The journal of trauma and acute care surgery
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J Trauma Acute Care Surg · Feb 2014
Comparative StudyTraumatic brain injury and β-blockers: not all drugs are created equal.
Dysautonomia in traumatic brain injury patients may contribute to secondary injury. We hypothesize that propranolol is the best β-blocker (BB) to block the excess catecholamines and improve mortality in this patient population. ⋯ Therapeutic, study level III.
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J Trauma Acute Care Surg · Feb 2014
Comparative StudyFrontal sinus volume predicts incidence of brain contusion in patients with head trauma.
The function of the paranasal sinuses is a topic of debate. One hypothesis suggested has been that sinuses act as a "crumple zone," serving to protect the contents of the head from impact. In this study, we examine the interactions of the frontal sinus and the brain in the setting of head trauma. Our formal hypothesis is that frontal sinus volume is less in head trauma patients with contusion than in head trauma patients without contusion. ⋯ Prognostic study, level III.
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J Trauma Acute Care Surg · Feb 2014
The persistent diagnostic challenge of thoracoabdominal stab wounds.
Penetrating thoracoabdominal trauma, with potential injury to two anatomic cavities, significantly challenges surgical management, yet this injury pattern has not been reviewed across a large patient series. ⋯ Epidemiologic study, level III.
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J Trauma Acute Care Surg · Feb 2014
Comparative StudyTissue oxygenation monitoring using resonance Raman spectroscopy during hemorrhage.
The ability to monitor the patient of hemorrhage noninvasively remains a challenge. We examined the ability of resonance Raman spectroscopy to monitor tissue hemoglobin oxygenation (RRS-StO2) during hemorrhage and compared its performance with conventional invasive mixed venous (SmvO2) and central venous (ScvO2) hemoglobin oxygen saturation as well as with near-infrared spectroscopy tissue hemoglobin oxygenation (NIRS-StO2). ⋯ RRS-StO2 seems to have significantly better ability to track central oxygenation measures during hemorrhage as well as to predict shock based on elevated lactate levels when compared with NIRS-StO2.
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J Trauma Acute Care Surg · Feb 2014
Demographic epidemiology of unstable pelvic fracture in the United States from 2000 to 2009: trends and in-hospital mortality.
Unstable pelvic fracture is predominantly caused by high-energy blunt trauma and is associated with a high risk of mortality. The epidemiology in the United States is largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the epidemiology of unstable pelvic fracture based on patient and hospital demographics in the United States during the last decade. ⋯ Epidemiologic study, level III.