J Trauma
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Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Plasma from aged stored red blood cells delays neutrophil apoptosis and primes for cytotoxicity: abrogation by poststorage washing but not prestorage leukoreduction.
Blood transfusion-particularly that of older stored red blood cells (RBCs)--is an independent risk factor for postinjury multiple organ failure. Immunomodulatory effects of RBC transfusion include neutrophil (PMN) priming for cytotoxicity, an effect exacerbated by longer RBC storage times. We have found that delayed PMN apoptosis in trauma patients is provoked by transfusion, independent of injury severity. We hypothesized that aged stored RBCs delay PMN apoptosis, but that prestorage leukodepletion or poststorage washing could abrogate the effect. ⋯ Plasma from stored RBCs-even if leukoreduced-delays apoptosis and primes PMNs. The effect becomes evident at 21 days and worsens through product outdate (42 days), but may be prevented by poststorage washing. Inflammatory agents contaminating stored blood likely mediate the effect. Modification of transfusion practices (e.g., giving fresher or washed RBCs or blood substitutes) may attenuate adverse immunomodulatory effects of transfusion in trauma patients.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Resuscitation with a blood substitute abrogates pathologic postinjury neutrophil cytotoxic function.
Resuscitation with oxygen-carrying fluids is critically important in the patient with hemorrhagic shock caused by trauma. However, it is clear that a number of biologic mediators present in stored blood (packed red blood cells [PRBCs]) have the potential to exacerbate early postinjury hyperinflammation and multiple organ failure through priming of circulating neutrophils (PMNs). PolyHeme (Northfield Laboratories, Evanston, IL), a hemoglobin-based substitute that is free of priming agents, provides an alternative. We hypothesized that PMN priming would be attenuated in patients resuscitated with PolyHeme in lieu of stored blood. ⋯ The use of a blood substitute in the early postinjury period avoids PMN priming and may thereby provide an avenue to decrease the incidence or severity of postinjury multiple organ failure.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
RAB-plate versus sliding hip screw for unstable trochanteric hip fractures: stability of the fixation and modes of failure--radiographic analysis of 218 fractures.
The sliding hip screw has gained considerable acceptance in the treatment of unstable trochanteric fractures. However, the new type of 120 degrees fixed angle blade-plate with a buttress rod (RAB-plate) showed encouraging clinical results. The purpose of this study was to assess stability of fixation and analyze modes of failure in unstable trochanteric hip fractures treated with these devices. ⋯ The RAB-plate provided a more stable fixation, especially with regard to maintained postoperative alignment. However, positive predictors for fixation failure were identical for both devices. Here, the screw/neck angle deviation has had the strongest significance for prediction of fixation failure.
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Chest radiographs are routinely obtained for the identification of pneumothoraces in trauma patients. Computed tomographic (CT) scanning has a higher sensitivity for the detection of pneumothoraces, but the prevalence and importance of pneumothoraces detectable by CT scan but not by chest radiography in children sustaining blunt trauma is unclear. ⋯ Less than half of pediatric blunt trauma patients with pneumothoraces visualized on abdominal CT scan had these pneumothoraces identified on initial chest radiograph. Patients with pneumothoraces identified solely on abdominal CT scan, however, uncommonly require tube thoracostomy.
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The potential for ligamentous injury of the cervical spine (C-spine) may mandate prolonged neck immobilization via a hard cervical collar in the blunt trauma victim (BTV) with altered sensorium. We investigated the incidence of ligamentous C-spine injuries, and whether applying (post hoc) the practice management guidelines from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (three radiograph views plus computed tomographic scan of C1-C2) would have detected the injuries. ⋯ Ligamentous injuries without fracture of the C-spine are rare. Application of the practice management guidelines developed by the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma for identifying C-spine instability is effective and should facilitate early removal of the cervical collar in unreliable patients.