J Trauma
-
Recently, invasive intensive care unit monitoring of cerebral oxygenation has become feasible. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of standard therapeutic interventions used in the treatment of intracranial hypertension on cerebral oxygenation and other physiologic parameters in comatose patients. ⋯ A CPP > 60 mm Hg emerges as the crucial factor guaranteeing sufficient brain oxygenation. Any intervention used to further elevate CPP does not improve cerebral oxygenation, to the contrary, forced hyperventilation even bears the risk of inducing brain ischemia.
-
Trauma patients continue to improve after discharge from the trauma center, but the completeness of this recovery remains uncertain. The purpose of this study was to compare the characteristics of patients who do and who do not return to work after blunt trauma. ⋯ Almost one half of the multiple system blunt trauma patients remain unemployed 1 year after hospital discharge. Those patients who return to work are usually young professionals with a lower severity of injury. Functional status at discharge predicts future employment status, but underestimates the extent of long-term recovery.
-
Injury to the heart has been studied extensively. However, a small group of patients with injuries to the coronary arteries or intracardiac structures may require a different operative approach. ⋯ The mortality for complex injuries (coronary, septal, valvular) was 53%. This group was a specific population that self-selected by surviving to operation. Acute operations for complex injuries (beyond cardiorrhaphy) were primarily heroic life-saving efforts. Reoperation for cardiac injuries was most common for septal or valvular injuries. Only 2% of all survivors required reoperation to correct a residual defect.
-
Improvement in trauma patient outcome has been demonstrated after the implementation of the Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) program in Trinidad and Tobago. This study was aimed at identifying prehospital care factors that may explain this improvement. ⋯ Prehospital trauma care has changed after the introduction of the PHTLS program as indicated by more frequent airway control, use of oxygen, control of cervical (C)-spine and hemorrhage, as well as splinting of fractures. This finding was evident not only as a routine but particularly when a specific related problem was identified. This change in prehospital care could be responsible for the improved trauma patient outcome after PHTLS.
-
Recent reports have documented a reduced mortality from injuries to the inferior vena cava (IVC). Few reports, however, have addressed the follow-up of the repaired IVC. From January of 1984 to December of 1995, we prospectively collected data on all patients with IVC injuries at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, an urban Level I trauma center. ⋯ We conclude that sonography and computed tomographic scan provide reliable noninvasive evaluation of the repaired IVC. We recommend that all patients with an IVC injury, which has been repaired, undergo evaluation for patency before discharge.