The American surgeon
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The American surgeon · Jun 1992
Blunt trauma of the diaphragm: a 15-county, private hospital experience.
During a 6-year period, 52 patients with nonpenetrating trauma to the diaphragm were treated in eight acute care hospitals, serving a 15-county area of Michigan. Charts were reviewed to identify patterns of injury, treatment, and outcome. Preoperative diagnosis was made in 50 per cent of cases based on chest x-ray findings; the remainder were diagnosed intraoperatively. ⋯ Mortality in this series was 13 per cent, with no case being related to the diaphragmatic injury. The authors conclude that blunt injuries to the diaphragm in the multiply-injured patient present a clinical diagnostic challenge requiring a high index of suspicion. Optimal care requires a multi-disciplinary critical care team to manage the high incidence of associated central nervous system, orthopedic, and chest injuries and associated high mortality rates.
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During a 9-year period, 101 patients sustaining blunt, multiple organ injury underwent tracheostomy. Group I consisted of 32 patients who underwent tracheostomy within the first 4 days of injury (early tracheostomy) and Group II comprised 69 patients who underwent tracheostomy more than 4 days after surgery (late tracheostomy). There was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of age, Injury Severity Score, Glasgow Coma Score, and associated injuries. ⋯ Finally, the incidence of nosocomial pneumonias was also significantly less in patients undergoing early tracheostomy. There were three nonlethal complications associated with tracheostomy. The authors conclude that early tracheostomy helps in early weaning from the ventilator and reduces the incidence of nosocomial pneumonias and time of mechanical ventilatory support in patients with blunt, multiple organ injury.
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Injury severity score and hypothermia can lead to a high level of mortality when combined clinically. In acute trauma, the presence of a coagulopathy is difficult to treat and the aim is prevention. Aliquots of whole blood from healthy human volunteers (n = 9) were added to saline (control) and saline plus endotoxin (activated). ⋯ The activated hypothermic group showed a decreased recalcification time of 345 (+/- 48.9) seconds compared to 405 (+/- 60.8) for the activated normothermic group (P less than 0.001). When the normothermic and hypothermic groups were compared without endotoxin added, the differences were not significant. The authors conclude that the effects of endotoxin on clotting time are worsened by hypothermia in vitro and act synergistically to possibly cause the coagulopathy seen in trauma patients.
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No dependable test exists for diagnosis of diaphragmatic injury in asymptomatic patients with thoraco-abdominal stab wounds. Forty-one consecutive patients with anterior stab wounds of the lower left chest were treated in a 30-month period. In the 21 patients seen during the first 15 months, operations were reserved for those with peritoneal signs or continuing blood loss. ⋯ The true incidence of occult diaphragm injuries may be underestimated. In the prospectively studied group, the policy of routine celiotomy for anterior stab wounds of the lower left chest resulted in recognition and repair of a fivefold greater number of isolated diaphragm injuries. In the absence of a reliable, noninvasive test to diagnose penetration of the diaphragm, celiotomy should be considered in light of the risks of late strangulation.
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The American surgeon · Jun 1992
Is routine cervical spine radiographic evaluation indicated in patients with mandibular fractures?
Fractures of the mandible are commonly seen in most urban trauma centers. Over the past decade, the authors have seen a rise in these injuries secondary to an increase in drug and alcohol abuse, violent crime, and high-speed motor vehicle accidents. Several reports have described an association between mandibular fractures and cervical spine injuries and recommend routine cervical spine radiographs in all patients with mandibular injuries. ⋯ None had a significant radiologic or clinical cervical spine injury. The authors conclude that routine cervical spine x rays are costly and unnecessary. Also, any patient with a suspicion of concomitant cervical spine injury (i.e., patients with a loss of consciousness, multi-organ system injury, cervical pain or tenderness, or intoxication from alcohol use) should have cervical spine x rays, including anteroposterior, lateral, and open-mouth odontoid views.