Outcomes of non-operative management of penetrating abdominal trauma.

BACKGROUND: Selective non-operative management (SNOM) of penetrating abdominal trauma (PAT) is routinely practised in our trauma centre. This study aims to report the outcomes of patients who have failed SNOM. METHODS: Patients presenting with PAT from 1 May 2015 - 31 January 2018 were reviewed. They were categorised into immediate laparotomy and delayed operative management (DOM) groups. Outcomes compared were postoperative complications, length of hospital stay and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 944 patients with PAT were reviewed. After excluding 100 patients undergoing damage control surgery, 402 (47.6%) and 542 (52.4%) were managed non-operatively and operatively, respectively. In the SNOM cohort, 359 (89.3%) were managed successfully without laparotomy. Thirty-seven (86.0%) patients in the DOM group had a therapeutic laparotomy, and six (14.0%) had an unnecessary laparotomy. Nine (20.9%) patients in the DOM group developed complications. The DOM group had lesser complications. However, the two groups had no difference in hospital length of stay (LOS). There was no mortality in the non-operative management (NOM) group. CONCLUSION: In this study, we demonstrated no mortality and less morbidity in the DOM group when appropriately selected compared to the immediate laparotomy group. This supports the selective NOM approach for PAT in high volume trauma centres.

The impact of thromboelastography on patients with penetrating abdominal trauma requiring intensive care.

BACKGROUND: Trauma-induced coagulopathy (TIC) is a complex multifaceted process which contributes to higher mortality rates in severely injured trauma patients. Thromboelastography (TEG) is effective in detecting TIC which assists in instituting goal-directed therapy as part of damage control resuscitation. METHODS: This retrospective study included all adult patients over a 36-month period with penetrating abdominal trauma who required a laparotomy, blood products and admission for critical care. Analysis included demographics, admission data, 24-hour interventions, TEG parameters and 30-day outcomes. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients with a median age of 28 years were included. The majority (93%; 78/84) suffered from a gunshot injury, with 75% (63/84) receiving a damage control laparotomy. Forty-eight patients (57%) had a TEG. Injury severity score and total fluid and blood product administered in the first 24 hours were all significantly higher in patients who had a TEG (p < 0.05). TEG profiles were: 42% (20/48) normal, 42% (20/48) hypocoagulable, 12% (6/48) hypercoagulable and 4% (2/48) mixed parameters. Fibrinolysis profiles were: 48% (23/48) normal, 44% (21/48) fibrinolysis shutdown and 8% (4/48) hyperfibrinolysis. Mortality rate was 5% (4/84) at 24 hours and 26% (22/84) at 30 days, with no difference between the two groups. High-grade complication rates, days on a ventilator and intensive care unit length of stay were all significantly higher in patients who did not have a TEG. CONCLUSION: TIC is common in severely injured penetrating trauma patients. The usage of a thromboelastogram did not impact on 24-hour or 30-day mortality but did result in a decreased intensive care stay and a decreased high-grade complication rate.

Spectrum of coagulation profiles in severely injured patients - a subgroup analysis from the fluids in resuscitation of severe trauma trial.

BACKGROUND: Trauma-induced coagulopathy (TIC) is a major contributing factor to worsening bleeding in trauma patients. The objective of this study is to describe the spectrum of coagulation profiles amongst severely injured patients. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of all patients with complete baseline TEG coagulation parameters collected prior to randomisation in the FIRST (fluids in resuscitation of severe trauma) trial between January 2007 and December 2009. Parameters recorded for this study included patient demographics, mechanism of injury, admission vital signs, lactate, base excess, coagulation studies prothrombin time (PT), international normalised ratio (INR), thromboelastography (TEG) parameters, volume, and type of fluids administered, volume of blood products administered, length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay and major outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 87 patients were included in this study, with a median injury severity score (ISS) of 20 and 57.5 had a penetrating injury mechanism. Coagulopathy was highly prevalent in this cohort, of which a majority (69%) was diagnosed with hypercoagulopathy and 24% had a hypocoagulopathy status on admission. There was no difference in age, gender and amount of pre-hospital fluids administered across the three groups. The median volume of blood products was higher in the hypocoagulopathy group, although not statistically significant. Overall, the 30-day mortality rate was 13%, with case fatalities occurring in only coagulopathic patients: hypercoagulopathy (15%) and hypocoagulopathy (10%). CONCLUSION: TIC is not an infrequent diagnosis in severely injured patients resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Determining the coagulation profile using TEG at presentation in this group of patients may inform appropriate management guidelines in order to improve outcome.

Damage control laparotomy outcomes in a major urban trauma centre.

BACKGROUND: Damage control laparotomy (DCL) is associated with high mortality. The purpose of this study was to review the outcomes of DCL. METHODS: All patients undergoing DCL for penetrating trauma from May 2015 to July 2017 were reviewed. Data retrieved were demographics, mechanism of injury, vitals, and biochemical parameters. Injury severity was described by the revised trauma score (RTS), penetrating abdominal trauma index (PATI), injury severity score (ISS) and trauma and injury severity score (TRISS). Indications for DCL, length of ICU stay, number of procedures and primary abdominal closure rates, complications and mortality were recorded. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients underwent DCL and 47 patients sustained gunshot injuries. Indications for laparotomy were haemodynamic instability (n = 27) and peritonism in stable patients (n = 22). The medians for the different severity scores were RTS 7.36, ISS 20, and PATI 30. The organs most commonly injured, in decreasing frequency, were small bowel (33), large bowel (25), abdominal vasculature (22), liver (18), stomach (14), kidney (10), diaphragm (10), spleen (9) and pancreas (8). DCL procedures performed were abdominal packing (36), temporary bowel ligation (30), vascular (5) and ureteric (1) shunting. The median number of laparotomies performed per patient was three, with a primary fascial closure rate of 69%. The mortality rate was 29%. CONCLUSION: DCL in our centre is associated with a 29% mortality rate. Severe acidosis, massive blood transfusion in first 24 hours and median PATI score more than 47 are independent risk factors associated with increased mortality.

Cardiac tamponade following post-pericardiotomy syndrome.

SUMMARY: Subxyphoid pericardial window (SPW) is performed as both a diagnostic and therapeutic intervention in patients presenting with a penetrating cardiac injury (PCI). Post-pericardiotomy syndrome (PPS) with cardiac tamponade has been reported after penetrating cardiac trauma and after transdiaphragmatic pericardial window. We describe the first PPS with acute tamponade, weeks after diagnostic SPW for a PCI.

A contemporary prospective review of 205 consecutive patients with penetrating colon injuries.

BACKGROUND: Management of colon injuries has significantly evolved in the recent decades resulting in considerably decreased morbidity and mortality. We set out to investigate penetrating colon injuries in a high-volume urban academic trauma center in South Africa. METHODS: All patients with penetrating colon injuries admitted between 1/2015 and 1/2018 were prospectively enrolled. Data collection included demographics, injury profile and outcomes. Primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcome was morbidity. RESULTS: Two-hundred and five patients were included in the analysis. Stab and gunshot wounds constituted 18% and 82% of the cases, respectively. Mean age was 28.9 (10.2) years and 96.1% were male. Median injury severity score (ISS) and penetrating abdominal trauma index (PATI) were 16 (9-25) and 19 (10-26), respectively. A total of 47.8% of the patients had a complication per Clavien-Dindo classification. Colon leak rate was 2.4%. Wound and abdominal organ/space infection rate was 15.1 and 6.3%, respectively. Overall in-hospital mortality was 9.3%. Risk factors for mortality were higher ISS and PATI, shock on admission, need for blood transfusion, intra-abdominal vascular injury, damage control surgery, and extra-abdominal severe injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Contemporary overall complication rate remains high in penetrating colon injuries, however, anastomotic leak rate is decreasing. Colon injury associated mortality is related to overall injury burden and hemorrhage rather than to colon injuries.

The effect of lockdown on intentional and nonintentional injury during the COVID-19 pandemic in Cape Town, South Africa: A preliminary report.

BACKGROUND: In response to the coronavirus pandemic, lockdown restrictions and a ban on alcohol sales were introduced in South Africa. Objectives. To investigate the impact of lockdown measures on the number of patients who visited a tertiary urban trauma centre. Methods. The period of investigation was from 1 February to 30 June 2020 and was segmented into three intervals: pre-lockdown (February and March 2020), hard lockdown (April and May 2020) and immediately post lockdown (June 2020). The electronic HECTIS health record registry was interrogated for the total number of patients that were seen per month. These were further categorised according to mechanism of injury (stab, gunshot, blunt assault and road traffic injuries). Penetrating (stab and gunshot) and blunt assault victims were collectively grouped as violent trauma. Results. The mean total number of patients seen decreased by 53% during the hard lockdown period. There was a moderate reduction (15%) in patients with gunshot injuries seen during the hard lockdown phase, but there was an 80% increase in the post-lockdown period. The proportion of patients injured in road traffic collisions pre lockdown, hard lockdown and immediate post lockdown was 16.4%, 8.9% and 11.1%, respectively. Patients injured in road traffic collisions decreased by 74% during the hard lockdown period and maintained a reduction of 32% during the immediate post-lockdown period. The mean total number of patients who visited the trauma unit returned to pre-lockdown levels in June. Conclusions. There was an overall trend of reduced number of patients who visited the trauma unit during the hard lockdown period; however, these numbers returned to pre-lockdown levels during the immediate post-lockdown period. The number of road traffic injury admissions remained reduced during all three phases of lockdown, while the number of gunshot victims increased substantially during the post-lockdown period.

Nosocomial infections: A further assault on patients in a high-volume urban trauma centre in South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Surgical site infection (SSI) rates are reported to range from 2.5% to 41%. HAI increases the risk of death by 2 - 11%, and three-quarters of these deaths are directly attributable to SSIs. OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence of HAI and to identify risk factors amenable to modification with a resultant reduction in infection rates. METHODS: An analysis of HAIs was performed between January and April 2018 in the trauma centre surgical wards at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. RESULTS: There were 769 admissions during the study period. Twenty-two patients (0.03%) developed an HAI. The majority were men, and the mean age was 32 years (range 18 - 57). The mean length of hospital stay (LoS) was 9 days, higher than the mean LoS for the hospital of 6 days. Fourteen patients underwent emergency surgery, 3 patients underwent abbreviated damage control surgery, and 9 patients were admitted to the critical care unit. Most patients with nosocomial sepsis were treated with appropriate culture-based antibiotics (82%). Four patients were treated with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid presumptively prior to culture and sensitivity results, after which antibiotic therapy was tailored. All but 1 patient received antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of measures is required to prevent trauma-related infections. By determining the incidence of nosocomial infections in our trauma patients, uniform policies to reduce infection rates further could be determined. Our low incidence of infection may be explained by established preventive care bundles already in place.

The effect of lockdown on intentional and nonintentional injury during the COVID-19 pandemic in Cape Town, South Africa: A preliminary report.

BACKGROUND: In response to the coronavirus pandemic, lockdown restrictions and a ban on alcohol sales were introduced in South Africa. Objectives. To investigate the impact of lockdown measures on the number of patients who visited a tertiary urban trauma centre. Methods. The period of investigation was from 1 February to 30 June 2020 and was segmented into three intervals: pre-lockdown (February and March 2020), hard lockdown (April and May 2020) and immediately post lockdown (June 2020). The electronic HECTIS health record registry was interrogated for the total number of patients that were seen per month. These were further categorised according to mechanism of injury (stab, gunshot, blunt assault and road traffic injuries). Penetrating (stab and gunshot) and blunt assault victims were collectively grouped as violent trauma. Results. The mean total number of patients seen decreased by 53% during the hard lockdown period. There was a moderate reduction (15%) in patients with gunshot injuries seen during the hard lockdown phase, but there was an 80% increase in the post-lockdown period. The proportion of patients injured in road traffic collisions pre lockdown, hard lockdown and immediate post lockdown was 16.4%, 8.9% and 11.1%, respectively. Patients injured in road traffic collisions decreased by 74% during the hard lockdown period and maintained a reduction of 32% during the immediate post-lockdown period. The mean total number of patients who visited the trauma unit returned to pre-lockdown levels in June. Conclusions. There was an overall trend of reduced number of patients who visited the trauma unit during the hard lockdown period; however, these numbers returned to pre-lockdown levels during the immediate post-lockdown period. The number of road traffic injury admissions remained reduced during all three phases of lockdown, while the number of gunshot victims increased substantially during the post-lockdown period.

An audit of the outcomes of the College of Surgeons general surgery final examinations.

BACKGROUND: An audit of the Fellowship of the College of Surgeons (FCS) of South Africa examination results has not been previously performed. The purpose of this study was to review and determine any predictors of outcome (pass or fail). METHODS: The results of the FCS(SA) final examinations from October 2005 to and including October 2014, were retrieved from the College of Medicine of South Africa database. The current format of the examinations consists of two written essay question papers, an objectively structured clinical examination (OSCE), two clinical cases and two oral examinations. These were retrospectively reviewed and analysed. Predictors of failure or success were determined. RESULTS: During the 10-year study period, 472 candidates attempted the examinations. A total of 388 (82%) candidates were successful in the written component of the examination and were subsequently invited to participate in the clinical component of the examinations. Overall, 296 (63%) candidates passed and 176 (37%) failed. There were 51 candidates who were invited to the oral examinations despite an average of less than 50% in the two papers, and 34 (67%) failed the overall examination. Similarly, 126 candidates were invited having failed one of the two papers of which 81 (64%) ultimately failed. A total of 49 candidates failed the OSCE, 82% of these candidates failed overall. There were strong correlations between the averages of the papers versus the orals (Spearman ρ = 0.51), the papers versus the cases (Spearman ρ = 0.50), and the papers versus the OSCE (Spearman ρ = 0.55). CONCLUSION: The written papers are the main determinant of invitation to the second part of the examination. Candidates with marginal scores in the written component had an overall failure rate of 67%. Failing one paper and passing the other, resulted in an overall failure rate of 64%. Failing the OSCE resulted in an overall 82% failure rate. With the high failure rate of candidates with marginal scores and with the inter-examination variability of the papers, it might be prudent to revisit both the process of invitation selection and the decision to continue with the long-form of the written component.

The consequences of major visceral vascular injuries on outcome in patients with pancreatic injuries: a case-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: Major pancreatic injuries are complex to treat, especially when combined with vascular and other critical organ injuries. This case-matched analysis assessed the influence of associated visceral vascular injuries on outcome in pancreatic injuries. METHOD: A registered prospective database of 461 consecutive patients with pancreatic injuries was used to identify 68 patients with a Pancreatic Injury combined with a major visceral Vascular Injury (PIVI group) and were matched one-to-one by an independent blinded reviewer using a validated individual matching method to 68 similar Pancreatic Injury patients without a vascular injury (PI group). The two groups were compared using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis and outcome including complication rates, length of hospital stay and 90-day mortality rate was measured. RESULTS: The two groups were well matched according to surgical intervention. Mortality in the PIVI group was 41% (n = 28) compared to 13% (n = 9) in the PI alone group (p = 0.000, OR 4.5, CI 1.00-10.5). On univariate analysis the PIVI group was significantly more likely to (i) be shocked on admission, (ii) have a RTS < 7.8, (iii) require damage control laparotomy, (iv) require a blood transfusion, both in frequency and volume, (v) develop a major postoperative complication and (vi) die. On multivariate analysis, the need for damage control laparotomy was a significant variable (p = 0.015, OR 7.95, CI 1.50-42.0) for mortality. Mortality of AAST grade 1 and 2 pancreatic injuries combined with a vascular injury was 18.5% (5/27) compared to an increased mortality of 56.1% (23/41) of AAST grade 3, 4 and 5 pancreatic injuries with vascular injuries (p = 0.0026). CONCLUSION: This study confirms that pancreatic injuries associated with major visceral vascular injuries have a significantly higher complication and mortality rate than pancreatic injuries without vascular injuries and that the addition of a vascular injury with an increasing AAST grade of pancreatic injury exponentially compounds the mortality rate.

Blunt Pharyngoesophageal Injuries: Current Management Strategies.

BACKGROUND:: Blunt pharyngoesophageal injuries pose a management challenge to the trauma surgeon. The purpose of this study was to explore whether these injuries can be managed expectantly without neck exploration. METHODS:: The National Trauma Databank datasets 2007-2011 were reviewed for blunt trauma patients who sustained a pharyngeal injury, including an injury to the cervical esophagus. Patients who survived over 24 h and were not transferred from other institutions were divided into two groups based on whether a neck exploration was performed. Outcomes included mortality and hospital stay. RESULTS:: A total of 545 (0.02%) patients were identified. The median age was 18 years and 69% were male. Facial fractures were found in 16%, while 13% had an associated traumatic brain injury. Of the 284 patients who survived over 24 h and were not transferred from another institution, 65 (23%) underwent a neck exploration. The injury burden was significantly higher in this group as indicated by the higher median Injury Severity Score (17 vs 10, p < 0.01) and need for intensive care unit admission (75% vs 31%, p < 0.01). The overall mortality was 2%: 3.1% for neck explorations versus 1.6% for conservative management (adjusted p = 0.54). Neck exploration patients were more likely to remain longer in the hospital (median 13 vs 10 days, adjusted p = 0.03). CONCLUSION:: Pharyngoesophageal injuries are rare following blunt trauma. Only a quarter require a neck exploration and this decision appears to be dictated by the injury burden. Selective non-operative management based on clinical status seems to be feasible and is not associated with increased mortality.

Contemporary damage control surgery outcomes: 80 patients with severe abdominal injuries in the right upper quadrant analyzed.

BACKGROUND: Damage control laparotomy (DCL) is a well-established surgical strategy in the management of the severely injured abdominal trauma patients. The selection of patients by intra-abdominal organs involvement for DCL remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the injury to the abdominal organs that causing severe metabolic failure, needing DCL. METHODS: Severely injured abdominal trauma patients with a complex pattern of injuries were reviewed over a 52-month period. They were divided into DCL and definitive repair (DR) group according to the operative strategy. Factors identifying patients who underwent a DCL were analyzed and evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients underwent a DCL, and 55 patients had DR. Two patients died before or during surgery. The number and severity of overall injuries were equally distributed in the two groups of patients. Patients who underwent a DCL presented more frequently hemodynamically unstable (p = 0.02), required more units of blood (p < 0.0001) and intubation to secure the airway (p < 0.0001). The onset of metabolic failure was more profound in these group of patients than DR group. The mean Basedeficit was - 7.0 and - 3.8, respectively, (p = 0.003). Abdominal vascular (p = 0.001) and major liver injuries (p = 0.006) were more frequently diagnosed in the DCL group. The mortality, complications (p < 0.0001), hospital (p < 0.0001), and ICU stay (p < 0.009) were also higher in patients with DCL. CONCLUSION: In severely injured with an intricate pattern of injuries, 31% of the patients required a DCL with 92% survival rate. Severe metabolic failure following significant liver and abdominal vascular injuries dictates the need for a DCL and improves outcome in the current era.

Laparoscopy or clinical follow-up to detect occult diaphragm injuries following left-sided thoracoabdominal stab wounds: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine whether patients with left-sided thoracoabdominal (TA) stab wounds can be safely treated with clinical and chest X-ray follow up. METHOD: A prospective, randomized control study was conducted at Groote Schuur Hospital from September 2009 through to November 2014. Patients with asymptomatic left TA stab wounds included in the trial were randomized into two groups. Group A underwent diagnostic laparoscopy and Group B underwent clinical and radiological follow-up. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were randomized to Group A (N=27) and thirty-one to Group B (N=31). All patients were young males with a median age of 26 years (range 18 to 48). The incidence of occult diaphragm injury in Group A was 29%. All diaphragm injuries found at laparoscopy were repaired. The mean hospital stay for the patients in Group A was 5 days (SD 1.3), compared to a mean hospital stay of 2.9 days (SD, 1.5), in Group B (p < 0.001). All patients in Group B had normal chest X-rays at their last visit. The mean follow-up time was 24 months (median: 24; interquartile range: 1-40). There was no morbidity or mortality in Group B. CONCLUSION: Clinical and radiological follow-up are feasible and appear to be safe, in the short term, in patients who harbour occult diaphragm injuries after left TA stab wounds. Until studies showing the natural history of diaphragm injury in humans are available, laparoscopy should remain the gold standard in treatment.

Management of pancreatic injuries during damage control surgery: an observational outcomes analysis of 79 patients treated at an academic Level 1 trauma centre.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated factors influencing mortality in a large cohort of patients who sustained pancreatic injuries and underwent DCS. METHODS: A prospective database of consecutive patients with pancreatic injuries treated at a Level 1 academic trauma centre was reviewed to identify those who underwent DCS between 1995 and 2014. RESULTS: Seventy-nine (71 men, median age: 26 years, range 16-73 years, gunshot wounds = 62, blunt = 14, stab = 3) patients with pancreatic injuries (35 proximal, 44 distal) had DCS. Fifty-nine (74.7 %) patients had AAST grade 3, 4 or 5 pancreatic injuries. The 79 patients had a total of 327 associated injuries (mean: 3 per patient, range 0-6) and underwent a total of 187 (range 1-7) operations. Vascular injuries (60/327, 18.3 %) occurred in 41 patients. Twenty-seven (34.2 %) patients died without having a second operation. The remaining 52 patients had two or more laparotomies (range 2-7). Overall 28 (35 %) patients underwent a pancreatic resection either during DCS (n = 18) or subsequently as a secondary procedure (n = 10) including a Whipple (n = 6) when stable. Overall 43 (54.4 %) patients died. Mortality was related to associated vascular injuries overall (p < 0.01), major visceral venous injuries (p < 0.01) and combined vascular and total number of associated organs injured (p < 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the magnitude of their combined injuries and the degree of physiological insult, DCS salvaged 45 % of critically injured patients who later underwent definitive pancreatic surgery. Mortality correlated with associated vascular injuries overall, major visceral venous injuries and the combination of vascular plus the total number of associated organs injured.

Injury Severity Score coding: Data analyst v. emerging m-health technology.

BACKGROUND: The cost of Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) coding has limited its utility in areas of the world with the highest incidence of trauma. We hypothesised that emerging mobile health (m-health) technology could offer a cost-effective alternative to the current gold-standard AIS mechanism in a high-volume trauma centre in South Africa. METHODS: A prospectively collected sample of consecutive patients admitted following a traumatic injury that required an operation during a 1-month period was selected for the study. AISs and Injury Severity Scores (ISSs) were generated by clinician-entered data using an m-health application (ISS eTHR) as well as by a team of AIS coders at Vancouver General Hospital, Canada (ISS VGH). Rater agreements for ISSs were analysed using Bland-Altman plots with 95% limits of agreement (LoA) and kappa statistics of the ISSs grouped into ordinal categories. Reliability was analysed using a two-way mixed-model intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Calibration and discrimination of univariate logistic regression models built to predict in-hospital complications using ISSs coded by the two methods were also compared. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients were managed operatively during the study period. The mean age of the cohort was 27.2 years (range 14 - 62), and 96.3% were male. The mechanism of injury was penetrating in 93.4% of cases, of which 52.8% were gunshot injuries. The LoA fell within -8.6 - 9.4. The mean ISS difference was 0.4 (95% CI -0.8 - 1.6). The kappa statistic was 0.53. The ICC of the individual ISS was 0.88 (95% CI 0.81 - 0.93) and the categorical ISS was 0.81 (95% CI 0.68 - 0.87). Model performance to predict in-hospital complications using either the ISS eTHR or the ISS VGH was equivalent. CONCLUSIONS: ISSs calculated by the eTHR and gold-standard coding were comparable. Emerging m-health technology provides a cost-effective alternative for injury severity scoring.

An urban trauma centre experience with abdominal vena cava injuries.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to present the surgical management of injuries to the abdominal vena cava (AVC) and to identify clinical and physiological factors and management strategies which affect the outcome. METHOD: A retrospective review was conducted of AVC injuries in patients attending the trauma centre at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, from January 2003 to December 2011. Demographic data, mechanism and agent of injury, level of injury, physiological parameters, associated injuries, trauma scores, management strategy, morbidity and mortality, and length of hospital stay were taken from the trauma centre's operative databank at Groote Schuur Hospital. RESULTS: Thirty-fi ve patients with AVC injuries were identifi ed. There were 33 penetrating injuries (94%). Gunshot wounds accounted for 28 of them (85%). There were 19 (54%) infrarenal, 9 (26%) juxtarenal, 3 (7%) suprarenal and 4 (11%) retrohepatic AVC injuries. Most patients were treated with ligation (66%). There were 17 (49%) deaths. There were signifi cant differences in the preoperative systolic blood pressure (p = 0.044), number of red cell units transfused (p = 0.001), serum lactate (p = 0.007), arterial pH (p = 0.002) and preoperative temperature (p = 0.000) between the survivors and non-survivors. There was also a signifi cant difference in ligation versus repair between the two groups (p = ≤ 0.000). There was no difference in the injury severity, level of injury and the number of associated injuries between survivors and non-survivors. CONCLUSION: AVC injuries are associated with high mortality. Patients presenting with clinical and physiological evidence of shock and who require "damage control" surgery are more likely to suffer a worse outcome, particularly when multiple physiological deragements are present. Patients who died often have severe associated injuries.

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in penetrating abdominal trauma: A prospective single-center pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programmes employed in elective surgery have provided strong evidence for decreased lengths of hospital stay without increase in postoperative complications. The aim of this study was to explore the role and benefits of ERAS implemented in patients undergoing emergency laparotomy for penetrating abdominal trauma. METHOD: Institutional University of Cape Town Human Research Ethics Committee (UCT-HREC) approved study. A prospective cohort of 38 consecutive patients with isolated penetrating abdominal trauma undergoing emergency laparotomy were included in the study. The enhanced recovery protocols (ERPs) included: early urinary catheter removal, early nasogastric tube (NGT) removal, early feeding, early mobilisation/physiotherapy, early intravenous line removal and early optimal oral analgesia. This group was compared to a historical control group of 40 consecutive patients undergoing emergency laparotomy for penetrating abdominal trauma, prior to the introduction of the ERP. Demographics, mechanism of injury, injury severity scores (ISS) and penetrating abdominal trauma index (PATI) were determined for both groups. The primary end-points were length of hospital stay (LOS) and incidence of postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo classification) in the 2 groups. The difference in means was tested using the t-test assuming unequal variances. Statistical significance was defined as p-value less than 0.05 (p < 0.05). RESULTS: The two groups were comparable with regards to age, gender, mechanism of injury, ISS and PATI scores. The mean time to solid diet, urinary catheter and nasogastric tube (NGT) removal was 3.6 (non-ERAS) and 2.8 (ERAS) days [p < 0.035], 3.3 (non-ERAS) and 1.9 (ERAS) days [p < 0.00003], 2.1 (non-ERAS) and 1.2 (ERAS) days [p < 0.0042], respectively. There was no difference in time from admission to time of laparotomy 313 (non-ERAS) vs 358 (ERAS) minutes [p < 0.07]. There were 11 and 12 complications in the non-ERAS and ERAS groups, respectively. When graded as per the Clavien-Dindo classification, there was no significant difference in the 2 groups (p < 0.59). Hospital stay was significantly shorter in the ERAS group: 5.5 (SD 1.8) days vs. 8.4 (SD 4.2) days [p < 0.00021]. CONCLUSION: This pilot study shows that ERPs can be successfully implemented with significant shorter hospital stays without any increase in postoperative complications in trauma patients undergoing emergency laparotomy for penetrating abdominal trauma.