Introduction: Damage Control Surgery (DCS) is a surgical technique used to manage critically ill and injured patients. This study examines the most recent 10-y outcomes related to DCS, with the secondary goal of scrutinizing the outcomes after DCS across surgical theaters.
Methods: Studies published between 2012 and 2021 that described adult patients undergoing Abdominal DCS after traumatic injury were included.
Increasing trauma center admission volume is said to decrease mortality. Evidence supporting this position is dependent upon patient groups and the time period studied, and gaps remain. We evaluated the effect of annual volume of critically injured patients on hospital mortality, comparing two time periods.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Trauma Acute Care Surg
November 2024
When pregnant patients are involved in traumatic incidents, the trauma clinician encounters two patients-both the mother and the unborn child. Advanced trauma life support dictates that the first priority is the life of the mother; however, there are rare situations where to provide the greatest chance of survival for both the mother and baby, an emergency cesarean section (perimortem cesarean delivery [PMCD]) must be performed. The decision to perform this procedure must occur quickly, and the reality is that a board-certified obstetrician is rarely present, particularly in rural areas.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPostpartum hemorrhage is the leading cause of preventable maternal illness and death globally and carries a disproportionately high burden of mortality in low- to middle-income countries. Tranexamic acid, an antifibrinolytic drug, has been widely adopted to control bleeding in trauma and other surgical conditions. Within the last decade, the World Health Organization updated their guidelines for the treatment of postpartum hemorrhage to include the use of tranexamic acid in all cases of postpartum hemorrhage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Tranexamic acid (TXA) is a potent antifibrinolytic drug that inhibits the activation of plasmin by plasminogen. While not a new medication, TXA has quickly gained traction across a variety of surgical subspecialties to prevent and treat bleeding. Knowledge on the use of this drug is essential for the modern surgeon to continue to provide excellent care to their patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In the prehospital tranexamic acid (TXA) for traumatic brain injury (TBI) trial, TXA administered within 2 hours of injury in the out-of-hospital setting did not reduce mortality in all patients with moderate/severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). We examined the association between TXA dosing arms, neurologic outcome, and mortality in patients with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) on computed tomography (CT).
Methods: This was a secondary analysis of the Prehospital Tranexamic Acid for TBI Trial ( ClinicalTrials.
Background: There are 3 pillars upon which the foundation of a teaching program in health care is founded: research, education, and clinical care. However, in a busy academic trauma practice, the unfortunate reality is that research is often a low priority in the frenzy of mandates for clinical productivity.
Objective: The purpose of this report is to advise hospitals on how to create a modest trauma research program that supports research interests without significantly impacting the overall clinical productivity of the department.
J Trauma Acute Care Surg
August 2024
Since the beginning of time, man has been intrigued with the question of when a person is considered dead. Traditionally, death has been considered the cessation of all cardiorespiratory function. At the end of the last century a new definition was introduced into the lexicon surrounding death in addition to cessation of cardiac and respiratory function: Brain Death/Death by Neurologic Criteria (BD/DNC).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe use of the electrocardiogram (ECG) in critical care settings is a long-established cardiovascular monitoring tool. The effectiveness of the routine 12-lead ECG relies on accurate lead placement that is consistent and replicable. Improper lead placement may display erroneous ECG patterns and affect patient management decisions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Intensive Care Med
November 2023
We present as a case study the evolution of a series of participant-centered workshops designed to meet a need in the life sciences education community-the incorporation of best practices in the assessment of student learning. Initially, the ICABL (Inclusive Community for the Assessment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology/BMB Learning) project arose from a grass-roots effort to develop material for a national exam in biochemistry and molecular biology. ICABL has since evolved into a community of practice in which participants themselves-through extensive peer review and reflection-become integral stakeholders in the workshops.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The benefits of organized trauma systems have been well-documented during 50 years of trauma system development in the United States. Unfortunately, despite this evidence, trauma system development has occurred only sporadically in the 50 states.
Methods: The relevant literature related to trauma system design and development was reviewed based on relevance to the study.
Trauma Case Rep
October 2023
Survival following a blunt traumatic cardiac arrest is rare. Current guidelines suggest that a resuscitative thoracotomy may be performed under specific circumstances. This approach is almost always futile.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTherapeutic/Care Management: Level V.
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