Injury
-
There is a global surge in blast injuries, which are associated with high morbidity and mortality. To our knowledge, there are no guidelines for the management of blast injuries in the trauma bay. ⋯ Blast injuries present unique challenges in management and demand a multidisciplinary approach and specialized resources. We present an algorithm for terror- and combat-related blast injuries treated in our trauma bay. The step-by-step procedures may be applicable to any blast injury sustained under variable conditions.
-
An abnormal shock index (SI) is associated with greater injury severity among children with trauma. We sought to empirically-derive age-adjusted SI cutpoints associated with major trauma in children, and to compare the accuracy of these cutpoints to existing criteria for pediatric SI. ⋯ Age-adjusted SI cutpoints demonstrated a mild gain in sensitivity compared to existing measures. However, our findings suggest that the SI alone has a limited role in the identification of major trauma in children.
-
While this study sheds light on the valuable clinical outcomes regarding the use of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) in managing traumatic hemopericardium, I would like to emphasize a few critical areas that would improve the study's findings.