Articles: trauma.
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Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common and in some instances life-threatening complication following severe traumatic injury. Owing to a lack of high-quality evidence in VTE risk prediction and prevention in this cohort, major trauma patients receive variable VTE preventative care. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the reported rates of VTE in major trauma patients, and associated risk factors. ⋯ There exists significant variation in the reported rates of VTE in major trauma patients globally. Operative procedure, delays to prophylaxis and pelvic injury were the most consistently reported associated variables for DVT. Lower extremity injury followed by male sex and increased age were the most frequently reported associated variables for PE. Although studies indicate possible differences in risk factors for DVT and PE, heterogeneity in study characteristics and outcome reporting impedes any meaningful conclusions. Reconciliation of VTE rates in major trauma patients is necessary when comparing populations.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg · Dec 2024
Stopping the bleed when tourniquets cannot: a technique for Foley catheter balloon compression in trauma.
Hemorrhage is a leading cause of death in trauma. Prehospital hemorrhage control techniques include tourniquet application for extremity wounds and direct compression; however, tourniquets are not effective in anatomic junctions, and direct compression is highly operator dependent. Balloon catheter compression has been employed previously in trauma care, but its use has been confined to the operating room and restricted to specific anatomic injuries. ⋯ Foley catheter balloon compression is a useful addition to a provider's arsenal of hemorrhage control techniques, as it is effective in anatomic junctions, preserves collateral circulation through focused compression, and requires minimal active physical attention to maintain hemostasis.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg · Dec 2024
Just my luck: How children's causal attributions contribute to injury prevention.
Traumatic injury in children, particularly adolescents, is both frequently and costly. In this study, we directly examined children's causal attributions for the recent traumas and asked them to propose prevention strategies of their own. We predict that children who attribute their injuries to their own actions, rather than an external force such as luck, will be more likely to develop strategies to avoid trauma in the future. ⋯ Children surveyed denied their own culpability and preferred to attribute their injuries to bad luck. Moreover, children who believed themselves to be simply unlucky were less able than others to propose strategies that might prevent further injury.
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There is a rich literature describing the loss of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons following peripheral axotomy, but the vulnerability of discrete subpopulations has not yet been characterised. Furthermore, the extent or even presence of neuron loss following injury has recently been challenged. In this study, we have used a range of transgenic recombinase driver mouse lines to genetically label molecularly defined subpopulations of DRG neurons and track their survival following traumatic nerve injury. ⋯ We show that this subpopulation is almost entirely lost following spared nerve injury and severely depleted (by roughly 50%) following sciatic nerve crush. Finally, we used an in vitro model of DRG neuron survival to demonstrate that nonpeptidergic nociceptor loss is likely dependent on the absence of neurotrophic support. Together, these results profile the extent to which DRG neuron subpopulations can survive axotomy, with implications for our understanding of nerve injury-induced plasticity and pain.