Der Unfallchirurg
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The aim of this study was to document the present knowledge from the medical literature on (1) efficacy of aeromedical evacuation (helicopter emergency medical service, HEMS) and (2) influence of the level of the first receiving hospital on mortality of patients. ⋯ The analyzed studies showed a trend toward decreased mortality rates with the employment of HEMS. Considering the comparable hospital level and even longer rescue times with HEMS, these differences can be explained with higher quality of initial diagnosis and treatment of the HEMS rescue team. Furthermore, mortality rates can be lowered significantly through primary treatment at a level 1 trauma center. Thus, the more flexible choice of the first receiving hospital represents a specific, clinically relevant advantage of HEMS in emergency medicine.
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Herein we report our results of treatment of traumatic aortic ruptures in severely injured patients with either open surgery or endovascular stent graft repair. Data were analyzed retrospectively from the trauma registry of the DGU (Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Unfallchirurgie) over a time period from 1993 through 2002. All patients with traumatic rupture of the aorta were included and analyzed for injury severity (ISS), blood pressure (mmHg), hemoglobin (mg/%), and AIS (Abbreviated Injury Score) of the thoracic, abdominal, and upper extremity regions. ⋯ Lethality was 17% for open surgery and 0% for stent graft repair. Endovascular approach to traumatic rupture of the aorta is feasible and safe. It has been shown to reduce inhospital lethality and may offer an alternative to open surgery for severely injured patients.
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Comparative Study
[Age and survival likelihood of polytrauma patients. "Local tailoring" of the DGU prognosis model].
Age is one of five prognostic parameters identified based on data of the trauma registry of the German Association for Trauma Surgery (DGU). We asked ourselves if the suggested prognostic model provides the same predictive power of data from an independent hospital. Furthermore, we investigated whether age itself or age-associated comorbidity causes an unfavorable prognostic effect. ⋯ The suggested prognostic model based on multicenter data evaluation can be applied to a single center with only minimal loss of discriminatory power. In this context, age seems to have a prognostic value independent of comorbidity.
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An 18-year-old male patient sustained right-sided femoral and 2nd degree open tibial shaft fractures following a motorcycle accident. Further injuries, and thoracic injury in particular, were excluded clinically and radiologically. ⋯ Subsequently, the patient's gas exchange parameters improved allowing extubation 1 week after the accident. Secondary tibia nailing and further recovery of the patient were uneventful.