J Trauma
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Review Case Reports
Detection of vertebral artery injury after cervical spine trauma using magnetic resonance angiography.
We prospectively describe the incidence, magnetic resonance-based diagnosis, and treatment of vertebral artery (VA) injury resulting from closed cervical spine trauma. ⋯ Our data suggest that the incidence of VA injury in closed cervical spine trauma is significant and that FT fractures warrant flow-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging.
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
The role of ultrasound in patients with possible penetrating cardiac wounds: a prospective multicenter study.
Ultrasound is quickly becoming part of the trauma surgeon's practice, but its role in the patient with a penetrating truncal injury is not well defined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of emergency ultrasound as it was introduced into five Level I trauma centers for the diagnosis of acute hemopericardium. ⋯ Ultrasound should be the initial modality for the evaluation of patients with penetrating precordial wounds because it is accurate and rapid.
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Multiple organ failure: by the time you predict it, it's already there.
Validate an at-risk population to study multiple organ failure and to determine the importance of organ dysfunction 24 hours after injury in determining the ultimate severity of multiple organ failure. ⋯ We have confirmed that the population of patients with Injury Severity Scores > or = 25 who received 6 or more units of blood represent a high-risk group for the development of multiple organ failure. Our data also indicate that multiple organ failure after trauma is established within 24 hours of injury in the majority of patients who develop it. It appears that multiple organ failure is already present at the time when most published models are trying to predict whether or not it will occur.
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Regionalization of trauma care services in our region was initiated in 1993 with the designation of four tertiary trauma centers. The process continued in 1995 with the implementation of patient triage and transfer protocols. Since 1995, the network of trauma care has been expanded with the designation of 33 secondary, 30 primary, and 32 stabilization trauma centers. In addition, during this period emergency medical personnel have been trained to assess and triage trauma victims within minimal prehospital time. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the impact of trauma care regionalization on the mortality of major trauma patients. ⋯ This study produced empirical evidence that the integration of trauma care services into a regionalized system reduces mortality. The results showed that tertiary trauma centers and reduced prehospital times are the essential components of an efficient trauma care system.
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Decreasing reimbursement provided by third-party payors necessitates reduction of costs for providing critical care services. If academic medical centers are to remain viable, methods must be instituted that allow cost reduction through practice change. ⋯ We concluded that utilization of short cycle improvement methodology provided an ongoing method for reducing costs of critical care services in our patient population with no change in mortality.