J Trauma
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The standard evaluation of mediastinal gunshot wounds usually requires angiography and either esophagoscopy or esophagography. In the present study, we have evaluated the role of helical computed tomographic (CT) scanning in reducing the need for angiographic and esophageal studies. ⋯ The helical CT scan provides a rapid, readily available, noninvasive means to evaluate missile trajectories. This permits accurate assessment of potential mediastinal injury and reduces the need for routine angiographic and esophageal studies.
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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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Accurate data are needed to evaluate clinical outcomes, therapeutic modalities, and quality of care in trauma. Administrative data, usually used for billing, have been used to evaluate performance and assess therapy in other medical specialties. This study was performed to determine whether administrative databases are accurate in the recording of information about trauma patients with splenic injuries. ⋯ This study shows that administrative data lack accuracy in the recording of associated injuries, injury severity, diagnostics, procedures, and outcomes data in patients with splenic injuries. Whether these data should be used to evaluate treatment modalities or quality of care in trauma is questionable.