The Volume of Thoracic Irrigation Is Associated With Length of Stay in Patients With Traumatic Hemothorax.

Introduction: Irrigation of the thoracic cavity at tube thoracostomy (TT) placement may decrease the rate of a retained hemothorax (RHTX); however, other resource utilization outcomes have not yet been quantified. This study evaluated the association of thoracic irrigation during TT with the length of stay and outcomes in patients with traumatic hemothorax (HTX).

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed of adult patients receiving a TT for HTX at a single, urban Level 1 Trauma Center from January 2019 to December 2020.

No Evidence Supporting the Routine Use of Digital Rectal Examinations in Trauma Patients.

Digital rectal exams (DRE) are routinely used on trauma patients during the secondary survey as recommended by current Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) protocols. However, recent literature has called the blanket use of the DRE on each trauma patient into question. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the DRE as a diagnostic tool in the setting of urethral, spinal cord, small bowel, colon, and rectal injuries and determine if it can be eliminated from routine use in the trauma setting.

Microtubule organization by kinesin motors and microtubule crosslinking protein MAP65.

Microtubules are rigid, proteinaceous filaments required to organize and rearrange the interior of cells. They organize space by two mechanisms, including acting as the tracks for long-distance cargo transporters, such as kinesin-1, and by forming a network that supports the shape of the cell. The microtubule network is composed of microtubules and a bevy of associated proteins and enzymes that self-organize using non-equilibrium dynamic processes.