European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery最新文献

Purpose: Reduced fibrinogen levels are associated with worse outcomes in bleeding trauma patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of the prehospital shock index (SI) and its derivatives, the age shock index (aSI) and the modified shock index (mSI), as predictors of hypofibrinogenaemia in trauma patients.

Methods: This retrospective study included 2383 patients who presented to a regional trauma center. We reviewed the plasma fibrinogen levels upon admission to the trauma center and patients were divided into two groups: the hypofibrinogenaemia group and the normal group. The predictive performances of the SI, aSI, and mSI were assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).

Results: Of the 2383 patients, 235 (9.9%) had hypofibrinogenaemia. Patients with hypofibrinogenaemia were more likely to receive transfusions within 4 h and had significantly greater in-hospital mortality than patients with normal fibrinogen levels. The AUCs of prehospital SI, prehospital aSI, and prehospital mSI for the prediction of hypofibrinogenaemia were 0.75 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.73-0.77), 0.70 (95% CI 0.68-0.72), and 0.75 (95% CI 0.73-0.77), respectively.

Conclusion: Prehospital SI and prehospital mSI demonstrated moderate performance for identifying trauma patients with hypofibrinogenaemia. The prehospital aSI had poor predictive performance. In the prehospital setting, the use of prehospital SI or prehospital mSI as the sole predictor of hypofibrinogenaemia in trauma patients is not recommended.

Purpose: The impact of major trauma is long lasting. Although polytrauma patients are currently identified with the Berlin polytrauma criteria, data on long-term outcomes are not available. In this study, we evaluated the association of trauma classification with long-term outcome in blunt-trauma patients.

Methods: A trauma registry of a level I trauma centre was used for patient identification from 1.1.2006 to 31.12.2015. Patients were grouped as follows: (1) all severely injured trauma patients; (2) all severely injured polytrauma patients; 2a) severely injured patients with AIS ≥ 3 on two different body regions (Berlin-); 2b) severely injured patients with polytrauma and a physiological criterion (Berlin+); and (3) a non-polytrauma group. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to estimate differences in mortality between different groups.

Results: We identified 3359 trauma patients for this study. Non-polytrauma was the largest group (2380 [70.9%] patients). A total of 500 (14.9%) patients fulfilled the criteria for Berlin + definition, leaving 479 (14.3%) polytrauma patients in Berlin- group. Berlin + patients had the highest short-term mortality compared with other groups, although the difference in cumulative mortality gradually plateaued compared with the non-polytrauma patient group; at the end of the 10-year follow up, the non-polytrauma group had the greatest mortality due to the high number of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Conclusion: Excess mortality of polytrauma patients by Berlin definition occurs in the early phase (30-day mortality) and late deaths are rare. TBI causes high early mortality followed by increased long-term mortality.

Objective: In recent years, the trauma mechanisms and fracture types in tibial plateau fractures (TPF) have changed. At the same time, treatment strategies have expanded with the establishment of new classification systems, extension of diagnostics and surgical strategies. Evidence-based recommendations for treatment strategies are rare. The aim of this study is to assess the extent of standardization in the treatment of complex TPF.

Material and methods: For the study, specialists in trauma surgery/orthopaedics were presented thin-slice CT data sets of three complex TPFs including 3D reconstructions. A standardized questionnaire on fracture morphology and planned treatment strategy was then completed.

Results: A total of 23 surgeons from 7 hospitals (Trauma center levels I-III) were included. All three fractures were most frequently classified as Schatzker type V (fracture I: 52.2%, II: 56.5%, III: 60%). Averaged over all three fractures, 55% of the respondents chose the same patient positioning. The combination of a posteromedial and anterolateral approach was the most frequently chosen approach at 42.7%. Double plating was favored for the surgical treatment of all fractures (70.7%). Preoperative MRI, extended approaches and intraoperative fraturoscopy were significantly more common in level I trauma centres.

Conclusion: There are major differences in the management of complex TPF. 360° treatment is carried out in all departments regardless of the level of care, but without further standardization in terms of preoperative imaging, classification, initial treatment, approach, fixation and intraoperative imaging. There are major differences within the departments with different level of care.

Purpose: Sweden has an established trauma system involving national trauma criteria and the Swedish trauma registry (SweTrau), since over a decade. Meanwhile, the injury panorama has evolved, with an increase in gang-related violence in the Swedish community. In this study, we aimed to investigate long-term trends in mortality, management and trauma type in two major Swedish trauma centers over a nine-year period.

Methods: All trauma patients with a New Injury Score (NISS) > 15 or a Trauma Alert (TA) call during 2013-2021 were identified in the participating centers' SweTrau registries. Data were analysed regarding mortality, proportion of emergency interventions, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, mechanism of injury and type of trauma (penetrating or blunt). To assess trends, Chi-Squared test for trend and JoinPoint regression method were used.

Results: A total of 10,587 patients were included in the study. Mortality remained unchanged over time in patients with NISS > 15 (10.0-10.9%, p = 0.963) but increased in patients with a TA and NISS < 15 (1.3-2.7%, p = 0.005). For NISS > 15, the proportion undergoing emergency interventions was stable (53.9%-48.8%, p = 0.297) while ICU admissions declined (62.1%-45.7%, p < 0.001). Penetrating trauma increased (12.4-19.6%, p < 0.001), including knife (10.0-15.7%, p < 0.001) and gunshot wounds (2.3-3.8%, p < 0.001), whereas accidents involving motorcycles (8.8%-7.0%, p = 0.004) and pedestrians (5.3%-2.2%, p < 0.001) decreased. Assaults (both penetrating and blunt) increased from 14.7 to 21.4% (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: In this trend analysis at two major Swedish trauma centers during 2013-2021, penetrating trauma increased with over 50% while traffic injuries decreased. The rise in mortality in patients with a TA and NISS < 15 is concerning and requires further evaluation, as do the reduction in ICU admissions.

Background: The aging population in France and Western Europe is on the rise, particularly among individuals aged 65 years and older. Although older adults are susceptible to traumatic injuries, they constitute a minority of trauma center admissions especially those aged 85 and above. The aim of our study was to investigate the prognostic factors for mortality among the older old population (aged 85 years and above) managed in ICU of Traumabase group trauma centers.

Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study, conducted from 2013 to 2022, analyzed all severely injured older patients (aged ≥ 85 years) managed in 14 ICU trauma centers enrolled in the Traumabase registry. The study examined sociodemographic, clinical, and outcome variables. Frailty was assessed using the Clinical Frailty Scale.

Results: Among the 365 older trauma patients, 190 (52.1%) were classified as non-frail (CFS 1-3), 80 (21.9%) as pre-frail (CFS 4,5), and 95 (26%) as frail (CFS 6-9). Falls were the most common mechanism of injury. High mortality rates were observed, with 43.5% ICU mortality and 45.5% mortality at day 30. Factors most associated with ICU mortality included traumatic brain injury (CGS < 13), pre-hospital micromethod hemoglobin < 13 and severity of injury (ISS > 16).

Conclusion: Factors such as traumatic brain injury and severe hemorrhage (micromethod hemoglobin < 13) and ISS > 16 are associated with ICU mortality in in patients older than 85 years trauma patient. Early geriatric intervention is crucial for optimizing outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Background: The precision of assessment and prognosis in traumatic brain injury (TBI) is paramount for effective triage and informed therapeutic strategies. While the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) remains the cornerstone for TBI evaluation, it overlooks critical primary imaging findings. The Helsinki Score (HS), a novel tool designed to incorporate radiological data, offers a promising approach to predicting TBI outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic efficacy of HS in comparison to GCS across a substantial TBI patient cohort.

Methods: This retrospective study encompassed TBI patients treated at our institution between 2008 and 2019, specifically those with an admission GCS of 14 or lower. We assessed both the initial GCS and the HS derived from primary CT scans. Key outcome metrics included the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) and mortality rates at hospital discharge and at 6 and 12-month intervals post-discharge. Predictive performances of GCS and HS were analyzed through Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves and Kendall tau-b correlation coefficients against each outcome.

Results: The study included 544 patients, with an average age of 62.2 ± 21.5 years, median initial GCS of 14, and a median HS of 3. The mortality rate at discharge stood at 8.6%, with a median GOS of 4. Both GCS and HS demonstrated significant correlations with mortality and GOS outcomes (p < 0.05). Notably, HS showed a markedly superior correlation with mortality (τb = 0.36) compared to GCS (τb = -0.11) and with GOS outcomes (τb = -0.40 for HS vs. τb = 0.33 for GCS). ROC analyses affirmed HS's enhanced predictive accuracy over GCS for both mortality (AUC of 0.79 for HS vs. 0.62 for GCS) and overall outcomes (AUC of 0.77 for HS vs. 0.71 for GCS).

Conclusion: The findings validate the HS in a large German cohort and suggest that radiological assessments alone, as exemplified by HS, can surpass the traditional GCS in predicting TBI outcomes. However, the HS, despite its efficacy, lacks the integration of clinical evaluation, a vital component in TBI management. This underscores the necessity for a holistic approach that amalgamates both radiological and clinical insights for a more comprehensive and accurate prognostication in TBI care.

Purpose: Trauma-related death is used as a parameter to evaluate the quality of trauma care and identify cases in which mortality could have been prevented under optimal trauma care conditions. The aim of this study was to identify trauma-related preventable death (TRPD) within our institute by an external expert panel and to evaluate inter-panel reliability.

Methods: Trauma-related deaths between the 1st of January 2020 and the 1st of February 2022 at the Amsterdam University Medical Centre were identified. The severely injured patients (injury severity score ≥ 16) were enrolled for preventability analysis by an external multidisciplinary panel, consisting of a trauma surgeon, anaesthesiologist, emergency physician, neurosurgeon, and forensic physician. Case descriptions were provided, and panellists were asked to classify deaths as non-preventable, potentially preventable, and preventable. Agreements between the five observers were assessed by Fleiss kappa statistics.

Results: In total 95 trauma-related deaths were identified. Of which 36 fatalities were included for analysis, the mean age was 55.3 years (± 24.5), 69.4% were male and 88.9% suffered blunt trauma. The mean injury severity score was 35.3 (± 15.3). Interobserver agreement within the external panel was moderate for survivability (Fleiss kappa 0.474) but low for categorical preventable death classification (Fleiss kappa 0.298). Most of the disagreements were between non-preventable or potentially preventable with care that could have been improved.

Conclusion: Multidisciplinary panel review has a moderate inter-observer agreement regarding survivability and low agreement regarding categorical preventable death classification. A valid definition and classification of TRPD is required to improve inter-observer agreement and quality of trauma care.

Purpose: This study investigates the seasonal patterns of hip fracture occurrence and mortality rates in the elderly population of Israel.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we examined a random sample of 400 patients who underwent a hip fracture repair surgery at a 495-bed hospital in northern-central Israel during the years 2021-2022.

Results: Our findings reveal a heightened incidence of hip fractures during the spring (30.8%) in contrast to relatively consistent rates during other seasons (22-24.2%). Patients experiencing hip fractures in the spring were notably younger and had shorter hospital stays compared to those in other seasons. Furthermore, we identified seasonal variations in hip fracture incidence concerning gender, culture, and nationality. Over the 2-year follow-up period, 20% of patients had succumbed to mortality. The highest survival rate was associated with hip fractures sustained in the spring, while the lowest rates were observed in the autumn and winter.

Conclusion: While our study highlights significant seasonal variations in hip fracture occurrence and mortality rates among the elderly population in Israel, caution is warranted in interpreting the implications for post-fracture care and resource allocation. The observed heightened incidence of hip fractures during the spring, particularly among younger patients with shorter hospital stays, suggests the need for further investigation into potential risk factors and preventive measures specific to this season. Additionally, our identification of seasonal variations in hip fracture incidence across demographic factors underscores the importance of tailored interventions to address the diverse needs of different populations.

Acute traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) is a complex and heterogeneous injury, where the level of injury, injury severity, duration and degree of spinal cord compression, and blood pressure management seem to influence neurologic outcome. Although data in the literature seem to be inconsistent regarding the effectiveness of surgical decompression and spinal fixation in patients with thoracic and thoracolumbar tSCI, some single-center studies suggest that early surgical decompression may lead to a superior neurologic outcome, especially in patients with incomplete tSCI, suggesting surgical decompression to be performed as soon as possible. However, high energy injuries, especially to the upper thoracic levels, may be too severe to be influenced by surgical decompression, which may represent a critical second hit for the polytraumatized patient. Therefore, the surgeon first needs to critically evaluate the potential for neurologic recovery in each patient before determining the ideal timing of surgery. Circulatory stabilization must be achieved before surgical intervention, and minimally invasive procedures should be preferred. Invasive blood pressure monitoring should be started on admission, and maintenance of a MAP between 85 and 90 mmHg is recommended for a duration of 5-7 days, with special attention to the prevention of hypoxia, fever, acidosis and deep venous thrombosis. The role of a 24-hour infusion of high-dose MPSS is still controversial, but it may be offered at the discretion of the treating surgeon to adult patients within 8 h of acute tSCI as a treatment option, especially in the case of very early decompression or incomplete tSCI.