Mesh fixation techniques in primary ventral or incisional hernia repair.

Background: The use of a mesh in primary ventral or incisional hernia repair lowers the recurrence rate  and is the accepted standard of care for larger defects. In laparoscopic primary ventral or incisional hernia repair the insertion of a mesh is indispensable. Different mesh fixation techniques have been used and refined over the years.

A clinical comparison of pure knitted silk and a complex synthetic skin substitute for the treatment of partial thickness burns.

Currently, many dressings are commercially available for the treatment of burn wounds. Some of these wound dressings remain on the wound, prevent painful dressing changes, and reduce tissue scarring. Nevertheless, still a wound dressing that is cost-effective, produces good wound healing properties, and has a high patient satisfaction is needed.

Characterization of Blue Light Treatment for Infected Wounds: Antibacterial Efficacy of 420, 455, and 480 nm Light-Emitting Diode Arrays Against Common Skin Pathogens Versus Blue Light-Induced Skin Cell Toxicity.

To determine effective treatment strategies against bacterial infections of chronic wounds, we tested different blue light (BL)-emitting light-emitting diode arrays (420, 455, and 480 nm) against wound pathogens and investigated in parallel BL-induced toxic effects on human dermal fibroblasts. Wound infection is a major factor for delayed healing. Infections with and are clinically relevant caused by their ability of biofilm formation and their quickly growing antibiotics resistance.

Age-Dependent Patient and Trauma Characteristics and Hospital Resource Requirements-Can Improvement Be Made? An Analysis from the German Trauma Registry.

The burden of geriatric trauma patients continues to rise in Western society. Injury patterns and outcomes differ from those seen in younger adults. Getting a better understanding of these differences helps medical staff to provide a better care for the elderly.

Evaluation of a standardized instrument for post hoc analysis of trauma-team-activation-criteria in 75,613 injured patients an analysis of the TraumaRegister DGU.

Introduction: To improve the quality of criteria for trauma-team-activation it is necessary to identify patients who benefited from the treatment by a trauma team. Therefore, we evaluated a post hoc criteria catalogue for trauma-team-activation which was developed in a consensus process by an expert group and published recently. The objective was to examine whether the catalogue can identify patients that died after admission to the hospital and therefore can benefit from a specialized trauma team mostly.

The GERtality Score: The Development of a Simple Tool to Help Predict in-Hospital Mortality in Geriatric Trauma Patients.

Feasible and predictive scoring systems for severely injured geriatric patients are lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a scoring system for the prediction of in-hospital mortality in severely injured geriatric trauma patients. The TraumaRegister DGU (TR-DGU) was utilized.

Simultaneous Casualty Admissions-Do they Affect Treatment in the Receiving Trauma Center?

Background: Simultaneous trauma admissions expose medical professionals to increased workload. The impact of simultaneous trauma admissions on hospital allocation, therapy, and outcome is currently unclear. We hypothesized that multiple admission-scenarios impact the diagnostic pathway and outcome.

The Influence of Alcohol on the Base Excess Parameter in Trauma Patients.

Background: The base excess (BE) parameter can be used as an indicator of mortality. However, study results on the influence of alcohol on the validity of BE as a prognostic parameter in alcohol-intoxicated patients are controversial. Thus, this study examined the hypothesis: An increasing blood alcohol level reduces the prognostic value of the BE parameter on mortality.

C-Nail versus plate osteosynthesis in displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures-a comparative retrospective study.

Background: Locking plate osteosynthesis via an L-shaped lateral approach is the gold standard in treating displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures. High complication rates are known for this approach. The most frequent complications are wound edge necrosis and superficial wound infections.

Plasma medicine and wound management: Evaluation of the antibacterial efficacy of a medically certified cold atmospheric argon plasma jet.

Objectives: A major problem for wound healing is contamination with bacteria, often resulting in biofilm formation and wound infection, which, in turn, needs immediate intervention such as surgical debridement and through irrigation. A topical treatment with cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP) for wound disinfection may present an alternative and less painful approach.

Methods: This study investigated the antibacterial effects of a cold atmospheric pressure argon plasma jet (kINPen® MED) as a CAP source, using the three-dimensional Staphylococcus aureus immunocompetent biofilm system hpBIOM in addition to a standard planktonic test.

Helicopter Emergency Medical Service and Hospital Treatment Levels Affect Survival in Pediatric Trauma Patients.

(1) Background: Data on the effects of helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) transport and treatment on the survival of severely injured pediatric patients in high-level trauma centers remain unclear. (2) Methods: A national dataset from the TraumaRegister DGU was used to retrospectively compare the mortality rates among severely injured pediatric patients (1-15 years) who were transported by HEMS to those transported by ground emergency medical service (GEMS) and treated at trauma centers of different treatment levels (levels I-III). (3) Results: In total, 2755 pediatric trauma patients (age: 9.

Curiosity or Underdiagnosed? Injuries to Thoracolumbar Spine with Concomitant Trauma to Pancreas.

The pancreas is at risk of damage as a consequence of thoracolumbar spine injury. However, there are no studies providing prevalence data to support this assumption. Data from European hospitals documented in the TraumaRegister DGU (TR-DGU) between 2008-2017 were analyzed to estimate the prevalence of this correlation and to determine the impact on clinical outcome.

Strategies for the treatment of femoral fractures in severely injured patients: trends in over two decades from the TraumaRegister DGU.

Purpose: Treatment strategies for femoral fracture stabilisation are well known to have a significant impact on the patient's outcome. Therefore, the optimal choices for both the type of initial fracture stabilisation (external fixation/EF, early total care/ETC, conservative treatment/TC) and the best time point for conversion from temporary to definitive fixation are challenging factors.

Patients: Patients aged ≥ 16 years with moderate and severe trauma documented in the TraumaRegister DGU between 2002 and 2018 were retrospectively analysed.

Author queries via email text elicited high response and took less reviewer time than data forms - a randomised study within a review.

Objective: To compare two strategies for requesting additional information for systematic reviews (SR) from study authors.

Study Design And Setting: Randomised study within a SR of hospital volume-outcome relationships in total knee arthroplasty. We sent personalized email requests for additional information to study authors as either email text ("Email" group) or attachment with self-developed, personalised data request forms ("Attachment" group).

Yes- mind the gap!

We totally agree with Deana and Colleagues that missing intermediate care 1) might be an explanation for unexpected unfavorable outcome and 2) strengthening of intermediate care has the potential to lower this high rate of unfavorable outcome after ICU discharge. Yes- mind the gap!

The European Perspective on the Management of Acute Major Hemorrhage and Coagulopathy after Trauma: Summary of the 2019 Updated European Guideline.

Non-controlled hemorrhage with accompanying trauma-induced coagulopathy (TIC) remains the most common cause of preventable death after multiple injury. Rapid identification followed by aggressive treatment is the key for improved outcomes. Treatment of trauma hemorrhage begins at the scene, with manual compression, the use of tourniquets and (non) commercial pelvic slings, and rapid transfer to an adequate trauma center.

Survival among patients with severe high cervical spine injuries - a TraumaRegister DGU® database study.

Background: Trauma is a significant cause of death and impairment. The Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) differentiates the severity of trauma and is the basis for different trauma scores and prediction models. While the majority of patients do not survive injuries which are coded with an AIS 6, there are several patients with a severe high cervical spinal cord injury that could be discharged from hospital despite the prognosis of trauma scores.

Variations and obstacles in the use of coagulation factor concentrates for major trauma bleeding across Europe: outcomes from a European expert meeting.

Purpose: Trauma is a leading cause of mortality, with major bleeding and trauma-induced coagulopathy (TIC) contributing to negative patient outcomes. Treatments for TIC include tranexamic acid (TXA), fresh frozen plasma (FFP), and coagulation factor concentrates (CFCs, e.g.

Incidence, impact and risk factors for multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) in patients with major trauma: a European Multicenter Cohort Study.

Introduction: The burden of MDRO in health systems is a global issue, and a growing problem. We conducted a European multicenter cohort study to assess the incidence, impact and risk factors for multidrug-resistant organisms in patients with major trauma. We conducted this study because the predictive factors and effects of MDRO in severely injured patients are not yet described.

Traumatic brain injury with concomitant injury to the spleen: characteristics and mortality of a high-risk trauma cohort from the TraumaRegister DGU®.

Purpose: Based on the hypothesis that systemic inflammation contributes to secondary injury after initial traumatic brain injury (TBI), this study aims to describe the effect of splenectomy on mortality in trauma patients with TBI and splenic injury.

Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis of patients prospectively registered into the TraumaRegister DGU (TR-DGU) with TBI (AIS ≥ 3) combined with injury to the spleen (AIS ≥ 1) was conducted. Multivariable logistic regression modeling was performed to adjust for confounding factors and to assess the independent effect of splenectomy on in-hospital mortality.

Is the Regular Intake of Anticoagulative Agents an Independent Risk Factor for the Severity of Traumatic Brain Injuries in Geriatric Patients? A Retrospective Analysis of 10,559 Patients from the TraumaRegister DGU.

The purpose of this study was to assess anticoagulant medication as an independent factor influencing the occurrence of a severe traumatic brain injury in geriatric patients. Data were collected from the TraumaRegister DGU between January 2015 and December 2018. We included patients with an age of ≥65 years with a blunt TBI; an AISHead ≥2 but no other relevant injuries.

Is the Parkland formula still the best method for determining the fluid resuscitation volume in adults for the first 24 hours after injury? - A retrospective analysis of burn patients in Germany.

Background: R Rapid fluid resuscitation is a crucial therapy during the treatment of patients with extensive burns. In 1968, the Parkland Formula was introduced for the calculation of the estimated volume of the resuscitation fluid. Since then, different methods for the calculation of fluid resuscitation volume have been developed.

Development, testing and use of data extraction forms in systematic reviews: a review of methodological guidance.

Background: Data extraction forms link systematic reviews with primary research and provide the foundation for appraising, analysing, summarising and interpreting a body of evidence. This makes their development, pilot testing and use a crucial part of the systematic reviews process. Several studies have shown that data extraction errors are frequent in systematic reviews, especially regarding outcome data.

Epidemiology and predictors of traumatic spine injury in severely injured patients: implications for emergency procedures.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the prevalence and predictors of spinal injuries that are suitable for immobilization.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study drawing from the multi-center database of the TraumaRegister DGU, spinal injury patients ≥ 16 years of age who scored ≥ 3 on the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) between 2009 and 2016 were enrolled.

Results: The mean age of the 145,833 patients enrolled was 52.