Clinical Outcomes Following Component Therapy Only Versus Whole Blood Plus Component Versus Whole Blood Only in Geriatric Trauma Patients With Isolated Chest or Abdominal Injuries With or Without Traumatic Brain Injury.

Introduction: This study aims to evaluate clinical outcomes in geriatric trauma patients with isolated chest or abdominal injuries with or without traumatic brain injury (TBI) receiving whole blood (WB), component (COMP), or WB and component therapy (WB + COMP).

Methods: This retrospective analysis of the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program Participant Use File dataset from 2017 to 2021 evaluated geriatric (age ≥65) trauma patients with moderate-to-severe isolated chest (abbreviated injury scale (AIS) chest ≥2) or abdominal (AIS abdomen ≥2) injuries with or without TBI (AIS head ≥2) receiving WB, COMP, or WB + COMP. Outcomes included emergency department and 24-h mortality, blood product volume (mL) at 4 hs, and intensive care unit-length of stay.

Assessment of psychological debriefing models' components & effective implementation, and its impact on healthcare professionals stress management skills, mental wellbeing, and clinical performance.

Introduction: This study aims to assess various models of psychological debriefing, their benefits, and the impact of their implementation on medical trainees & healthcare professionals' stress management skills, mental well-being, and clinical performance.

Methods: This review queried PubMed, ProQuest, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases for articles regarding psychological debriefing in medical education published through May 2024. Included studies that assessed the utilization, implementation, and effectiveness of various psychological debriefing models in the hospital setting among nursing staff, medical trainees, and attending physicians.

Evaluating the Factors Influencing Residency Match for Surgical Specialty Applicants and Programs: Challenges and Future Directions.

Introduction: We aim to evaluate the impact of recent changes in the residency matching process on surgical specialties' applicants and programs to offer recommendations on residency selection and matching processes.

Methods: We utilized five databases while employing a Boolean query to search for studies from 2015 to March 2024. The search selection focused on factors and recent changes influencing residency match results across surgical specialties, including USMLE Step 1 pass/fail, research productivity, interview structure, and preference and geographic signaling.

Clinical Outcomes of Splenic Artery Embolization Versus Splenectomy in the Management of Hemodynamically Stable High-Grade Blunt Splenic Injuries: A National Analysis.

Introduction: This study aims to compare the outcomes of splenic artery embolization (SAE) versus splenectomy in adult trauma patients with high-grade blunt splenic injuries.

Methods: This retrospective analysis of the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program database (2017-2021) compared SAE versus splenectomy in adults with blunt high-grade splenic injuries (grade ≥ IV). Patients were stratified first by hemodynamic status then splenic injury grade.

Evaluating the Accuracy, Comprehensiveness, and Validity of ChatGPT Compared to Evidence-Based Sources Regarding Common Surgical Conditions: Surgeons' Perspectives.

Background: This study aims to assess the accuracy, comprehensiveness, and validity of ChatGPT compared to evidence-based sources regarding the diagnosis and management of common surgical conditions by surveying the perceptions of U.S. board-certified practicing surgeons.

Virtual Signaling and Emerging Trends in its Use Across Surgical Specialties.

Introduction: This study aims to evaluate program signaling in surgical specialties, analyze its influence on residency applications, and provide recommendations for enhancing its consistency and effectiveness.

Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed AAMC ERAS data from the 2021 to 2022 and 2023 residency match cycles, focusing on surgical specialties including general surgery, neurological surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and orthopedic surgery.

Results: A positive correlation existed between the number of signals received and the number of applicants to a program across 4 surgical specialties.

Outcomes of the 2021-2022 APDS General Surgery Recruitment Process Recommendations.

Background: In recent years, mounting challenges for applicants and programs in resident recruitment have catapulted this topic into a top priority in medical education. These challenges span all aspects of recruitment-from the time an applicant applies until the time of the Match-and have widespread implications on cost, applicant stress, compromise of value alignment, and holistic review, and equity. In 2021-2022, the Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS) set forth recommendations to guide processes for General Surgery residency recruitment.

Impact of Medicaid Expansion on Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment in Southern States.

Background: Medicaid expansion impacted patients when assessed at a national level. However, of the 32 states that expanded Medicaid, only three were Southern states. Whether results apply to Southern states that share similar geopolitical perspectives remains elusive.

Injury characteristics of the Pulse Nightclub shooting: Lessons for mass casualty incident preparation.

Background: On the morning of June 12, 2016, an armed assailant entered the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, and initiated an assault that killed 49 people and injured 53. The regional Level I trauma center and two community hospitals responded to this mass casualty incident. A detailed analysis was performed to guide hospitals who strive to prepare for future similar events.

Simulation-Based Testing of Pager Interruptions During Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.

Objective: To determine if pager interruptions affect operative time, safety, or complications and management of pager issues during a simulated laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Design: Twelve surgery resident volunteers were tested on a Simbionix Lap Mentor II simulator. Each resident performed 6 randomized simulated laparoscopic cholecystectomies; 3 with pager interruptions (INT) and 3 without pager interruptions (NO-INT).

Psychological Effect of a Mass Casualty Event on General Surgery Residents.

Objective: To evaluate the psychological effect of a mass casualty shooting event on general surgery residents.

Design: Three and 7 months following the Pulse nightclub mass casualty shooting, the mental well-being of general surgery residents employed at the receiving institution was evaluated. A voluntary and anonymous screening questionnaire for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression (MD) was administered.

Adequacy and accuracy of nontrauma center computed tomography: What are we missing?

Background: Timely and appropriate use of computed tomography (CT) scans is critical to the evaluation of traumatic injuries. The objective of this study was to assess the adequacy of CT scans performed at nontrauma centers (NTCs) as they pertain to the management of trauma patients.

Methods: Adult patients transferred to our ACS-verified Level I trauma center from any NTC between May and December 2012 were enrolled prospectively.

Medical student expectations from surgical education: A two-year institutional experience.

Background: The third-year surgical rotation is the first exposure medical students have to the fundamentals of surgical education. It is known that medical students come to the surgical clerkship with preconceived ideas, many of them negative and based on prior student feedback and hearsay.

Methods: An anonymous survey was conducted of third-year medical students while on the surgical clerkship.

Immediate versus delayed repair of destructive bowel injuries in patients with an open abdomen.

Trauma surgeons frequently encounter destructive bowel injuries. The timing of the repair of the bowel injury should be performed in patients with planned open abdomen management and second-look laparotomy has not been specifically addressed. Our primary objective was to determine if there was a significant difference in the incidence of major complications between immediate and delayed repair among patients with traumatic bowel injuries and planned open abdomens.

Traumatic liver injuries in the elderly as compared to younger adults.

Background: Comparing elderly (> 55 years) and younger (< 55 and > 15 years) traumatic liver injury patients, we evaluated differences in the need for operative intervention as well as transfusion requirements in those treated non-operatively.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of adult patients with liver trauma. The analyses evaluated overall adjusted differences in treatment option and packed red blood utilization in those treated non-operatively by age group.