J Trauma
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound as a useful adjuvant during distraction osteogenesis: a prospective, randomized controlled trial.
Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) was proven to have a positive impact on bone healing in animal and clinical studies. ⋯ Therapeutic application of LIPUS during callus distraction constitutes a useful adjuvant treatment during distraction osteogenesis and has a positive effect on healing time with no negative effects.
-
Conflicting data exist regarding optimal glycemic control in critically ill trauma patients. We therefore compared glucose parameters and outcomes among three different glycemic control regimens in a single trauma intensive care unit (ICU), hypothesizing that a moderate regimen would yield optimal avoidance of hyper- and hypoglycemia with equivalent outcomes when compared with a more aggressive approach. ⋯ Hyperglycemic events (glucose >180 mg/dL) most strongly predicted mortality. Of glucose control protocols analyzed, the "moderate" protocol had fewest hyperglycemic events. As outcomes were otherwise equivalent between "moderate" and "aggressive" protocols, we conclude that hyperglycemia can be safely avoided using a moderate glycemic control protocol without inducing hypoglycemia.
-
Trauma system planners use patient home address as a proxy for injury location, although this proxy has not been validated. We sought to determine the precision of this proxy by evaluating the relationship between the location of injury death and the location of residence. ⋯ The preponderance of fatal injury deaths occur close to home. This supports the practice of trauma system's planning using home location available in administrative data to proxy injury location.
-
Comparative Study
Hypoperfusion in severely injured trauma patients is associated with reduced coagulation factor activity.
Recent studies have shown that acute traumatic coagulopathy is associated with hypoperfusion, increased plasma levels of soluble thrombomodulin, and decreased levels of protein C but with no change in factor VII activity. These findings led to the hypothesis that acute traumatic coagulopathy is primarily due to systemic anticoagulation, by activated protein C, rather than decreases in serine protease activity. This study was designed to examine the effect of hypoperfusion secondary to traumatic injury on the activity of coagulation factors. ⋯ Hypoperfusion in trauma patients is associated with a moderate, dose-dependent reduction in the activity of coagulation factors II, VII, IX, X, and XI, and a more marked reduction in factor V activity, which is relatively independent of the severity of shock. These findings suggest that the mechanisms underlying decreased factor V activity--which could be due to activated protein C mediated cleavage, thus providing a possible link between the proposed thrombomodulin/thrombin-APC pathway and the serine proteases of the coagulation cascade--and the reductions in factors II, VII, IX, X, and XI may differ. Preservation of coagulation factor activity in the majority of normally and moderately hypoperfused patients suggests that aggressive administration of plasma is probably only indicated in severely hypoperfused patients. Markers of hypoperfusion, such as base deficit, might be better and more readily available predictors of who require coagulation support than international normalized ratio or activated partial thromboplastin time.
-
Comparative Study
Causes of death in Canadian Forces members deployed to Afghanistan and implications on tactical combat casualty care provision.
As part of its contribution to the Global War on Terror and North Atlantic Treaty Organization's International Security Assistance Force, the Canadian Forces deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, in 2006. We have studied the causes of deaths sustained by the Canadian Forces during the first 28 months of this mission. The purpose of this study was to identify potential areas for improving battlefield trauma care. ⋯ The majority of combat-related deaths occurred in the field (92%). Very few deaths were potentially preventable with current Tactical Combat Casualty interventions. Our panel review identified several interventions that are not currently part of Tactical Combat Casualty that may prevent future battlefield deaths.