Injury
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During trauma resuscitation, blind catheterization of an injured urethra may aggravate the injury by disrupting a partially torn urethra. In busy trauma centers, retrograde urethrograms (RUG) prior to catheterisation for all patients with unstable pelvic fractures presents a challenge during trauma resuscitation, and the procedure is not commonly practiced despite Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) and World Health Organisation recommendations. The aim of this study was to determine the presenting clinical features of patients with urethral injuries and to predict major trauma patients needing further investigation to exclude this injury. ⋯ Reliance on clinical features alone to predict urethral injury results in a substantial proportion of missed injuries in major trauma patients. RUGs did not appear to be needed in patients with no disruption of the pubic symphysis on initial pelvis X-ray or where no signs of urethral injury are present. In the absence of clinical signs and pubic symphysis disruption, blind urethral catheterisation may be attempted.
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Bone grafting is a commonly performed surgical procedure to augment bone regeneration in a variety of cases in orthopaedic and maxillofacial surgery. Autologous bone graft remains to be the 'gold standard' and the iliac crest to be the most common harvesting site. The intramedullary canal of long bones represents another potential site for large volume of autologous bone graft harvesting and is recently being used as an alternative donor site. ⋯ Although the difference of the overall morbidity rates between the two harvesting sites was not statistically significant (p=0.71); the rates of certain complications were found to significantly differ when anterior or posterior iliac crest was used. The rates of infection (p=0.016), haematoma formation (p=0.002), fracture (p=0.017), and hyperthrophic scar (p=0.017) were significantly higher when the donor site was the anterior iliac crest compared to the posterior iliac crest; whereas the rates of chronic donor site pain (p=0.004) and sensory disturbances (p=0.003) were significantly lower. The incidence of bone graft harvesting related complications can be reduced further if certain principles are followed depending on the performed harvesting methods; but overall the use of RIA device as harvesting method seems a promising alternative with a low complication rate.
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Penetrating injuries to the chest present a frequent and challenging problem, but the majority of these injuries can be managed non-\operatively. The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of penetrating chest trauma and the ultimate techniques used for operative management, as well as the diagnosis, complications, morbidity and mortality. ⋯ Penetrating injuries to the chest requiring a thoracotomy are uncommon, and lung-sparing techniques have become the most frequently used procedures for lung injuries. The presence of associated abdominal injuries increased the mortality five-fold. Factors that affected mortality were ISS, chest AIS score, SBP, ongoing chest output, blood transfusion volume, diaphragmatic injury and associated abdominal injury.
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Alcohol consumption is a significant risk factor for injuries. Further, level I trauma centres are mandated to screen and provide a brief intervention for identified problem drinkers. However, a valid population-based estimate of the magnitude of the problem is unknown. Therefore, the goal of this study is to evaluate the extent to which the present literature provides a valid estimate of the prevalence of alcohol-related visits to U.S. trauma centres. ⋯ Although the incidence of alcohol-related visits to U.S. trauma centres appears very high perhaps higher than any other medical setting, the validity of our aggregate estimate is threatened by crucial methodological considerations. The lack of a methodologically valid prevalence estimate hinders efforts to devise appropriate policies for trauma centres and across medical settings.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Reamed versus minimally reamed nailing: a prospectively randomised study of 100 patients with closed fractures of the tibia.
It is generally accepted that in tibial fractures the results of reamed intramedullary nailing are better than those of unreamed. However, it is not known whether the clinical effects of reaming are cumulative or if minimal reaming would induce the same beneficial effects as more extensive reaming. This international multicentre study has investigated the effects of different degrees of reaming. 100 patients with closed diaphyseal tibial fractures were prospectively randomised in two centres. ⋯ A considerable number of outcome parameters including knee and ankle function, as well as the comparison of time intervals to restart certain activities, and return to work showed no significant statistical difference between the two groups. However, patients of the extensive reamed group returned earlier to running, training, and normal sports activities. This study found no significant evidence that more extensive reaming gave better results, however there seemed to be a tendency of more aggressive reaming to induce earlier fracture healing with a tendency of faster recovery times.