The American surgeon
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The American surgeon · Oct 2014
Comparative StudyRole of drains in laparoscopic appendectomy for complicated appendicitis at a busy county hospital.
Laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) has become the treatment of choice for acute appendicitis with equal or better outcomes than traditional open appendectomy (OA). LA in patients with a gangrenous or perforated appendicitis carries increased rate of pelvic abscess formation when compared with OA. We hypothesized routine placement of pelvic drains in gangrenous or perforated appendicitis decreases pelvic abscess formation after LA. ⋯ Presurgery computed tomography (CT) with appendicolith and CT with abscess were more prevalent in Group I. The use of JP drainage in patients with perforated or gangrenous appendicitis during LA has decreased rates of pelvic abscess. This was demonstrated despite the drain group having appendicolith or abscess on preoperative CT.
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The American surgeon · Oct 2014
Management of patients with evisceration after abdominal stab wounds.
In the era of nonoperative management of abdominal stab wounds, the optimal management of patients with evisceration remains unclear. Furthermore, the role of imaging in guiding management of these patients has not been defined. Patients admitted to a Level I trauma center (2005 to 2012) with evisceration after an abdominal stab wound were retrospectively identified. ⋯ In conclusion, the rate of intra-abdominal injury in patients with evisceration remains high. Even in the age of nonoperative management, evisceration continues to be an indication for immediate laparotomy. The diagnostic yield of CT is low and CT should not impact management of these patients.
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The American surgeon · Oct 2014
Clinical TrialDefining early trauma-induced coagulopathy using thromboelastography.
Early trauma-induced coagulopathy (ETIC) is abnormal coagulation detected on presentation, but a clear description is lacking. We used thromboelastography (TEG) to characterize ETIC. Data were prospectively collected on high-acuity trauma activations at an urban Level I trauma center between July 2012 and May 2013. ⋯ There were no differences in any TEG parameters between the injury severity groups. Hyperfibrinolysis was detected in four (8%) patients. ETIC was present in over 80 per cent of high-acuity trauma activations irrespective of injury severity and characterized primarily by shortened R time, indicating ETIC is initially described by a hypercoagulable state as a result of thrombin generation.
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The American College of Surgeons (ACS) recommends trauma overtriage rate (OT) below 50 per cent to maximize efficiency while ensuring optimal care. This retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate OT rates in our Level I trauma center using the most recent criteria and guidelines. OT rates during a 12-month period were measured using six definitions based on combinations of Injury Severity Score (ISS), length of hospital stay (LOS, in days), procedures, and disposition after the emergency department. ⋯ Physiologic assessment criteria and anatomic injury had the lowest OT rates and contained all mortalities. Passenger space intrusion (PSI), pedestrian versus automobile (criterion and guideline), and extrication (guideline) all had consistently high rates of OT. We conclude that PSI should be reduced to a guideline, the pedestrian versus automobile criterion and guideline should be combined, and extrication could be removed from the triage scheme.
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The American surgeon · Oct 2014
Comparative StudyHomeward bound: the safety of discharging postappendectomy patients directly home from the recovery room.
The discharge of the patients directly from the recovery room after appendectomy has only recently been described in the literature. Because the 30-day readmission rate is used as a surrogate for safety and as a means to identify complications from appendicitis, it is our aim to demonstrate that the 30-day readmission rate of patients with acute appendicitis discharged from the recovery room is not higher than that of a control group and that from other studies in the literature for traditional hospital discharge. The operating room electronic database at Kaiser Riverside and Kaiser Moreno Valley hospitals was used to identify all appendectomies from September 1, 2008, to April 30, 2013. ⋯ There were 12 (1.4%) total readmissions with nine (1%) related to previous appendectomy compared with one (0.9%) in the control group. None of the readmissions were the result of early life-threatening problems such as bleeding, bowel injury, intraperitoneal bladder injury, or stump leak. Patients with acute appendicitis who were discharged home from the recovery room did not have an increased incidence of 30-day readmission when compared with traditional hospital discharge.