Bmc Surg
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The reported incidence of hollow viscus injuries (HVI) in blunt trauma patients is approximately 1%. The most common site of injury to the intestine in blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) is the small bowel followed by colon, with mesenteric injuries occurring three times more commonly than bowel injuries. Isolated colon injury is a rarely encountered condition. Clinical assessment alone in patients with suspected intestinal or mesenteric injury after blunt trauma is associated with unacceptable diagnostic delays. ⋯ Identifying an isolated traumatic injury to the bowel or mesentery after BAT can be a clinical challenge because of its subtle and nonspecific clinical findings; meeting that challenge may eventually lead to a delay in diagnosis and treatment with subsequent increase in associated morbidity and mortality. Isolated colon injury is a rare finding after blunt trauma and usually accompanied by other intra-abdominal organ injuries. Abdominal 'seatbelt' sign, ecchymosis of the abdominal wall, increasing abdominal pain and distension are all associated with HVI. However, the accuracy of these findings remains low. Diagnostic peritoneal lavage, ultrasound, CT and diagnostic laparoscopy are used to evaluate BAT. Although CT has become the main diagnostic tool for this type of injuries, there are few pathognomonic signs of colon injury on CT. Given the potential for devastating outcomes, prompt diagnosis and treatment is necessary and high clinical suspicion is required.
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Review Meta Analysis
Should dual antiplatelet therapy be used in patients following coronary artery bypass surgery? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
We assessed the effectiveness of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) post elective or urgent (i.e., post acute coronary syndrome [ACS]) coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). ⋯ Most RCT data for DAPT post CABG is derived from subgroups of ACS patients in DAPT RCTs requiring CABG who resume DAPT post-operatively. Limited RCT data with heterogeneous trial designs suggest that higher intensity (prasugrel or ticagrelor) but not lower intensity (clopidogrel) DAPT is associated with an approximate 50% lower mortality in ACS patients who underwent CABG based on post-randomization subsets from single RCTs. Large prospective RCTs evaluating the use of DAPT post-CABG are warranted to provide more definitive guidance for clinicians.
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The risk factors of predicting the need for postoperative decompressive craniectomy due to intracranial hypertension after primary craniotomy remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the value of intraoperative intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring in predicting re-operation using salvage decompressive craniectomy (SDC). ⋯ The incidence of re-operation using SDC after craniotomy was 14.4%. The independent risk factors of SDC requirement are initial ICP, age, early hypotension and combined lesions.