Screening for abdominal injury prior to emergent extra-abdominal trauma surgery: a prospective study.

Objective: To prospectively evaluate the necessity of abdominal screening with computed tomography (CT) in awake and alert blunt trauma patients that require emergent extra-abdominal trauma surgery.

Methods: All blunt trauma patients admitted to a Level I trauma center that required emergent extra-abdominal trauma surgery were entered in a prospective study during the period from April 2001 to June 2003. Awake and alert blunt trauma patients (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] score > or =14) with a normal abdominal physical examination requiring extra-abdominal emergent surgery were entered in the study.

Penetrating zone II neck injury: does dynamic computed tomographic scan contribute to the diagnostic sensitivity of physical examination for surgically significant injury? A prospective blinded study.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the utility of dynamic computed tomographic (CT) scanning as a diagnostic tool and adjunct to physical examination in the identification of surgically significant penetrating zone II neck injuries.

Methods: All patients older than 14 years of age who suffered penetrating zone II neck injuries were eligible for entry into the study protocol at an urban Level I trauma center. All patients that presented with signs of surgically significant injury on physical examination underwent immediate neck exploration.