When is it safe to start venous thromboembolism prophylaxis after blunt solid organ injury? A prospective American Association for the Surgery of Trauma multi-institutional trial.

Background: The optimal time to initiate venous thromboembolism (VTE) chemoprophylaxis (VTEp) after blunt solid organ injury remains controversial, as VTE mitigation must be balanced against bleeding promulgation. Evidence from primarily small, retrospective, single-center work suggests that VTEp ≤48 hours is safe and effective. This study was undertaken to validate this clinical practice.

A Rare Mechanism of Inhalation Injury: Direct Thermal Damage to the Lower Airway.

In patients with inhalation injury associated with major burns, the primary mechanism of tissue harm depends on the location within the respiratory tract. Proximal to the trachea, the upper respiratory tract epithelium is classically injured via direct thermal injury. Such injury occurs due to the inhalation of high-temperature air.