The journal of trauma and acute care surgery
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J Trauma Acute Care Surg · Jul 2014
Standard laparoscopic trocars for the treatment of tension pneumothorax: a superior alternative to needle decompression.
Needle thoracostomy (NT) is a commonly taught intervention for tension pneumothorax (tPTX) but has a high failure rate. We hypothesize that standard 5-mm laparoscopic trocars may be a safe and more effective alternative. ⋯ tPTX and tension-induced PEA can be safely and effectively treated with chest decompression using 5-mm laparoscopic trocars. This technique may serve as a more rapid and reliable alternative to needle decompression.
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J Trauma Acute Care Surg · Jul 2014
Self-expanding foam improves survival following a lethal, exsanguinating iliac artery injury.
Noncompressible abdominal bleeding is a significant cause of preventable death on the battlefield and in the civilian setting, with no effective therapies available at point of injury. We previously reported that a self-expanding polyurethane foam significantly improved survival in a lethal hepatoportal injury model of massive venous hemorrhage. In this study, we hypothesized that foam treatment could improve survival in a lethal iliac artery injury model in noncoagulopathic swine. ⋯ Self-expanding foam treatment significantly improves survival in an otherwise lethal, noncompressible, massive, arterial injury. This treatment may provide a prehospital intervention for control of noncompressible abdominal hemorrhage.