Surgical management of pancreatic necrosis: A practice management guideline from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma.

Background: Pancreatic or peripancreatic tissue necrosis confers substantial morbidity and mortality. New modalities have created a wide variation in approaches and timing of interventions for necrotizing pancreatitis. As acute care surgery evolves, its practitioners are increasingly being called upon to manage these complex patients.

Is low-molecular-weight heparin safe for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in patients with traumatic brain injury? A Western Trauma Association multicenter study.

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant risk in trauma patients. Although low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) is effective in VTE prophylaxis, its use for patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety of LMWH for VTE prophylaxis in blunt intracranial injury.

Who should we feed? Western Trauma Association multi-institutional study of enteral nutrition in the open abdomen after injury.

Background: The open abdomen is a requisite component of a damage control operation and treatment of abdominal compartment syndrome.Enteral nutrition (EN) has proven beneficial for patients with critical injury, but its application in those with an open abdomen has not been defined. The purpose of this study was to analyze the use of EN for patients with an open abdomen after trauma and the effect of EN on fascial closure rates and nosocomial infections.

Partial splenectomy for littoral cell angioma.

Littoral cell angioma is a rare primary splenic tumor that is difficult to differentiate preoperatively from other benign and malignant splenic lesions and may have immunogenic origins. Preoperative ultrasound and computed tomographic scan showed that our patient's lesion was solitary and localized. Total splenectomy is usually required because littoral cell angioma is generally large and/or diffuse.

Cystic dysplasia of the rete testis.

Cystic dysplasia of the rete testis is a rare benign testicular tumor that is found mainly in the pediatric population and that must be distinguished from malignant lesions. Ultrasonography can aid in diagnosis and in evaluation for associated renal lesions. Treatment options include orchiectomy, testicular-sparing excision of the cystic mass, and nonoperative surveillance.