Introduction: Injuries of the hand can cause significant functional impairment, diminished quality of life and delayed return to work. However, the incidence and functional outcome of hand injuries in polytrauma patients is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence, distribution and functional outcome of fractures and dislocation of the hand in polytrauma patients.
Methods: A single centre retrospective cohort study was performed at a level 1 trauma centre. Polytrauma was defined as patients with an Injury Severity Score of 16 or higher. Fractures and dislocations to the hand were determined. All eligible polytrauma patients with hand injuries were included and a Quick Disability of Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (QDASH) and Patient-Rated Wrist/Hand Evaluation (PRWHE) were administered. Patients were contacted 1-6 years after trauma.
Results: In a cohort of 2046 polytrauma patients 72 patients (3.5%) suffered a hand injury. The functional outcome scores of 52 patients (72%) were obtained. The Metacarpal (48%) and carpal (33%) bones were the most frequently affected. The median QDASH score for all patients with hand injury was 17 (IQR 0-31) and the PRWHE 14 (IQR 0-41). Patients with a concomitant upper extremity injury (p=0.002 for PRWHE, p0.006 for QDASH) and those with higher ISS scores (p=0.034 for PRWHE, QDASH not significant) had worse functional outcome scores. As an example, of the 5 patients with the worst outcome scores 3 suffered an isolated phalangeal injury, all had concomitant upper extremity injury or neurological injuries (3 plexus injuries, 1 severe brain injury).
Conclusion: The incidence of hand injuries in polytrauma patients is 3.5%, which is relatively low compared to a general trauma population. Metacarpal and carpal bones were most frequently affected. The functional extremity specific outcome scores are highly influenced by concomitant injuries (upper extremity injuries, neurological injuries and higher ISS).
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2017.02.034 | DOI Listing |
Langenbecks Arch Surg
January 2025
Department of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Rämistrasse 100, CH - 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
Introduction: Blunt traumatic aortic injury (TAI) is a critical condition and a leading cause of mortality in trauma patients, often resulting from high-speed accidents. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has developed into the preferred therapeutic approach due to its minimally invasive nature and promising outcomes. This study evaluates the safety and efficacy of TEVAR for managing TAI over a 10-year period at a Level-1 trauma center.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Emerg Med
January 2025
Department of General Practice and Emergency Medicine, Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University Hospital, Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel, Kavrepalanchowk, Nepal.
Background: Timely emergency medical services (EMS) are particularly important among trauma patients, as inefficient EMS systems can result in potentially avoidable death before reaching a hospital. The Dhulikhel Hospital Dispatch Center coordinates and monitors a growing network of ambulances, including seven Type B ambulances staffed with a trained prehospital care provider and medical equipment. This study evaluates the prehospital care and outcomes of trauma patients transported by Type B ambulances to Dhulikhel Hospital's Emergency Department, as monitored by the Dispatch Center.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Data
January 2025
Division of Trauma and Burn Surgery, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
Proper personal protective equipment (PPE) use is critical to prevent disease transmission to healthcare providers, especially those treating patients with a high infection risk. To address the challenge of monitoring PPE usage in healthcare, computer vision has been evaluated for tracking adherence. Existing datasets for this purpose, however, lack a diversity of PPE and nonadherence classes, represent single not multiple providers, and do not depict dynamic provider movement during patient care.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur Heart J Case Rep
January 2025
Department of Radiological and Hematological Sciences, Section of Radiology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8 - 00168 Rome, Italy.
Background: Cardiac strangulation (CS) from epicardial pacing leads (EPLs) is a rare and potentially lethal mechanical complication associated with epicardial pacemaker (PM) implantation.
Case Summary: We report a case of a 44-year-old-female patient presenting with chest and left shoulder pain in the absence of reported trauma with history of congenital atrioventricular block treated with epicardial PM implantation during the childhood and subsequent transvenous reimplantation over the years. Troponin I resulted within normal values and ECG, transthoracic echocardiography and chest X-ray documented no acute cardiopulmonary findings.
J Mater Chem B
January 2025
College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
Circulating histones have been identified as essential mediators that lead to hyperinflammation, platelet aggregation, coagulation cascade activation, endothelial cell injury, multiple organ dysfunction, and death in severe patients with sepsis, multiple trauma, COVID-19, acute liver failure, and pancreatitis. Clinical evidence suggests that plasma levels of circulating histones are positively associated with disease severity and survival in patients with such critical diseases. However, safe and efficient therapeutic strategies targeting circulating histones are lacking in current clinical practice.
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