Prevention of firearm-related injuries with restrictive licensing and concealed carry laws: An Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma systematic review.

Background: In the past decade, more than 300,000 people in the United States have died from firearm injuries. Our goal was to assess the effectiveness of two particular prevention strategies, restrictive licensing of firearms and concealed carry laws, on firearm-related injuries in the US Restrictive Licensing was defined to include denials of ownership for various offenses, such as performing background checks for domestic violence and felony convictions. Concealed carry laws allow licensed individuals to carry concealed weapons.

CT with coronal reconstruction identifies previously missed smaller diaphragmatic injuries after blunt trauma.

Diaphragmatic injuries (DIs) are difficult to diagnose and often go unrecognized after blunt trauma. We proposed that CT scan with coronal reconstruction (CTCR) improves the detection of small DIs missed by chest x-ray (CXR) and CT scan with axial views (CTAX). We performed a retrospective review at a Level I trauma center from 2001 to 2006 and identified 35 patients who underwent operative repair of DI after blunt trauma.

Regionalization of surgical services in central Florida: the next step in acute care surgery.

Background: There is a national loss of access to surgeons for emergencies. Contributing factors include reduced numbers of practicing general surgeons, superspecialization, reimbursement issues, emphasis on work and life balance, and medical liability. Regionalizing acute care surgery (ACS), as exists for trauma care, represents a potential solution.

Traumatic injuries associated with Segways and personal transporters.

Segways and other personal transporters are emerging as alternative modes of transportation that blur the distinction between pedestrian and vehicular traffic. We reviewed the records of four patients who were traumatically injured while piloting personal transporters. All required hospital admission for major blunt force trauma; three were admitted to the intensive care unit.

Improved survival of critically ill trauma patients treated with recombinant human erythropoietin.

Background: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial (EPO-2, N = 1,302) in anemic critically ill patients demonstrated a 29-day survival benefit in the trauma subgroup receiving epoetin alfa (mortality 8.9% vs. 4.

Bioavailability of oral fluconazole in critically ill abdominal trauma patients with and without abdominal wall closure: a randomized crossover clinical trial.

Background: Patients with non-apposed fascial edges, known as laparostomy patients, have traditionally been given intravenous medications, because enteral absorption of medications was thought to be unpredictable. We hypothesized that critically ill patients with "open abdomens" would have bioavailability similar to that of matched patients with closed fascial edges.

Methods: Fluconazole, a commonly prescribed anti-fungal with good bioavailability was used as a marker of absorption.

Long-term physical, mental, and functional consequences of abdominal decompression.

Background: The long-term physical, mental, and functional consequences of abdominal decompression for intra-abdominal hypertension are unknown.

Methods: Thirty patients in various stages of abdominal decompression and delayed fascial closure for massive incisional hernia completed the SF-36 Health Survey and answered questions regarding their employment and pregnancy status.

Results: Patients awaiting abdominal wall reconstruction demonstrated significantly decreased perceptions of physical, social, and emotional health (p < 0.

Morbidity and mortality of children following motor vehicle crashes.

Hypothesis: The use of passenger compartment safety measures has not led to decreases in pediatric morbidity or mortality in our population of patients.

Design: Retrospective review.

Setting: University, tertiary care, level I trauma center.

Use of a human patient simulator for the advanced trauma life support course.

A highly anticipated and rewarding component of the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) program is the surgical skill station. Logistic, societal, and economic issues have resulted in development of human patient simulators (HPSs) as an alternative to the animal model. We studied initial student reaction to a simulator designed for this skill station.