J Trauma
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Wide variances exist in reports of survival rates after penetrating cardiac injuries because most are hospital-based reports and thus are affected by the local trauma system. The objective of this study was to report population-based, as well as hospital-based, survival rates after penetrating cardiac injury. ⋯ Review of population-based studies indicates that there has been only a minor improvement in the survival rates for the treatment of penetrating cardiac injuries.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Partial liquid ventilation decreases the inflammatory response in the alveolar environment of trauma patients.
Perflubron is a perfluorocarbon with unique physical characteristics. It has twice the density of water, allows free diffusion of O2 and CO2, is easily dispersed, and is insoluble. Thus, it can act as "liquid positive end-expiratory pressure" to recruit collapsed alveoli and improve oxygenation. Results of laboratory studies suggest that perflubron exerts an anti-inflammatory effect on alveolar cells. Limited clinical data in neonates and adults with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome are promising. We present a single institution's experience with partial liquid ventilation (PLV) in trauma patients compared with conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) with particular attention to the alveolar inflammatory response. ⋯ Early institution of partial liquid ventilation is effective at reducing the alveolar inflammatory response. Perflubron exhibits an anti-inflammatory effect in the alveolar environment with reduction of proinflammatory IL-1 and IL-6 (possibly removing a stimulus for IL-10), white blood cell count, and protein capillary leak. PLV also reduces alveolar neutrophils independent of IL-8. Further characterization of this altered inflammatory response is necessary.
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Review Case Reports
Seat belt-related injury to the common iliac artery: case report and review of the literature.
Blunt trauma to the common iliac artery is a rare phenomenon. Although seat belt injuries to the abdominal aorta and the carotid artery have been reported, there is only one previous report in the literature of seat belt injury to the common iliac artery. We report a case of common iliac arterial injury directly related to use of the lap belt and not associated with pelvic or lumbar fractures. The literature related to blunt trauma of the common iliac artery is reviewed.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Hemodynamic and ventilatory effects associated with increasing inverse inspiratory-expiratory ventilation.
Increasing the percentage of inspiratory time during mechanical ventilation (i.e., inverse inspiratory-expiratory (I:E) ventilation) is frequently used to improve oxygenation in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome; however, an optimal I:E ratio is unknown. ⋯ These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of increasing inspiratory time to improve oxygenation, yet to the detriment of ventilation. This suggests that within the parameter confines of this study, the preferential I:E ratio is a balance between oxygen demands and ventilatory requirements.
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Comparative Study
Predicting survival, length of stay, and cost in the surgical intensive care unit: APACHE II versus ICISS.
Risk stratification of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) is an important tool because it permits comparison of patient populations for research and quality control. Unfortunately, currently available scoring systems were developed primarily in medical ICUs and have only mediocre performance in surgical ICUs. Moreover, they are very expensive to purchase and use. We conceived a simple risk-stratification tool for the surgical ICU that uses readily available International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, codes to predict outcome. Called ICISS (International Classification of Disease Illness Severity Score), our score is the product of the survival risk ratios (obtained from an independent data set) for all International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, diagnosis codes. ⋯ Because ICISS is both more accurate and much less expensive to calculate than APACHE II score, ICISS should replace APACHE II score as the standard risk stratification tool in surgical ICUs.