The Surgical clinics of North America
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The organization of prehospital care for trauma patients began in the military arena. At the urging of multiple stakeholders and providers, these lessons were applied to the civilian setting and emergency medical services were created across the nation. ⋯ Collaboration between stakeholders and providers, regionalization of trauma care, and protocol-driven care may be solutions to some of these issues. Further research is necessary to dictate standard of care in this early phase after injury.
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Over the past decade substantial knowledge has been gained in understanding both the coagulopathy of trauma and the complications associated with aggressive crystalloid-based resuscitation. Balanced resuscitation, which includes permissive hypotension, limiting crystalloid use, and the transfusion of blood products in ratios similar to whole blood, has changed the previous standard of care. Prompt initiation of massive transfusion and the protocolled use of 1:1:1 product ratios have improved the morbidity and mortality of patients with trauma in hemorrhagic shock. Balanced resuscitation minimizes the impact of trauma-induced coagulopathy, limits blood product waste, and reduces the complications that occur with aggressive crystalloid resuscitation.
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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability in patients with trauma. Management strategies must focus on preventing secondary injury by avoiding hypotension and hypoxia and maintaining appropriate cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), which is a surrogate for cerebral blood flow. ⋯ The goal should be euvolemia and avoidance of hypotension. Other factors that deserve important consideration in the acute management of patients with TBI are venous thromboembolism, stress ulcer, and seizure prophylaxis, as well as nutritional and metabolic optimization.
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Conventional radiography (plain film), ultrasonography, and computed tomography (CT) are important modalities for the evaluation of patients with trauma. In meta-stable or unstable patients, the combination of chest radiograph, pelvis radiograph, and focused assessment for sonography in trauma (FAST) or extended FAST rapidly triages the torso. ⋯ The impact of ionizing radiation (effective dose) from CT scans may be significant at the population level. Imaging strategies in trauma should be evaluated continuously.
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Surg. Clin. North Am. · Aug 2017
Review Comparative StudyMitral Valve Repair: The French Correction Versus the American Correction.
Degenerative mitral valve disease causing mitral regurgitation is the most common organic valve pathology and is classified based on leaflet motion. The "French correction" mitral valve repair method restores normal valvular anatomy with extensive leaflet resection, chordal manipulation, and rigid annuloplasty. ⋯ These differing methods of mitral valve repair reflect an evolution in principles, but both require understanding of the valve pathology and correction of leaflet prolapse and annular dilatation. Adhering to those unifying principles and ensuring that no patient leaves the operating room with significant persistent mitral regurgitation produces durable results and satisfactory patient outcomes.