Tactics for hemorrhagic shock: A virtual course and visual aid for improved resuscitation.

Background: Our trauma performance improvement initiative recognized missed treatment opportunities for patients undergoing massive transfusion. To improve patient care, we developed a novel cognitive aid in the form of a poster entitled "TACTICS for Hemorrhagic Shock." We hypothesized that this reference and corresponding course would improve the performance of trauma leaders caring for simulated patients requiring massive transfusion.

Functional Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome Induced by an Optional IVC Filter.

This patient suffered multiple injuries in a motor vehicle crash. She had an optional IVC filter placed in the usual fashion and location which resulted in a functional obstruction of the third part of the duodenum much as one would expect with a Superior Mesenteric Artery (SMA) syndrome. The symptoms persisted over the sixteen-day filter dwell time and resolved completely with the retrieval of the filter.

An Ounce of Prevention Saves Tons of Lives: Infection in Burns.

Background: Modern day burn care continues to wage an uphill battle against an enemy that evolves faster than we can develop weapons. Bacteria (bioburden) are everywhere and can infiltrate anywhere within our susceptible population of burn patients. This is why prevention of infection is key to improving their survival and outcome.

A comparison of Biobrane™ and cadaveric allograft for temporizing the acute burn wound: Cost and procedural time.

Introduction: In many circumstances early burn excision and autografting is unsafe or even impossible. In these situations, skin substitute dressings can be utilized for temporary wound coverage. Two commonly used dressings for this purpose are cadaveric allograft and Biobrane™.

Management of adult patients with buttock and perineal burns: The Ross Tilley Burn Centre experience.

Background: Perineal and buttock burns are challenging wounds to heal for several reasons because of the contamination risk and shear stress that is always present. Because of the nature of the wound bed, pathogens can have ready access to create systemic infections and complications. Prolonged healing times also delay the recovery for patients and add to their discomfort and psychological stress from the injury.

Can CT angiography replace conventional bi-planar angiography in the management of severe scapulothoracic dissociation injuries?

Severe scapulothoracic dissociation (SSTD) (Type III or IV; Zelle classification) is often life-threatening and is commonly associated with other devastating injuries. Rapid evaluation, including of the vascular system, is critical to limit the time to definitive therapy. CT angiography (CTA) has evolved as a diagnostic tool, replacing angiography (angio) as it can simultaneously evaluate bony, soft tissue, and vascular injuries.

Cancer surgery in the elderly.

The proportions both of elderly patients in the world and of elderly patients with cancer are both increasing. In the evaluation of these patients, physiologic age, and not chronologic age, should be carefully considered in the decision-making process prior to both cancer screening and cancer treatment in an effort to avoid ageism. Many tools exist to help the practitioner determine the physiologic age of the patient, which allows for more appropriate and more individualized risk stratification, both in the pre- and postoperative periods as patients are evaluated for surgical treatments and monitored for surgical complications, respectively.

Early Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Transplantation versus Resection: The Case for Liver Resection.

The optimal surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma on well-compensated cirrhosis is controversial. Advocates of liver transplantation cite better long-term survival, lower risk of recurrence, and the ability of transplantation to treat both the HCC and the underlying liver cirrhosis. Transplantation, however, is not universally available to all appropriate-risk candidates because of a lack of sufficient organ donors and in addition suffers from the disadvantages of requiring a more complex pre- and postoperative management associated with risks of inaccessibility, noncompliance, and late complications.

Variation in diagnosis of compartment syndrome by surgeons treating tibial shaft fractures.

Background: It is agreed that missed compartment syndrome is associated with significant morbidity, but controversy regarding its diagnosis remains. To our knowledge, no one has analyzed the effect of individual surgeon variation on the diagnosis of compartment syndrome.

Methods: We analyzed a consecutive cohort of patients with tibial shaft fractures at our level I trauma center (n = 386 fractures).