Artificial intelligence in the detection of non-biological materials.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force within medical imaging, making significant strides within emergency radiology. Presently, there is a strong reliance on radiologists to accurately diagnose and characterize foreign bodies in a timely fashion, a task that can be readily augmented with AI tools. This article will first explore the most common clinical scenarios involving foreign bodies, such as retained surgical instruments, open and penetrating injuries, catheter and tube malposition, and foreign body ingestion and aspiration. By initially exploring the existing imaging techniques employed for diagnosing these conditions, the potential role of AI in detecting non-biological materials can be better elucidated. Yet, the heterogeneous nature of foreign bodies and limited data availability complicates the development of computer-aided detection models. Despite these challenges, integrating AI can potentially decrease radiologist workload, enhance diagnostic accuracy, and improve patient outcomes.

The Evolution of Foreign Bodies Management in a Case of Near-fatal Penetrating Neck Injury.

Penetrating wounds of the neck with foreign bodies retention are frequent and often life-threatening events, and their management has changed in recent years from an open approach to a conservative approach thanks to the possibility of performing minimally invasive radiologically guided surgery. We present a case of penetrating glass injury to zone III of the neck in which the foreign body go through the parotid region passing near, but without injuring, the facial nerve and the external and internal carotid arteries.

Retrospective Study of EMS Scene Times and Mortality in Penetrating Trauma Patients: Improving Transport Standards and Patient Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the impact of emergency medical service (EMS) scene time variability on adult and pediatric trauma patient outcomes with moderate or severe penetrating injuries. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) database between 2017 and 2020 to evaluate the relationship between EMS scene time on adult and pediatric patients with moderate to severe injuries. Primary outcomes included Dead on Arrival (DOA) to the Emergency Department (ED), ED mortality, 24-hour mortality, and in-hospital mortality. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the association of each EMS scene time category and mortality. RESULTS: Adult patients with 10-30 minutes of EMS scene time had increased odds of experiencing ED mortality, 24-hour mortality, and in-hospital mortality. Adults with >30 minutes of EMS scene time were more likely to be DOA to the ED. There was no significant association with mortality for patients with <10 minutes of EMS scene time. In the pediatric subset of patients, those with 10-30 minutes of EMS scene time were more likely to experience ED mortality and in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSION: EMS scene times less than 10 minutes were associated with the greatest odds of survival, supporting the "load and go" theory for penetrating trauma. Our study suggests that even an EMS scene time of 10-30 minutes results in a significantly increased risk of mortality, and further efforts are needed to improve scene time through improved EMS and hospital policies.

Unidentified Intracranial Foreign Body in an Epileptic Child: Infanticide or Child Abuse?

Although intracranial foreign bodies are typically associated with penetrating injuries or surgical interventions, they can also occur as a result of rare instances of child abuse. Enduring such abuse and neglect as an infant can lead to life-long neurological problems, developmental delays, and impairments. The present case involved a 14-year-old male adolescent who was brought to the emergency room due to recurrent generalized tonic seizures. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a ring-like metallic object within the right temporal lobe. The neurosurgeon declined the surgical removal of the object due to its position and orientation, as well as the patient's guardian's refusal to consent to surgery. Instead, drug treatment and care are advised. In infants, foreign objects are typically inserted through cranial sutures, fontanelles and less frequently into the orbits, often with the intention of harming unwanted children. However, no history of such an attempt is present in this case. The incidental discovery of intracranial foreign bodies typically occurs during investigations when patients present with neurological symptoms such as epileptic seizures (foreign body-induced epilepsy). The selection of an ideal treatment regimen is often challenging in such cases. If a patient can be effectively treated with drugs, surgical removal is usually avoided.

Removal of Foreign Body in the Rafe Pterigomandibular: Case Report / Remoção de Corpo Estranho Alojado na Rafe Pterigomandibular: Relato de Caso

Introduction: Penetrating lesions in the oral cavity, caused by foreign bodies, is an event of significant clinical relevance and presents itself as an important etiological factor, especially in pediatric patients. Several objects are related to this type of trauma, such as knife blades, nails, pencils, wood, firearm projectile, and glass, among others. Case Report: This report describes a case of removal of a pencil lodged in the left pterygomandibular raphe of a pediatric patient, as well as all the conduct adopted by the team of surgeons. Discussion: Pterygomandibular raphe has an intimate relationship with noble structures, and injuries by penetrating instruments in this region can result in important clinical repercussions. Due to this, it is necessary to have an efficient clinical-anamnesis examination, with adequate analysis of the affected structures, in order to provide a fast and effective treatment. Conclusion: For this, it is essential to have qualified professionals, adequate equipment available, and the proper management of the victim.

Introdução: As lesões penetrantes em cavidade oral, ocasionadas por corpos estranhos, é um evento de relevância clínica significativa e se apresenta como um importante fator etiológico, principalmente, em pacientes pediátricos. Diversos objetos estão relacionados a esse tipo de trauma, como lâmina de faca, prego, lápis, madeira, projétil de arma de fogo, vidro, entre outros. Relato de Caso: Este relato descreve um caso de remoção de um lápis alojado na rafe pterigomandibular esquerda de um paciente pediátrico, assim como toda a conduta adotada pela equipe de cirurgiões. Discussão: A rafe pterigomandibular possui uma íntima relação com estruturas nobres e as lesões por instrumentos penetrantes nessa região podem acarretar uma repercussão clínica importante. Devido a isso, se faz necessário, um exame clínico-anamnese eficiente, com análise adequada das estruturas acometidas, para assim fornecer um tratamento rápido e eficaz. Conclusão: Para isso, é fundamental profissionais qualificados, equipamentos adequados disponíveis e o manejo adequado da vítima.

Spectrum of injuries with "less-lethal" beanbag weapons: pictorial essay.

Beanbag weapons are gaining popularity with increasing daily use as a non-lethal or less-lethal alternative to traditional firearms. While these are considered "less-lethal," these are associated with a spectrum of serious injuries. We present a pictorial essay of these injuries ranging from mild skin contusions to more severe solid organ injuries.

Management of Laryngotracheal Trauma During the COVID 19 Pandemic: Our Experience.

Objective To study the outcomes in terms of airway, voice and swallowing as well as the economic impact of the trauma on patients' finances and the constrained health infrastructure due to the pandemic. Materials and methods Study design Retrospective study. Setting: Tertiary care teaching hospital. Subjects and methods: A retrospective study was done of the 19 subjects who sustained acute laryngotracheal trauma during the SARS CoV-2 pandemic and was managed at our institution from January 2020 to September 2021. Results Change in voice was the most common presenting symptom and thyroid cartilage fractures were the commonest cartilage injury noted. It was found that 93% (decannulated) of the patients had good functional outcome and 90% of them required financial support to meet the medical expenses. Conclusion During the COVID 19 pandemic, it was not only, early presentation, timely detection and intervention by the treating team, but also the multidisciplinary teamwork and the support system that facilitated the recuperation and restoration of these traumatized individuals back into society with good laryngeal function.

Management of trauma White weapons penetrating Head and Neck in the anesthesia department of the national hospital of Zinder in Niger: About five reported cases.

We report five cases of craniocervical trauma with knives. The occurrence circumstances were common to all injuries. The trauma was caused by a knife during a fight or an intentional injury. All the victims were farmers or ranchers. Their average age was 17 years, with extremes of 13 and 22 years. The cause was most often community conflict. Pre-hospital transport was non-medical for all patients. The average admission time was 3 h and the average management time was 4 h. General anesthesia with orotracheal intubation was the anesthetic technique used. The average length of hospital stay was seven days. The prognosis was overall favorable and the patients returned home without any sequels.

Advanced interventions in the pre-hospital resuscitation of patients with non-compressible haemorrhage after penetrating injuries.

Early haemorrhage control and minimizing the time to definitive care have long been the cornerstones of therapy for patients exsanguinating from non-compressible haemorrhage (NCH) after penetrating injuries, as only basic treatment could be provided on scene. However, more recently, advanced on-scene treatments such as the transfusion of blood products, resuscitative thoracotomy (RT) and resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) have become available in a small number of pre-hospital critical care teams. Although these advanced techniques are included in the current traumatic cardiac arrest algorithm of the European Resuscitation Council (ERC), published in 2021, clear guidance on the practical application of these techniques in the pre-hospital setting is scarce. This paper provides a scoping review on how these advanced techniques can be incorporated into practice for the resuscitation of patients exsanguinating from NCH after penetrating injuries, based on available literature and the collective experience of several helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) across Europe who have introduced these advanced resuscitation interventions into routine practice.

Penetrating Abdominal Trauma: Descriptive Analysis of a Case Series From an Indian Metropolitan City.

Introduction Penetrating abdominal trauma (PAT) is a major injury that patients present to the emergency department in developed and developing countries. There are many modes and causes of injury. The aim of this study is to analyse the patterns of presentation and parameters at assessment, including investigations, interventions and outcomes of penetrating abdominal trauma at a major trauma centre in an Indian metropolitan city. Methods This is an observational descriptive study done over 18 months at a major trauma centre in a metropolitan city in India. The study was registered with the institutional ethics committee and the patients were recruited after obtaining consent on admission. The relevant details were collected from the patient's electronic records after admission and analysed. Results Stab wounds in the 21-40-year-old subset were the commonest. The small intestine was the most commonly injured organ. The mortality rates and the duration of the hospital stay were similar to other case series of the same condition. Conclusion The analysis of our case series has highlighted the patterns and outcomes of penetrating abdominal trauma in an urban demographic of a developing economy. Individuals in the prime of their lives, unfortunately, are victims of this mode of injury. Better implementation of standard management protocols can improve outcomes.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Utilization in Blunt and Penetrating Traumatic Injuries: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has become an increasingly used treatment modality for severe respiratory insufficiency in trauma patients. Examining ECMO use specifically in blunt and penetrating traumas can aid in directing future protocols. We aim to evaluate the outcomes of ECMO use in both blunt and penetrating trauma patients through a systematic review of current literature. METHODS: An online search of 2 databases (PubMed and Google Scholar) was performed to analyze studies, which evaluated the use of ECMO in blunt and penetrating traumas. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation guidelines were followed. Data extracted included mechanism of injury, injury severity scores (ISSs), complications, and mortality rates. RESULTS: The search demonstrated 9 studies that met our review inclusion criteria. A total of 207 patients were included, of which 64 (30.9%) were non-survivors and 143 (69.1%) were survivors. There was a total of 201 blunt traumas with 61 (30.3%) deaths, whereas penetrating traumas had 2 deaths (33.3%) out of 6 total patients. Complications reported included acute renal failure, hemorrhage at the cannula site, and transient neurological deficits. Most studies found better survival rates and less complications in younger patients and those with lower ISS. CONCLUSION: Expanding the use of ECMO to include blunt and penetrating trauma patients provides the trauma surgeons with another crucial potentially lifesaving tool with an overall survival rate of 70%. Anticipating increased future use of ECMO in blunt and penetrating trauma patients, distinct protocols ought to be instilled to better address the care needed for these critically ill trauma patients.

Increase in gunshot wounds at a level 1 trauma center following the COVID19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the number of patients with gunshot wounds presenting to our level 1 trauma center before and during the COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on volume trends after the lifting of stay-at-home directives through August 2020. DESIGN: Retrospective. SETTING: Level 1 trauma center. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Seven hundred six gunshot wound patients between 2016 and 2020 (months March to September only). INTERVENTION: COVID-19 pandemic and resultant stay at home directives. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Number of patients presenting with gunshot wounds per time period. RESULTS: The number of patients with gunshot wounds presenting to our institution increased by 11.7% in March-April 2020 and by 67% in May-August 2020 when compared to previous years. Length of stay significantly decreased in 2020 compared to 2018 and 2019. In 2020, significantly fewer patients had orthopaedic procedures than in 2018. CONCLUSIONS: Patients presenting with gunshot wounds increased during the initial "stay-at-home" portion of the pandemic in March to April and increased significantly more after the restrictions were relaxed during May to August.Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level III.

Craniocerebral missile injuries in a combat zone: spectrum of injuries and lessons learnt.

BACKGROUND: High-velocity missile injuries are commonly encountered in war or war-like situations. Aggressive resuscitation, early evacuation to neurosurgical center, and application of neurosurgical principles remain tenets of success. METHODS: The spectrum of injuries and clinical profile of 14 such cases with craniocerebral missile injuries managed at our center in the northern sector were included. Site of injury, GCS at presentation, associated injuries, surgical intervention, duration of hospitalization, and recovery of the patient were analyzed. RESULTS: Five patients had sustained gunshot wounds, and nine patients had sustained shrapnel injuries. Thirteen patients were deeply comatose, and one patient was conscious. The entry wound was in frontal lobe in eight patients, and in four patients, it was in the faciocranial area. Ten patients had Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) less than 8 at presentation. Surgical intervention was required in 13 patients, including 11 decompressive craniectomies and anterior skull base repair in four patients with faciocranial entry wound. One patient expired during initial resuscitation, and one patient died in the postoperative period. Location of injury was the single most important determinant of outcome. CONCLUSION: An early decompressive craniectomy provides a reasonable chance of recovery. Aggressive debridement involving track explorations, lobectomies, or removal of retained shrapnels is not beneficial. Injuries to the skull base and violation of sinus spaces predispose these patients to cerebrospinal fluid leaks and infective sequelae. All these patients require aggressive postoperative intensive care and rehabilitation.

Correlation Between Electroretinogram and Visual Prognosis in Metallic Intraocular Foreign Body Injury.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the correlation between electroretinogram (ERG) and visual outcome in eyes with metallic intraocular foreign body (IOFB) injury. Methods: Cases with metallic IOFB injuries with preoperative ERG from January 2008 to May 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. Five ERG responses were recorded, including rod response, maximal response, oscillatory potentials, cone response, and 30-Hz flicker. The results were compared between the affected and the contralateral eyes. All patients received surgery to remove IOFBs. The correlation between amplitudes, implicit times, and grades of ERG with final best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was analyzed. Results: A total of 33 eyes of 33 patients were included. The eyes with IOFB had generally delayed implicit time and reduced amplitude in all waves. The maximum change was found in oscillatory potentials S3 and N1 (0.42 ± 0.42 and 1.95 ± 1.97 of the fellow eyes, respectively, p < 0.05). All amplitudes were negatively correlated with the final BCVA (rs: -0.676 to -0.459, all p < 0.05). In contrast, all implicit times were positively correlated with final BCVA, although, some of them were not statistically significant (rs: 0.035 to 0.687). Among them, oscillatory potential P3 has the highest correlation coefficient (rs = 0.687, p < 0.001). All grades of ERG waves were statistically correlated with the final BCVA (rs: -0.596 to -0.664, all p < 0.001). Conclusions: ERG can be used to assess visual outcome in metallic IOFB injury after surgery. Oscillatory potentials provided the most significant responses.

Hepatic Artery Pseudoaneurysm Following Gunshot Injury With Early Rupture.

Pseudoaneurysms are a rare and potentially life-threatening complication that can be caused by trauma, infections, tumors, autoimmune diseases, organ transplants, or idiopathic causes. The management of liver trauma is based on the anatomy of the injury and the patient's physiology. Posttraumatic hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm (HAP) is a life-threatening complication that requires prompt recognition and a multidisciplinary approach in its management. We present a case of HAP rupture two weeks following a gunshot wound to the liver.

Nonoperative Management of Penetrating Right Thoracoabdominal Injury.

Penetrating thoracoabdominal injuries caused by stabbing or firearms are seen on an almost daily basis at trauma centers in the USA. The nonoperative management of carefully selected hemodynamically stable patients is still under dispute. We present a case of right thoracoabdominal firearm injury managed nonoperatively.

Penetrating injuries in Germany - epidemiology, management and outcome an analysis based on the TraumaRegister DGU®.

BACKGROUND: The management of penetrating wounds is a rare challenge for trauma surgeons in Germany and Central Europe as a result of the low incidence of this type of trauma. In Germany, penetrating injuries are reported to occur in 4-5 % of the severely injured patients who are enrolled in the TraumaRegister DGU® (trauma registry of the German Trauma Society). They include gunshot injuries, knife stab injuries, which are far more common, and penetrating injuries of other origin, for example trauma caused by accidents. The objective of this study was to assess the epidemiology and outcome of penetrating injuries in Germany, with a particular focus on the level of care provided by the treating trauma centre to gain more understanding of this trauma mechanism and to anticipate the necessary steps in the initial treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Since 2009, the TraumaRegister DGU® has been used to assess not only whether a trauma was penetrating but also whether it was caused by gunshot or stabbing. Data were taken from the standard documentation forms that participating German hospitals completed between 2009 and 2018. Excluded were patients with a maximum abbreviated injury scale (MAIS) score of 1 with a view to obtaining a realistic idea of this injury entity, which is rare in Germany. RESULTS: From 2009 to 2018, there were 1123 patients with gunshot wounds, corresponding to a prevalence rate of 0.5 %, and 4333 patients with stab wounds (1.8 %), which were frequently caused by violent crime. The high proportion of intentionally self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the head resulted in a cumulative mortality rate of 41 % for gunshot injuries. Stab wounds were associated with a lower mortality rate (6.8 %). Every fourth to fifth patient with a gunshot or stab wound presented with haemorrhagic shock, which is a problem that is seen during both the prehospital and the inhospital phase of patient management. Of the patients with penetrating injuries, 18.3 % required transfusions. This percentage was more than two times higher than that of the basic group of patients of the TraumaRegister DGU®, which consists of patients with a MAIS ≥ 3 and patients with a MAIS of 2 who died or were treated on the intensive care unit. CONCLUSIONS: In Germany, gunshot and stab wounds have a low incidence and are mostly caused by violent crime or attempted suicides. Depending on the site of injury, they have a high mortality and are often associated with major haemorrhage. As a result of the low incidence of these types of trauma, further data and analyses are required in order to provide the basis for evaluating the long-term quality of the management of patients with stab or gunshot wounds.

An Audit of Surgical Neck Explorations for Penetrating Neck Injuries in Northwestern Nigeria: Experience from a Teaching Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Penetrating neck injury is a major trauma mechanism present in about 5%-10% of trauma patients with an estimated mortality of 3%-10%. The management of these injuries is dependent on the anatomical level of injury. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to document the clinical and operative findings as well as the treatment outcome among our patients who underwent neck exploration for penetrating neck injuries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of patients who had neck exploration for penetrating neck injury between January 2012 and December 2018 was done. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients all of whom had surgical neck exploration were included. The age ranged from 15 to 62 years with a male: female of 7.8:1. The mean age was 30.7 years with standard deviation of ± 12.5 years and the peak age of occurrence of 20-29 years. The mechanism of injury was commonly arrow injury in 9 (25.7%) and suicidal cutthroat in 7 (20%) patients. Thirty-two (91.4%) patients presented with stable vital signs. Zone II neck injuries were most prevalent, seen in 23 (65.7%) patients. Laryngeal injury in 7 (20%) and soft-tissue injury in 7 (20%) of the patients were the most common intraoperative findings. The complication rate of 17.1% with a mortality rate of 2.9% was recorded. There was a statistically significant association between the presence of vascular injury and the development of complications after exploration (Chi-square = 5.666, P = 0.017). It was also a significant positive predictor of complication following neck exploration (odds ratio = 0.017, P = 0.048). CONCLUSION: Male young adults were most involved, commonly from arrow and stab injuries. Although laryngeal and soft-tissue injuries were predominant, vascular injuries were most associated with postoperative complications.

Trauma outcomes for blunt and penetrating injuries by mode of transportation and day/night shift.

BACKGROUND: Effective management of trauma patients is dependent on pre-hospital triage systems and proper in-hospital treatment regardless of time of admission. We aim to investigate any differences in adjusted all-cause mortality between day vs. night arrival for adult trauma patients who were transported to the hospital via ground emergency medical services (GEMS) and helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) and to determine if care/outcomes are inferior when admitted during the night shift as compared to the day shift. METHODS: Retrospective cohort analysis of adult blunt and penetrating injury patients requiring full team trauma activation at an American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACSCOT)-verified Level 1 trauma center from 2011 to 2019. Descriptive statistical analyses, chi-square analyses, independent-sample t-tests, and Fisher's exact tests were performed. Primary measurement outcome was adjusted observed/expected (O/E) mortality ratios utilizing TRISS methodology. RESULTS: 8370 patients with blunt injuries and 1216 patients with penetrating injuries were analyzed. There were no significant differences in day vs. night O/Es overall (blunt 0.65 vs. 0.59; p = 0.46) (penetrating 0.88 vs. 0.87; p = 0.97). There also were no significant differences when stratified by GEMS (blunt 0.64 vs. 0.55; p = 0.08) (penetrating 0.88 vs. 1.10; p = 0.09) and HEMS admissions (blunt 0.76 vs. 0.75; p = 0.91) (penetrating 0.88 vs. 0.91; p = 0.85). CONCLUSIONS: At an ACSCOT-verified Level 1 Trauma Center, care/outcomes of patients admitted during the night shift were not inferior to those admitted during the day shift. Trauma Center verification by the ACSCOT and multidisciplinary collaboration may allow for consistent care despite injury type and time of day.

About an unusual penetrating cervical wound:Iron bar.

INTRODUCTION: The majority of cervical wounds are linked to aggressions and attempted autolysis by knives or firearms. CASE PRESENTATION: the story is about a 35 -year-old man admitted to the emergency room for a penetrating cervical wound following an accidental fall in the workplace. The extremely long iron bar (concrete)has penetrated its neck on the right side.upon admission, the patient was conscious,hemodynamically and respiratory stable without sensory-motor deficit.Surgical exploration is urgently decided under general anesthesia, from wich the foreign body is successfully removed.A follow -up examination at 4 months was without particularity. DISCUSSION: Penetrating neck injuries caused by objects such as rods or iron bars pose a significantly high risk of serious neurological damage.Penetrating neck injuries can be life-threatening and functional.the extent of the lesions must be assessed precisely before removing the foreign body. CONCLUSION: we report an exceptional case of a penetrating neck wound caused by a concrete iron bar.treatment should always be multidisciplinary and giving priority to vital structures and function.