European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society
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Paediatric trauma is the leading cause of mortality in children. Paediatric trauma resuscitation is the first and foremost step towards a successful treatment and subsequent recovery. Significant advances have taken place in the last years in relation to this field of trauma care. ⋯ The current evidence although emerging is still sparse and high-quality studies are needed to shed more light on most of the above domains of resuscitation.
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In view of demographic changes over the past few decades, the average age of trauma patients is progressively increasing. We therefore aimed to summarize the specific characteristics of geriatric trauma and to identify potential fields for further research to improve the care of elderly trauma patients. ⋯ The impact of several factors [age, premedical conditions (PMC), decreased physiological reserves, and impaired immune function] on the post-traumatic course of elderly trauma patients needs to be clarified in future experimental and clinical studies for the early identification of geriatric high-risk patients and for the development of age-adapted therapeutic strategies.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg · Jun 2016
ReviewProtocols for massive blood transfusion: when and why, and potential complications.
An update paper on massive bleeding after major trauma. A review of protocols to address massive bleeding, and its possible complications, including coagulation abnormalities, complications related to blood storage, immunosuppression and infection, lung injury associated with transfusion, and hypothermia is carried out. ⋯ Since massive transfusion provokes further problems in patients who are already severely traumatized and anaemic, once this course of action has been decided upon, a profound knowledge of its potential complications, careful monitoring and proper follow-up are all essential. To diagnose this bleeding, most authors favour, as the main first choice tool, a full-body CT scan (head to pelvis), in non-critical severe trauma cases. In addition, focused abdominal sonography for trauma (FAST, an acronym that highlights the necessity of rapid performance) is a very important diagnostic test for abdominal and thoracic bleeding. Furthermore, urgent surgical intervention should be undertaken for patients with significant free intraabdominal fluid and haemodynamic instability. Although the clinical situation and the blood haemoglobin concentration are the key factors considered in this rapid decision-making context, laboratory markers should not be based on a single haematocrit value, as its sensitivity to significant bleeding may be very low. Serum lactate and base deficit are very sensitive markers for detecting and monitoring the extent of bleeding and shock, in conjunction with repeated combined measurements of prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen and platelets.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg · Jun 2016
Clinical and radiologic outcomes associated with the use of dynamic locking screws (DLS) in distal tibia fractures.
The locked screw plate construct is often cited as being too rigid and prolonging healing in patients with metaphyseal fractures. The newly introduced dynamic locking screws (DLS) allow 0.2 mm of axial motion, which should optimize healing near the near cortex. The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinical results of dynamic locking screws in distal tibia fractures. ⋯ Dynamic fracture fixation might be a promising concept to reduce the frequency of metaphyseal non-unions in distal tibia fractures. But nevertheless, the dynamic construct cannot compensate for insufficient reduction.