The American surgeon
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Appendectomy for presumed appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency during pregnancy. Delayed diagnosis and treatment of appendicitis carries risk for the fetus and mother. We sought to evaluate the accuracy of MRI in pregnant patients with suspected appendicitis. ⋯ A positive MRI result was very specific with a 100 per cent positive predictive value; however, the sensitivity was as low as 18 per cent (diagnosed only 2 of 11 cases). Although a positive MRI finding was reliable in making a decision to operate, a negative or inconclusive MRI was not. In patients with a high clinical suspicion of appendicitis, surgery should still be considered even without definitive positive MRI findings.
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The American surgeon · Aug 2018
The Surgical Experience Aboard USNS COMFORT (T-AH-20) during Operation Continuing Promise 2015.
In 2015, the United States Navy hospital ship (USNS) COMFORT, deployed to 11 Caribbean and Latin American countries over a six-month period to provide humanitarian civic assistance. Personnel from the United States Navy and multiple nongovernmental organizations collaborated to offer surgical and medical care. Data from past deployments aid in planning for future missions by prioritizing finite resources and maximizing care. ⋯ The USNS COMFORT platform offers the unique capability to provide humanitarian surgical assistance. Reporting these data demonstrate that there is a need for humanitarian assistance and this can be provided safely through the Continuing Promise mission. Future deployments may target resources toward the surgical services with higher volumes, which were general surgery, ophthalmology, pediatric surgery, and plastic surgery.
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The American surgeon · Jul 2018
Multicenter StudyThe Impact of Trauma Center Patient Volume on Observed/Expected Mortality: Does Size Matter?
Relationship between trauma center patient volume (TCV) and mortality remains inconclusive. Our aim was to determine the relationship between TCVs and observed/expected (O/E) all-cause mortality. This is the first study to evaluate the relationship between trauma center (TC) volumes and O/E all-cause mortality with no exclusion. ⋯ When controlling for Injury Severity Score, the correlation between mechanism of injury (blunt vs penetrating) and O/E mortality was r = -0.025. The group with the lowest average volumes had statistically significantly worse outcomes than the group with next higher volumes and also worse than the group with the highest volumes (Group 5, P = 0.04). Higher TC volumes correlated with higher injury severity and lower O/E mortality.
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The American surgeon · Jun 2018
Comparative StudyComparison of Outcomes for Pediatric Trauma at Different Types of Trauma Centers: The Unresolved Mystery.
In Florida, injured children can receive emergent care at one of three types of state-approved trauma centers (TCs). A Level 1 combined adult/pediatric TC (L1, A + P), a Level 2 TC with an associated pediatric hospital (L2 + PH) or a pediatric TC at a pediatric hospital (PTH). This study aims to compare the mortality outcomes between Florida L1, A + Ps, to L2 + PHs, and PTHs. ⋯ When O/E's at L1, A + Ps and L2 + PHs were compared, results were statistically significant (P = <0.03),but not at L1, A + P versus PTHs. This is the first study to reveal that Level 1 adult/pediatric TCs have lower mortality rates compared with Level 2 TCs with an associated pediatric hospital. Level 1,A + P TCs had similar outcomes to pediatric TCs at stand-alone pediatric hospitals.
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The American surgeon · Jun 2018
Life over Limb: Lower Extremity Ischemia in the Setting of Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA).
Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is a temporizing maneuver used to decrease hemorrhage, and thus perfusion, below the level of aortic occlusion (AO). We sought to investigate lower extremity ischemia in patients who received REBOA. Between February 2013 and September 2016 patients at a tertiary center that received REBOA and survived more than six hours were enrolled. ⋯ There was no association with sheath size or laterality and need for fasciotomy. Neither groin access for REBOA or AO solely caused limb loss or LECS. The contribution to distal ischemia by REBOA remains unclear in patients with lower extremity injury.