J Trauma
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Recent studies have documented that the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) score is a useful predictor of outcome in critical surgical illness. The duration and severity of SIRS are associated with posttrauma multiple organ dysfunction and mortality. We sought to determine whether the severity of SIRS at admission is an accurate predictor of mortality and length of stay (LOS) in trauma patients. ⋯ Logistic regression analysis confirmed that a SIRS score of 2 was a significant independent predictor of increased mortality and LOS in trauma patients. These data suggest that admission SIRS scoring in trauma patients is a simple tool that may be used as a predictor of outcome and resource utilization.
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Comparative Study
Ostomy as a risk factor for posttraumatic infection in penetrating colonic injuries: univariate and multivariate analyses.
Primary repair for penetrating colonic injury is an acceptable practice in uncomplicated injuries, but it is still viewed with trepidation in high risk patients. ⋯ Although most of the above factors are beyond the control of the trauma surgeon, the creation of an ostomy is a clinical decision. The creation of an ostomy in high-risk patients does not protect them from septic complications and, indeed, may independently contribute to local abdominal infections.
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Due to the highly lethal nature of trauma of the thoracic aorta and aortic arch branches (TA-AAB), autopsy studies are essential for the investigation of its epidemiologic characteristics. ⋯ Major differences between blunt and penetrating TA-AAB injuries were revealed, regarding their location, patterns of concomitant injuries, and victims' survival time. Patients injured in motor vehicle crashes, as opposed to various other causes of trauma, were found to have the best chances of reaching the hospital alive.
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Adult brain injury studies recommend maintaining cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) above 70 mm Hg. We evaluated CPP and outcome in brain-injured children. ⋯ Low mean CPP was lethal. In children with survivable brain injury (mean CPP > 40 mm Hg), CPP did not stratify patients for risk of adverse outcome.