Treatment of Chronic Hypertrophic Burn Scars With a Fractional CO 2 Laser Is Well Tolerated in an Outpatient Clinic Setting.

INTRODUCTION: The necessity of treating hypertrophic burn scars has expanded significantly with increased burn survivorship. Ablative lasers, such as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) lasers, have been the most common nonoperative option for improving functional outcomes in severe recalcitrant hypertrophic burn scars. However, the overwhelming majority of ablative lasers used for this indication require a combination of systemic analgesia, sedation, and/or general anesthesia due to the painful nature of the procedure. More recently, the technology of ablative lasers has advanced and is more tolerable than their first-generation counterparts. Herein, we hypothesized that refractory hypertrophic burn scars can be treated by a CO 2 laser in an outpatient clinic. METHODS: We enrolled 17 consecutive patients with chronic hypertrophic burn scars that were treated with a CO 2 laser. All patients were treated in the outpatient clinic with a combination of a topical solution (23% lidocaine and 7% tetracaine) applied to the scar 30 minutes before the procedure, Cryo 6 air chiller by Zimmer, and some patients received a mixture of N 2 O/O 2 . Laser treatments were repeated every 4 to 8 weeks until the patient's goals were met. Each patient completed a standardized questionnaire to assess tolerability and patient satisfaction of functional results. RESULTS: All patients tolerated the laser well in the outpatient clinic setting, with 0% indicating "not tolerable," 70.6% "tolerable," and 29.4% "very tolerable." Each patient received more than 1 laser treatment for the following complaints: decreased range of motion (n = 16, 94.1%), pain (n = 11, 64.7%), or pruritis (n = 12, 70.6%). Patients were also satisfied with the results of the laser treatments ("no improvement or worsened" = 0%, "improved" = 47.1%, and "significant improvement" = 52.9%). The age of patient, type of burn, location of burn, presence of skin graft, or age of scar did not significantly affect the tolerability of treatment or satisfaction of outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment of chronic hypertrophic burn scars with a CO 2 laser is well tolerated in an outpatient clinic setting in select patients. Patients reported a high level of satisfaction with notable improvement in functional and cosmetic outcomes.

Use of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve blocks by landmark technique is ineffective in decreasing narcotic usage after skin grafts: A retrospective case-control study.

INTRODUCTION: Cutaneous burns are commonly treated with autologous skin grafts. Following skin grafting, many patients complain of pain at the donor site. Donor sites are taken most commonly from the lateral thigh, which is innervated by the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN). Use of a LFCN blocks should decrease nociception from the donor site. METHODS: Our group began utilizing LFCN blocks in 2019. Utilizing anatomic landmarks, LFCN blocks were performed on all patients who received autologous skin grafts to reduce perioperative pain. A retrospective cohort study was performed on all patients with 10% or less total body surface areas burns who received an autologous skin graft. A similar cohort from 2016, prior to use of any local or regional analgesia, was used as a historical control. Post-operative enteral and parenteral narcotic analgesics were collected for each post-operative day up to day 5 or discharge (whichever came first) and converted to morphine milligram equivalents (MME) to quantify analgesia after surgery. RESULTS: Chart review identified 55 patients in the 2020 cohort. Fifty-five patients from the 2016 cohort were matched based upon size of skin graft, total body surface area (TBSA) burned, gender, and age. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of size of graft, TBSA burned, age, gender, or type of burn. When examining narcotics usage in the immediate perioperative period (days 0-2), we found no difference between the two groups for total MME (113 vs 133, p = 0.28) or IV MME (38 vs 33, p = 0.45). Similar relationships existed in the extended post-operative period (days 1-5) for total MME (149 vs. 188, t = 0.22) or IV MME (37 vs. 50, t = 0.25). Examining daily narcotic usage also yielded no statistically different values. CONCLUSION: Our data shows that use of LFCN block by landmark technique did not reduce narcotic usage in patients that undergo skin grafting procedures. Future studies should consider ultrasound-guided LFCN blocks.

Diabetes in Trauma Patients: A Potential Gateway to a Medical Home.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a major determinant of health outcomes. Trauma patients are disproportionately from lower socioeconomic status, where lack of access to health care prevents timely treatment. Trauma centers could play a role in identifying patients in need of improved glucose management, but the current burden of disease is not known. We assessed the incidence of patients in need of intervention that presented to a level 1 trauma center over a 6-month period. METHODS: A retrospective chart review over 6 months of all trauma patients admitted to a level 1 trauma center was performed. Patients' past medical history (PMH), medication reconciliation, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were recorded on initial assessment; patients <18 years old, lacking an HbA1c, or missing PMH were excluded. Patients with PMH of diabetes or antihyperglycemic use were classified by HbA1c: well-controlled ≤8.0% or poorly controlled >8.0%. Patients with no history of diabetes or antihyperglycemic use were classified based on their HbA1c: non-diabetic <5.7%, pre-diabetic 5.7-6.4%, and undiagnosed diabetic ≥6.5%. RESULTS: Overall, 1377 patients were identified. After exclusion criteria, 903 patients were classified as follows: 593 (66%) non-diabetics, 160 (18%) pre-diabetics, and 150 (17%) diabetics. Fifteen diabetics were undiagnosed; 39 of the diagnosed diabetics were poorly controlled. Including pre-diabetics, a total of 214 (24%) trauma patients were in need of improved glycemic control. DISCUSSION: One in four trauma patients would benefit from improved outpatient glycemic management, representing a missed opportunity for preventative health care. Trauma centers should develop strategies to meet this need as part of their post-discharge care.

Admission Medication Reconciliation Discrepancies in Trauma Patients: Consistent Nursing Care May Not Be the Answer.

Inadvertent medication reconciliation discrepancies are common among trauma patient populations. We conducted a prospective study at a level 1 trauma center to assess incidence of inadvertent medication reconciliation discrepancies following decreased reliance on short-term nursing staff. Patients and independent sources were interviewed for home medication lists and compared to admission medication reconciliation (AMR) lists. Of the 108 patients included, 37 patients (34%) never received an AMR. Of the 71 patients that had a completed AMR, 42 patients (59%) had one or more errors, with total 154 errors across all patients, for a rate of 3.7 per patient with any discrepancy. Patients taking ≥ 5 medications were significantly more likely to have an incomplete or inaccurate AMR than those taking <5 medications (89% vs 41%, P < .0001). Decreased reliance on short-term nursing staff did not decrease inadvertent admission medication reconciliation discrepancies. Additional interventions to decrease risk of medication administration errors are needed.

Monotherapy Antibiotic Prophylaxis of Lower Extremity Long Bone Type III Open Fractures.

Gustilo type III open fractures involve extensive soft tissue damage and wound contamination that pose significant infection risks. The historical standard for antibiotic prophylaxis has been cefazolin and gentamicin. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of lower extremity type III open fractures treated with ceftriaxone alone for prophylaxis. Eighty-six patients were identified. Nearly all (98%) were managed with appropriate antibiotics, but only 55 (64%) received prophylaxis within 1 hour. Overall, there were 12 infections. This infection rate was not statistically different than the reported literature (14% vs 19%, P = .20). The infection rate between those who received antibiotics within 1 hour was not statistically different from those who got it beyond 1 hour (15% vs 13%, P = .98). In conclusion, the use of ceftriaxone as monotherapy for antibiotic prophylaxis in lower extremity type III open fractures is not statistically different than the use of historic prophylactic regimens.

A Single Hospital-Wide Antibiogram is Insufficient to Account for Differences in Antibiotic Resistance Patterns Across Multiple ICUs.

BACKGROUND: Infection is a common cause of mortality within intensive care units (ICUs). Antibiotic resistance patterns and culture data are used to create antibiograms. Knowledge of antibiograms facilitates guiding empiric therapies and reduces mortality. Most major hospitals utilize data collection to create hospital-wide antibiograms. Previous studies have shown significant differences in susceptibility patterns between hospital wards and ICUs. We hypothesize that institutional or combined ICU antibiograms are inadequate to account for differences in susceptibility for patients in individual ICUs. METHODS: Culture and susceptibility data were reviewed over a 1-year period for 13 bacteria in the following ICUs: Surgical/Trauma, Medical, Neuroscience, Burn, and Emergency department. Antibiotic management decisions are made by individual teams. RESULTS: Nine species had sufficient data for inclusion into an All-ICU antibiogram. E coli and S aureus were the most common isolates. Seven species had significant differences in susceptibility patterns between ICUs. E cloacae showed higher rates of resistance to multiple antibiotics in the STICU than other ICUs. P aeruginosa susceptibility rates in the NSICU and BICU were 88% and 92%, respectively, compared to 60% and 55% in the STICU and MICU. Cephalosporins and Aztreonam had reduced efficacy against E coli in the NSICU, however remain effective in other ICUs. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that different ICUs do have variability in antibiotic susceptibility patterns within a single hospital. While this only represents a single institution, it shows that the use of hospital-wide antibiograms is inadequate for creating empiric antibiotic protocols within individual ICUs.

Incidence and Severity of Medication Reconciliation Discrepancies in Trauma Patients.

Trauma patients are especially vulnerable to inadvertent medication reconciliation discrepancies. We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the USA Health University Hospital's incidence and type of inadvertent medication reconciliation discrepancies among trauma patients. Patients were interviewed for accuracy of their admission medication reconciliation (AMR). Eighty-nine patients were included in this study. Twenty-six patients (29%) never received an AMR. There were 107 inadvertent medication reconciliation errors identified from 30 separate patients (48%), for a rate of 3.6 errors per patient with any error. There was a significant difference in the frequency of inadvertent medication reconciliation discrepancies for patients with >5 medication compared to those with fewer (P = .00029). In conclusion, trauma centers must be adequately staffed to provide timely, accurate, and available medication lists so that patients can be appropriately cared for.

Social Determinants of Health Impact Physical Recovery After Blunt Injury.

As defined by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) are conditions in the environment that affect health function and outcomes. The SDOH are divided into the following categories: economic stability, education access and quality, health care access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, and social and community content. It is known that SDOH impact long-term health outcomes. The influence that SDOH have on physical recovery after acute injury is less understood, however. In this study, patients who suffered a traumatic blunt injury completed a survey 12-14 months post-injury to assess their SDOH and physical health before and after their injury. The results showed that for the cohort of patients studied SDOH was the greatest predictor of long-term recovery, having a stronger correlation with recovery than injury severity score (ISS) or hospital length of stay (HLOS).

Incidence and Outcomes of Undiagnosed and Untreated Diabetes Mellitus in Trauma Patients.

Diabetes is a major determinate for mortality in trauma patients. Many diabetics are undiagnosed or poorly controlled. Trauma patients disproportionately come from lower socioeconomic status, making missed diagnoses more likely. We aimed to quantify the incidence of undiagnosed or poorly controlled diabetics assessed at a Level 1 Trauma Center. We did a retrospective chart review of admitted trauma patients over a one-month period. Past Medical History, home medication lists, and Hemoglobin A1c on admission were recorded for each patient. We determined that 30 of 173 trauma patients qualifying for the study were diabetic. Furthermore, 30% of these diabetics were undiagnosed or had poorly controlled diabetes. Undiagnosed pre-diabetics made up 20% of the entire study group. Our data show that 26% of trauma patients would benefit from an intervention for improved glucose control. Trauma centers should consider creating routine clinical practice guidelines to identify at-risk patients and provide intervention for long-term management.

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Trauma Population in a Level 1 Trauma Center.

In this study, we evaluated the effects of the pandemic on our trauma population. We performed a retrospective review of the trauma registry in the 2 years prior, and then 2 years during the pandemic. We evaluated age, race, gender, injury severity score (ISS), mechanism of trauma, rate of self-inflicted injury, rate of gunshot wounds (GSW), presence of EtOH, drug screen results, mortality, rate of burn traumas, and zip code of residence. Our query captured 5 054 patients before, and 5 731 during the pandemic. We found no statistical difference in age, gender, mechanism of trauma, rate of self-inflicted injuries, and mortality during the pandemic when compared to before. There were statistically significant differences in race, ISS, rate of GSWs, EtOH use, drug screen results, and burn traumas. Geospatial mapping found a rise in GSWs for zip code 36606. Gun violence and substance use rose in our trauma population during COVID-19.

Unexpected Diaphragmatic Hernia Among Patients Undergoing Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery for Internal Fixation of Rib Fractures.

Traumatic blunt diaphragm injuries are a diagnostic challenge in trauma. They may be missed due to the increasing trend of non-operative management of patients. The purpose of this study was to review the rate of occult blunt diaphragm injuries in patients who underwent video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for rib fixation. This retrospective study included patients that received VATS as part of our institutional protocol for rib fracture management. This includes utilizing incentive spirometry, multimodal analgesia, and early consideration for VATS. Data was abstracted from the electronic medical record and included demographics, operative findings, and outcomes. Thirty patients received VATS per our rib fracture protocol. No patients had any identified diaphragm injury on pre-operative imaging. A concomitant diaphragm injury was identified in 20% (6/30) of the study population. All patients were alive at 30 days. For all patients, total hospital length of stay was 14.5 days, ICU length of stay was 8.9 days, and average ventilator days was 4.2 days. When comparing patients with and without concomitant diaphragm injuries, hospital length of stay was 16.8 days vs. 14.5 (P = 0.59), ICU length of stay was 11.8 days vs. 8.2 (P = 0.54), and ventilator days was 4.5 days vs. 4.2 (P = 0.93). This study revealed that 20% of patients undergoing VATS for rib fracture fixation had a concomitant diaphragm injury. This higher-than-expected prevalence suggests that groups of patients sustaining blunt trauma may have occult diaphragmatic injuries that are otherwise unidentified. This raises the need for improved diagnostic modalities to identify these injuries.