J Trauma
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Pelvic radiography in blunt trauma patients is routinely used in most trauma centers. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the ability of physical examination alone to detect pelvic fractures. Among patients with blunt trauma admitted to the University Hospital del Valle in Cali, Colombia, over a 3-month period, 608 adult patients, with hemodynamic stability, without spinal involvement, and with a Glasgow Coma Scale score greater than 10 were evaluated. ⋯ The remaining two patients had stable fractures that required no treatment. After careful analysis, we conclude that a negative physical examination following blunt trauma has a negative predictive value of 99% probability in excluding pelvic fracture, provided that the patient is not a child, is not in coma, is hemodynamically stable without evidence of blood loss, and has no spinal cord injury. A selective use of pelvic x-ray in patients with blunt trauma is a cost-effective policy.
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Case Reports
Intracranial hypertension and adult respiratory distress syndrome: usefulness of tracheal gas insufflation.
The management of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) in patients with an associated acute lung injury is difficult. High levels of PaCO2 as tolerated for permissive hypercapnia are deleterious for cerebral circulation. ⋯ The introduction of TGI decreased PaCO2 by 17 and 26%, decreased ICP, and increased calculated cerebral perfusion pressure. We conclude that TGI could be added to a pressure-targeted strategy of ventilatory management when severe adult respiratory distress syndrome was associated to an intracranial hypertension.
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Our goal was to investigate the role of soluble thrombomodulin (TM) and neutrophil elastase in patients with trauma. ⋯ Soluble TM as a novel endothelial cell injury marker increases in patients with DIC and also in those with MODS after trauma. Neutrophil elastase may be involved in the pathogenesis of the injury. Soluble TM is a marker of the severity of injury and is a good predictor of MODS.
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Traumatically injured Jehovah's Witnesses pose difficult management problems because of their refusal to accept blood transfusions. This retrospective review of all inpatient traumatically injured Jehovah's Witnesses at a level I trauma center over the past 16 years revealed 77 patients with 92% blunt and 8% penetrating injuries. The primary physician was aware of their unique religious status in only 32% of cases. ⋯ Two transfusions were performed in the trauma room before the patients' religious status was known. Major changes in therapeutic plans were made as a result of the patients' Jehovah's Witness status in 10 cases (13%). Early knowledge of the patient's religious status is essential to optimize patient care.
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Comparative Study
Liver injury as a model of uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock: resuscitation with different hypertonic regimens.
Using a standardized liver injury model of uncontrolled hemorrhage, we tested the effect of different hypertonic solutions on mortality, blood pressure, intra-abdominal bleeding, and circulating blood volume. After liver injury, rats were randomized to 4 groups: lactated Ringer's (LR, n = 10), Isosal (ISO, n = 10), hypertonic saline (HS, n = 10), and hypertonic sodium acetate (HA, n = 10). In all resuscitation groups, 4 mL/kg was infused at a rate of 0.4 mL/min. ⋯ HA and HS resuscitations increased bleeding from uncontrolled solid viscus injury. The HS resuscitation restored blood pressure better than the other hypertonic solutions and maintained circulating blood volume in spite of increased bleeding. The HA and ISO resuscitations did not exhibit any advantage over LR in resuscitation of solid viscus injury.