J Trauma
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Severe burn induces a systemic hypermetabolic response, which includes increased energy expenditure, protein catabolism, and diminished immunity. We hypothesized that early burn excision and aggressive enteral feeding diminish hypermetabolism. ⋯ Early excision and concurrent aggressive feeding attenuate muscle catabolism and improve infectious outcomes after burn.
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The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic significance of a previously published system for classifying mechanical injuries of the eye (globe) in open-globe injuries. ⋯ This system for classifying mechanical injuries of the eye appears to be prognostic for visual outcomes in open-globe injuries. In particular, the measurement of visual acuity and testing for a relative afferent pupillary defect at the initial examination should be performed in all injured eyes because of their relative prognostic significance.
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Comparative Study
Does bronchoalveolar lavage enhance our ability to treat ventilator-associated pneumonia in a trauma-burn intensive care unit?
Recent literature supports the notion that bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in ventilated trauma patients may improve our ability to diagnose and treat ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). We hypothesized that BAL would decrease the number of cases of VAP diagnosed and impact our antibiotic use and ventilator days. ⋯ The routine use of BAL to diagnose VAP in our mixed trauma-burn population did not impact on clinical outcomes or antibiotic use. Our results do not justify the additional costs and potential risks of BAL for all patients. The means of VAP diagnosis may not be as important as choosing the appropriate antibiotics for common VAP organisms in any given intensive care unit.
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Although rare, head burns involving the calvarium are a serious complication of burns and electrical injury, and present therapeutic challenges to the surgical burn care team. We evaluated our experiences and compared available strategies to address this challenge. ⋯ Acute calvarial burns are safely managed by bone debridement in combination with staged autografting or early flap coverage. Although flap coverage reduces the number of required procedures, the extensive wound size in thermal burns restricts acute flap procedures primarily to electrical injuries. Compared with patients without skull injury, length of hospital stay and the number of acute operative procedures are tremendously increased in patients with calvarial burns.
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Identification of risks for development of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), which might be identified early after injury, would allow for prognostic estimates and targeting of high-risk cohorts for clinical trials of preventive strategies. This study was performed to develop an equation that can be applied to estimate the probability of pneumonia based on parameters collected in the early postinjury interval. ⋯ It is possible to accurately predict risk for VAP in trauma patients based on data available early after injury. This calculation could be useful for counseling families relative to prognosis and research protocols, and addressing hospitalization issues with third-party payors.