Trauma Leagues-A Novel Option to Attract Medical Students to a Surgical Career.

BACKGROUND: In Brazil, most medical schools do not offer trauma surgery in their undergraduate curriculum. The Trauma Leagues arose in Brazil as an important promoter of trauma education and stimulated activities related to surgical skills and practices. In recent decades, studies have demonstrated that the number of surgical residency applicants has decreased worldwide. Strategies to motivate medical students to choose surgery are needed. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of participation in the Unicamp Trauma League (UTL) during a 20-year period in the choice for a surgical career. METHODS: The study included 276 students in a Brazilian university hospital who were part of the Trauma League. Research of records in universities and medical societies about the specialties chosen during residency were evaluated. A Likert questionnaire was sent to participants to evaluate the impact of participating in the Trauma League in the student's professional career. RESULTS: The questionnaire was answered by 76% of the participants. Of those, 38.4% chose general surgery. About 55.1% did not know what medical career to choose when joined the league. Participation in the league had an influence on specialty choice in 79.1% of the students. Of those choosing surgery, 93.2% believed that participating in the league had positively influenced their career choice. Overall, 93.1% believed that participating in the league provided knowledge and information that the medical school curriculum was not able to provide. CONCLUSION: Participation in Trauma League has been an effective strategy to encourage medical students to choose a career in general surgery in Campinas, Brazil.

Use of Sengstaken-Blakemore intrahepatic balloon: an alternative for liver-penetrating injuries.

BACKGROUND: Severe lesions in the liver are associated with a high mortality rate. Alternative surgical techniques such as the use of an intrahepatic balloon may be effective and reduce mortality in severe hepatic lesions. This study aimed to demonstrate the experience of a university hospital in the use of the Sengstaken-Blakemore balloon in patients with transfixing penetrating hepatic injury as an alternative way to treat these challenging injuries. METHODS: A retrospective study based on the trauma registry of a university hospital was performed. All patients admitted with hepatic penetrating injuries and treated with the Sengstaken-Blakemore balloon within the period 1990-2010 were reviewed. RESULTS: Forty-six patients with transfixing hepatic injuries were treated with the Sengstaken-Blakemore balloon in the study period. The most frequent cause of injury was gunshot wound (87 % of the patients). The mean trauma scores on admission were Revised Trauma Score (RTS) = 7.12 ± 1.46, Injury Severity Score (ISS) = 22.4 ± 9.7, and Abdominal Trauma Index (ATI) = 19.5 ± 11. According to the severity of the hepatic trauma, 71.8 % of patients had grade III, 23.9 % grade IV, and 4.3 % grade V injuries. Associated abdominal injuries were found in 89.1 % of the patients. The most frequent liver-related complications were hepatic abscess postoperative bleeding (8.6 %), biliary fistula (8.6 %), (4.3 %), and biliary peritonitis (2.1 %). Surgical reintervention was necessary in 14 patients (31.1 %). From those 14, only 3 had the balloon removed. The overall morbidity and mortality rates were 56.5 % and 23.9 % (11 patients), respectively. CONCLUSION: The knowledge of alternative surgical techniques is essential in improving survival in patients with severe penetrating hepatic injuries. The use of intrahepatic balloon is a viable surgical strategy.

Roux-en-Y gastroenteroanastomosis in the treatment of stenosing and advanced gastric adenocarcinoma / Gastroenteroanastomose em Y de Roux no tratamento do adenocarcinoma gástrico avançado e estenosante

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer is the most common cancer of the digestive tract and approximately 60

of cases are advanced when the patient is first admitted for treatment. AIM: A retrospective analysis of patients with advanced gastric adenocarcinoma, stenosing and unresectable, performing Roux-en-Y gastroenteroanasmosis. METHODS: From January 1998 to December 2009, 62 patients were operated with a mean age of 52.7 years, being 43 males (69.3

). The gastrojejunal anastomosis was latero-lateral, pre-colic and jejuno-jejunoanastomosis end-to-side Roux-en-Y, lying about 50 cm from the stomach. RESULTS: The average hospital stay was 7.5 days. It was reported one death secondary to pneumonia and sepsis (1.6

). Postoperatively, all patients started to eat solids and pastes, with weight gain. The occurrence of frequent vomiting was found in four patients (6,4

). The median survival was 11 months. CONCLUSION: The Roux-en-Y gastroenteroanastomosis is a very good option to prevent the occurrence of enteric and bilious vomiting after palliative surgery, causes weight gain and improved quality of life.

INTRODUÇÃO: O câncer gástrico é a neoplasia mais frequente do trato digestivo e cerca de 60

dos casos são avançados quando o doente é admitido pela primeira vez para tratamento. OBJETIVO: Análise retrospectiva de doentes com adenocarcinoma gástrico avançado, estenosante e irressecável, realizando gastroenteroanasmose em Y de Roux. MÉTODOS: Entre janeiro de 1998 a dezembro de 2009, 62 doentes foram operados, com idade média de 52,7 anos, sendo 43 masculinos (69.3

). A anastomose gastrojejunal foi látero-lateral e pré-cólica, e a jejuno-jejunoanastomose término-lateral em Y de Roux, distando cerca de 50 cm do estômago. RESULTADOS: O tempo médio de hospitalização foi de 7,5 dias. Foi registrado um óbito secundário a pneumonia e sepse (1.6

). No pós-operatório todos os doentes passaram a ingerir alimentos sólidos e pastosos, apresentando ganho de peso. A ocorrência de vômitos frequentes foi encontrada em quatro doentes (6,4

). A sobrevida média foi de 11 meses. CONCLUSÃO: A gastrojejunoanastomose em Y de Roux é boa opção para impedir a ocorrência de vômitos biliosos e entéricos no pós-operatório de operação paliativa, promovendo ganho de peso e melhorando a qualidade de vida dos doentes.

Trauma do pâncreas: fatores preditivos de morbidade e mortalidade relacionados a índices de trauma / Trauma of pancreas: predictor's factors of morbidity and mortality related to trauma index

Contexto: Embora incomuns, lesões traumáticas do pâncreas estão associadas a significativos níveis de complicações e mortalidade. OBJETIVO: Definir os fatores preditivos de morbidade e mortalidade em pacientes vítimas de trauma pancreático. MÉTODO: Foram estudados 131 pacientes atendidos pela Disciplina de Cirurgia do Trauma no Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Estadual de Campinas, SP, no período entre janeiro de 1994 a dezembro de 2007, com seus parâmetros epidemiológicos, fisiológicos e anatômicos, sendo comparados e analisados aos fatores preditivos de evolução, com estudo estatístico. Resultados: Trauma penetrante, com predomínio de ferimentos por projétil de arma de fogo ocorreu em 64 por cento dos casos. A maioria, 91,6 por cento, era do sexo masculino e a idade média de 29,8anos. A morbidade global foi de 64,9 por cento, com 29 por cento de complicações diretamente relacionadas ao pâncreas, como fístulas e sangramento. A mortalidade foi de 27,5 por cento, principalmente em decorrência de choque hipovolêmico e falência de múltiplos órgãos e sistemas. Houve maior morbidade e mortalidade em pacientes com lesões complexas (graus IV e V) do pâncreas quando comparadas com lesões menos graves (graus I e II), porém a morbidade e mortalidade neste grupo não foram desprezíveis, devido a valores alterados de escore de trauma revisado ("revised trauma score"), valores elevados de índice de gravidade da lesão ("injury severity score") e "abdominal trauma index". Conclusões: Valores alterados de "revised trauma score", pressão arterial sistólica menor que 90 mm Hg, valor de "injury severity score" menor ou igual a 15 e valor de "abdominal trauma index" maior ou igual a 25 são fatores relacionados a aumento da morbidade. Valores anormais de "revised trauma score", valores de "injury severity score" e "abdominal trauma index" superiores a 25, pressão arterial sistólica inferior a 90 mm Hg são fatores preditivos de aumento de mortalidade...

Context: Although relatively uncommon, traumatic pancreatic injury is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE: To define the predictors' factors of increase in the morbidity and mortality in patients with pancreatic trauma. METHOD: In this casuistic 131 patients were studied, since January 1994 through December 2007, with theirs epidemiological, physiological and anatomic parameters compared and the analysis of the predictive values for the occurrence of bad evolution, with an appropriate statistical study. Results: Penetrating trauma occurred in 64 percent and blunt trauma in 36 percent, and 91.6 percent was male. The mean age was 29,8 years. The global morbidity in this series was 64.9 percent with 29 percent prevalence of pancreas related complications, such as pancreatic fistula and bleeding occurrence. The overall mortality was 27.5 percent and occurred by hemorrhagic shock and multiple organs and system failed. CONCLUSIONS: Higher morbidity and mortality was related with complex injuries of the pancreas (grade IV and V), but morbidity and mortality in the group of injuries grade I and II are not minimal in patients with changed values of revised trauma score and high values of injury severity score and abdominal trauma index. Systolic blood pressure lower 90 mm Hg, changed values of revised trauma score index, values of injury severity score higher 15 and values of abdominal trauma index higher 25 are predictive factors of morbidity. Changed values of revised trauma score, values of injury severity score or abdominal trauma index higher 25, systolic blood pressure are predictive factors of mortality in patients with pancreatic trauma. Low values of TRISS are predictive of higher morbidity and mortality, but high values of TRISS are not predictives of satisfactory evolution.

[Trauma of pancreas: predictor's factors of morbidity and mortality related to trauma index]. / Trauma do pâncreas: fatores preditivos de morbidade e mortalidade relacionados a índices de trauma.

CONTEXT: Although relatively uncommon, traumatic pancreatic injury is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE: To define the predictors' factors of increase in the morbidity and mortality in patients with pancreatic trauma. METHOD: In this casuistic 131 patients were studied, since January 1994 through December 2007, with theirs epidemiological, physiological and anatomic parameters compared and the analysis of the predictive values for the occurrence of bad evolution, with an appropriate statistical study. RESULTS: Penetrating trauma occurred in 64% and blunt trauma in 36%, and 91.6% was male. The mean age was 29,8 years. The global morbidity in this series was 64.9% with 29% prevalence of pancreas related complications, such as pancreatic fistula and bleeding occurrence. The overall mortality was 27.5% and occurred by hemorrhagic shock and multiple organs and system failed. CONCLUSIONS: Higher morbidity and mortality was related with complex injuries of the pancreas (grade IV and V), but morbidity and mortality in the group of injuries grade I and II are not minimal in patients with changed values of revised trauma score and high values of injury severity score and abdominal trauma index. Systolic blood pressure lower 90 mm Hg, changed values of revised trauma score index, values of injury severity score higher 15 and values of abdominal trauma index higher 25 are predictive factors of morbidity. Changed values of revised trauma score, values of injury severity score or abdominal trauma index higher 25, systolic blood pressure are predictive factors of mortality in patients with pancreatic trauma. Low values of TRISS are predictive of higher morbidity and mortality, but high values of TRISS are not predictives of satisfactory evolution.