Outcomes and characteristics differ between homeless and housed trauma patients following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Americans experiencing homelessness are uniquely vulnerable to traumatic injuries and morbidity. Despite a high and increasing number of persons experiencing homelessness (PEH), American researchers have not comprehensively described the impact of this social problem on trauma patients in recent years.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study using the American College of Surgeons TQIP 2021-2022 data.

Molecular Profiling of Innate Immune Response Mechanisms in Ventilator-associated Pneumonia.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a common hospital-acquired infection, leading to high morbidity and mortality. Currently, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is used in hospitals for VAP diagnosis and guiding treatment options. Although BAL collection procedures are invasive, alternatives such as endotracheal aspirates (ETA) may be of diagnostic value, however, their use has not been thoroughly explored.

Mechanical ventilation weaning and extubation after spinal cord injury: a Western Trauma Association multicenter study.

Background: Respiratory failure after acute spinal cord injury (SCI) is well recognized, but data defining which patients need long-term ventilator support and criteria for weaning and extubation are lacking. We hypothesized that many patients with SCI, even those with cervical SCI, can be successfully managed without long-term mechanical ventilation and its associated morbidity.

Methods: Under the auspices of the Western Trauma Association Multi-Center Trials Group, a retrospective study of patients with SCI at 14 major trauma centers was conducted.

Presumptive antibiotic use in tube thoracostomy for traumatic hemopneumothorax: an Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma practice management guideline.

Background: Antibiotic use in injured patients requiring tube thoracostomy (TT) to reduce the incidence of empyema and pneumonia remains a controversial practice. In 1998, the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST) developed and published practice management guidelines for the use of presumptive antibiotics in TT for patients who sustained a traumatic hemopneumothorax. The Practice Management Guidelines Committee of EAST has updated the 1998 guidelines to reflect current literature and practice.

Management of pediatric occult pneumothorax in blunt trauma: a subgroup analysis of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma multicenter prospective observational study.

Background: Occult pneumothorax (OPTX) represents air within the pleural space not visible on conventional chest radiographs. Increased use of computed tomography has led to a rise in the detection of OPTX. Optimal management remains undefined.

Blunt traumatic occult pneumothorax: is observation safe?--results of a prospective, AAST multicenter study.

Background: An occult pneumothorax (OPTX) is found incidentally in 2% to 10% of all blunt trauma patients. Indications for intervention remain controversial. We sought to determine which factors predicted failed observation in blunt trauma patients.

Thromboembolic prophylaxis in blunt traumatic intracranial hemorrhage: a retrospective review.

There are few data in the literature on venous thromboembolic (VTE) prophylaxis for the traumatic population with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). We reviewed our institutional experience and compared the incidence of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in patients with ICH receiving either early prophylaxis (< 72 hours from admission) or late prophylaxis (> 72 hours from admission), and the respective incidences in progression of intracranial hemorrhage. We identified 124 patients for this study.