Journal of the American College of Surgeons
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Thirty years after the Mangled Extremity Severity Score was developed, advances in vascular, trauma, and orthopaedic surgery have rendered the sensitivity of this score obsolete. A significant number of patients receive amputation during subsequent admissions, which are often missed in the analysis of amputation at the index admission. We aimed to identify risk factors for and predict amputation on initial admission or within 30 days of discharge (peritraumatic amputation [PTA]). ⋯ Machine learning-based prediction models combined with sampling algorithms (such as the NearMiss algorithm in this study), can help identify patients with traumatic arterial injuries at high risk for amputation and guide targeted intervention in the modern age of vascular surgery.
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Comparative Study
Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta vs Pre-Peritoneal Packing in Patients with Pelvic Fracture.
Pelvic hemorrhage is potentially lethal despite homeostatic interventions such as pre-peritoneal packing (PP), resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA), surgery, and/or angioembolization. REBOA may be used as an alternative/adjunct to PP for temporizing bleeding in patients with pelvic fractures. Our study aimed to compare the outcomes of REBOA and/or PP, as temporizing measures, in blunt pelvic fracture patients. We hypothesized that REBOA is associated with worsened outcomes. ⋯ REBOA is a less invasive procedure compared with PP and is associated with improved outcomes. Further clinical trials are needed to define the optimal patient who will benefit from REBOA.
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Care at verified trauma centers has improved survival and functional outcomes, yet determining the appropriate location of potential trauma centers is often driven by factors other than optimizing system-level patient care. Given the importance of transport time in trauma, we analyzed trauma transport patterns in a rural state lacking an organized trauma system and implemented a geographic information system to inform potential future trauma center locations. ⋯ Through geospatial mapping and location-allocation modeling, we were able to identify gaps and suggest optimal trauma center locations to maximize population coverage in a rural state lacking a formal, organized trauma system. These findings could inform future decision-making for targeted capacity improvement and system design that emphasizes more equitable access to trauma center care in Vermont.
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Patients with necrotizing pancreatitis (NP) have the highest rate of venous thromboembolism (VTE) of any hospitalized patient (57%). We hypothesized that VTE prophylaxis might be inadequate in the setting of this profound inflammatory disease and that early detection of deep vein thrombosis would limit pulmonary embolism. ⋯ In patients with NP, identification of eDVT by screening ultrasound permits early treatment and prevents symptomatic pulmonary embolism. Fixed dosing of chemical prophylaxis is inadequate in most patients with NP and likely contributes to the mechanism of increased VTE in NP.
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Observational Study
Finding the Most Favorable Timing for Cholecystectomy after Percutaneous Cholecystostomy Tube Placement: An Analysis of Institutional and National Data.
Early cholecystectomy (E-CCY; 8 weeks or less) after percutaneous cholecystostomy tube (PCT) placement has been associated with increased postoperative complications, but this finding has not been validated at a national level and PCT-related complications and interventions (PCT-RCIs) were not evaluated. ⋯ Increased operative complications when IC is performed within 1 month of PCT placement and increased PCT-RCIs when IC is performed 8 weeks after PCT placement suggest that the most favorable timing for IC is between 4 and 8 weeks after PCT placement.