, wedge resection in 1, and packing as primary treatment in 8 patients. Clamping of the pulmonary hilum was used as a last resource in seven patients. Five patients returned to the intensive care unit with the pulmonary hilum occluded by a vascular clamp or an en masse ligature. These patients underwent a deferred resection within 16 hours to 90 hours after the initial DCT. Four of them survived.Bleeding from other intrathoracic sources was found in 20 patients: major vessels in nine, heart in three, and thoracic wall in nine.DCT mortality in pulmonary trauma was 6 (24%) of 25 because of coagulopathy, or persistent bleeding in 5 patients and multiorgan failure in 1 patient. CONCLUSION: This series describes our experience with DCT in severe lung trauma. We describe pulmonary hilum clamping and deferred lung resection as a viable surgical alternative for major pulmonary injuries and the use of packing as a definitive method for hemorrhage control. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Epidemiologic study, level V.

Transfixing cardiac injury with perforations in stomach, diaphragm and lung: unusual scenario in penetrating trauma.

A 23-year-old man suffered a penetrating injury caused by a metallic fragment thrown from a grass-cutting tool, resulting in perforating injuries in the stomach, diaphragm, heart, and lungs.

[Experience of open renal trauma in a urology service]. / Experiencia de traumatismo renal abierto en un servicio de urología.

INTRODUCTION: Opened renal trauma in urban areas reaches 15 to 20% of all renal traumas. It is mainly caused by gunshot wounds or knifes. Gunshot wounds are classified as high energy trauma and are usually associated to other organ injuries. We present our experience in opened renal trauma in the last 24 months. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study: patients with thoracic, abdominal and thoraco-abdominal trauma admitted to the emergency room between July 2009 and June 2011 were studied. Fourteen patients were identified with opened renal trauma, with diagnostic confirmation by imaging study or during surgery. RESULTS: Ages ranged from 16 to 37 years, with a mean age of 24.5 years. Thirteen patients were males. The mechanism of injury was produced by gunshot in 71% (10/14) and by knife in 29% (4/14). The opened renal traumas were classified according to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma. Of these, 3/14 (21%) belonged to grade II, 4/14 (29%) to grade III, 4/14 (29%) to grade IV and 3/14 to grade V (21%). Fall in hematocrit ranged from 1% to 27%, with an average of 13.9%. Expectant management was done in six patients, however, this management did not take into account those surgeries performed due to non-urologic organ injuries. Six patients (42%) required nephrectomy. Thoraco-abdominal injuries were associated in 11 patients (79%). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the low incidence of opened renal trauma, many patients are observed when other national reports are considered, probably due to the socio-cultural characteristics of this hospital.