The American surgeon
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The purpose of this review is to investigate the utility of autotransfusion in trauma patients in the past 3 years. A retrospective review was conducted of the charts for whom the Haemonetics Cell Saver autotransfusion device (Haemonetics Corp., Natick, MA) was utilized between January 1, 1993, and December 31, 1995. The estimated blood loss and quantity of blood transfused were noted for abdominal trauma patients. ⋯ The use of salvaged autologous blood comprised 45 per cent of total blood transfused. On a case-by-case basis, 75 per cent of cases were cost-effective compared to blood bank costs for an equivalent transfusion. Transfusion of intraoperatively salvaged autologous blood (autotransfusion) is a cost-effective, efficient way to provide blood products to operative trauma patients.
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The American surgeon · Jan 1997
Concomitant orthopedic and vascular injuries as predictors for limb loss in blunt lower extremity trauma.
Lower extremity trauma with concomitant orthopedic and vascular injury is associated with a high degree of limb loss. Despite successful arterial repair, many patients will ultimately require amputations. The effect of associated orthopedic injuries on limb loss in patients with lower extremity arterial injuries is investigated. ⋯ Blunt injury, pulseless extremity, need for arterial repair (rather than ligation or no therapy), increasing number of injured tibial vessels, and multiple long-bone fractures were predictors of amputation (P < 0.05). Distal vascular injuries combined with complex orthopedic fractures are more likely to result in limb loss. Two or more long-bone fractures is predictive of amputation at all three locations.
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The American surgeon · Dec 1996
Splenic salvage in adults at a level II community hospital trauma center.
Recognition of the important role of the spleen within the immune system has prompted surgeons to regularly consider splenic preservation. We studied our experience at a Level II trauma center to determine whether this trend is reflected in our management. We reviewed 81 adult blunt trauma patients with splenic injury admitted between January 1988 and December 1993. ⋯ Splenorrhaphy is frequently discussed but infrequently performed. Splenectomy remains the most commonly performed operation for splenic injury in adults with blunt splenic trauma. Nonoperative management is the most common method of splenic salvage at the Level II community hospital trauma center.
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The objective was to review our experience in the presentation and management of patients with penetrating cardiac injuries, using physiologic and anatomic indices. The setting was a 400-bed Level I urban trauma center. A 6-year retrospective case study was undertaken. ⋯ Patients presenting in shock (PI, 10; revised trauma score, 7-10) appeared to have higher survival rates when compared to those patients with a normotensive presentation. Twenty-three per cent of patients admitted with a PI < or = 10 died despite reaching the operating room within a mean of 45 minutes. Although the majority of patients who reach the operating room survive, a significant number of (initially normotensive) patients die soon after cardiorrhaphy.
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The purpose of this study was to determine 1) the incidence and magnitude of elevation in admission serum amylase and lipase levels in extrapancreatic etiologies of acute abdominal pain, and 2) the test most closely associated with the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. Serum amylase and lipase levels were obtained in 306 patients admitted for evaluation of acute abdominal pain. Patients were categorized by anatomic location of identified pathology. ⋯ Significant elevations (greater than three times upper limit of normal) in either enzyme are uncommon in these disorders. The strong correlation between elevations in the two serum enzymes in both pancreatic and extrapancreatic etiologies of abdominal pain makes them redundant measures. Serum lipase is a better test than serum amylase either to exclude or to support a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis.