A comparison of methods for assessing penetrating trauma on retrospective multi-center data.

Objective: TraumaSCAN-Web (TSW) is a computerized decision support system for assessing chest and abdominal penetrating trauma which utilizes 3D geometric reasoning and a Bayesian network with subjective probabilities obtained from an expert. The goal of the present study is to determine whether a trauma risk prediction approach using a Bayesian network with a predefined structure and probabilities learned from penetrating trauma data is comparable in diagnostic accuracy to TSW.

Methods: Parameters for two Bayesian networks with expert-defined structures were learned from 637 gunshot and stab wound cases from three hospitals, and diagnostic accuracy was assessed using 10-fold cross-validation.

Pelvic fractures.

Pelvic fractures are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Despite advances in emergency, radiologic, surgical, and ICU care that have improved survival during the past decade, the morbidity and the mortality remain significantly high. This article focuses on the recent developments in the initial management of pelvic fractures including the use of external pelvic binders, radiographic imaging, interventional radiology, and extraperitoneal packing.

A review of police pursuit fatalities in the United States from 1982-2004.

Background: High-speed police pursuits are common in the United States (US). Most states do not gather statistics on police pursuits, pursuit crashes, injuries or fatalities for annual review.

Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the number of pursuit fatalities to officers, those in the chased vehicle, and those uninvolved in pursuits from 1982-2004.

Evaluating the discriminatory power of a computer-based system for assessing penetrating trauma on retrospective multi-center data.

Objective: To evaluate the discriminatory power of TraumaSCAN-Web, a system for assessing penetrating trauma, using retrospective multi-center case data for gunshot and stab wounds to the thorax and abdomen.

Methods: 80 gunshot and 114 stab cases were evaluated using TraumaSCAN-Web. Areas under the Receiver Operator Characteristic Curves (AUC) were calculated for each condition modeled in TraumaSCAN-Web.

The United States twenty-year experience with bombing incidents: implications for terrorism preparedness and medical response.

Background: Terrorist bombings remain a significant threat in the United States. However, minimal longitudinal data exists regarding the medical and public health impact because of bombings.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the number of incidents, injuries, and deaths because of explosive, incendiary, premature, and attempted bombings from January 1983 to December 2002.