Annals of surgery
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To evaluate the impact cirrhosis has on survival the records of 40 cirrhotic trauma victims from the registries of two Level 1 trauma centers were reviewed and probability of survival calculated using the TRISS methodology. Mechanism of injury, anatomic location, involvement of single or multiple sites, presence of ascites, elevations in serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), alkaline phosphatase, serum bilirubin, prothrombin time (PT), and hypoalbuminemia were tabulated for each patient. Contingency tables were created for injury and hepatic parameters, as related to survival, and subjected to chi square analysis. ⋯ Loglinear analysis revealed that the presence of ascites, elevated PT, or bilirubin, further diminished the rate of survival for any individual injury characteristic. We concluded that survival among cirrhotic trauma victims was significantly lower than predicted. In addition the presence of hepatic insufficiency further diminishes survival, regardless of the injury sustained.
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The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness and associated problems of emergency intubation in 605 injured infants and children admitted to the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh in 1987. We identified 63 patients (10.4%) undergoing endotracheal intubation at the scene of injury, at a referring hospital or in our emergency department. Injuries were to the head (90.5%), abdomen (12.7%), face (11.1%), chest (6.3%), neck (3.2%); or were orthopedic (19%) or multiple (39.7%). ⋯ Head injury with coma is the most common setting for emergency intubation. Airway complications are common, and are more frequent in treatment attempt at the scene. Despite endotracheal intubation, injured children in our series remain at high risk for hypoxemia, elevated arterial PCO2, and major airway complications, all of which contribute to secondary brain injury.