Articles: trauma.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Oct 2022
ReviewAntifibrinolytics in the treatment of traumatic brain injury.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of trauma-related deaths, and pharmacologic interventions to limit intracranial bleeding should improve outcomes. Tranexamic acid reduces mortality in injured patients with major systemic bleeding, but the effects of antifibrinolytic drugs on outcomes after TBI are less clear. We therefore summarize recent evidence to guide clinicians on when (not) to use antifibrinolytic drugs in TBI patients. ⋯ Given that the effect of tranexamic acid likely depends on a variety of factors, it is unlikely that a 'one size fits all' approach of administering antifibrinolytics to all patients will be helpful. Tranexamic acid should be strongly considered in patients with mild to moderate TBI and should be avoided in isolated severe TBI.
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Around 1 million people sustain a spinal cord injury each year, which can have significant psychosocial, physical and socio-economic consequences for patients, their families and society. The aim of this review is to provide clinicians with a summary of recent studies of direct relevance to the airway management of patients with confirmed or suspected traumatic spinal cord injury to promote best clinical practice. All airway interventions are associated with some degree of movement of the cervical spine; in general, these are very small and whether these are clinically significant in terms of impingement of the spinal cord is unclear. ⋯ Direct laryngoscopy does cause a slightly greater degree of cervical spinal movement during tracheal intubation than videolaryngoscopy, but this does not appear to increase the risk of spinal cord compression. The risk of spinal cord injury during tracheal intubation appears to be minimal even in the presence of gross cervical spine instability. Depending on the clinical situation, practitioners should choose the tracheal intubation technique with which they are most proficient and that is most likely to minimise cervical spine movement.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg · Oct 2022
ReviewContrast study after gastric repair: a review of incidence, outcomes and risk factors at an adult level 1 trauma center.
The role of contrast study after traumatic gastric repair, continues to be controversial. To that end, we aim to review the incidence, outcomes, and risk factors of patients undergoing contrast study after traumatic gastric repair. ⋯ Gastric leak after repair is rare and there is no statistically significant difference in clinical outcomes when comparing patients who underwent contrast study to those who did not. Routine contrast study after traumatic gastric repair may not be necessary and further evidence is warranted to determine the risk factors for a selective contrast study.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Oct 2022
ReviewAnesthesia and the neurobiology of fear and posttraumatic stress disorder.
Dysfunction of fear memory systems underlie a cluster of clinically important and highly prevalent psychological morbidities seen in perioperative and critical care patients, most archetypally posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Several sedative-hypnotics and analgesics are known to modulate fear systems, and it is theoretically plausible that clinical decisions of the anesthesiologist could impact psychological outcomes. This review aims to provide a focused synthesis of relevant literature from multiple fields of research. ⋯ There are multiple theoretical mechanisms by which anesthetic drugs can modulate fear systems and clinically important fear-based psychopathologies. The current state of research provides some evidence to support further hypothesis investigation. However, the absence of effectiveness studies and the inconsistent signals from smaller studies provide insufficient evidence to currently offer firm clinical guidance.
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The aim of this review is to provide a practical and updated summary on healthcare-associated central nervous system infections and their management. ⋯ Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for healthcare-associated central nervous system infections in patients with specific risk factors (i.e. recent neurosurgery, cerebrospinal shunts, drains or implantable devices, head/spinal traumatic events), taking into account systemic signs, and alterations in microbiological, imaging, cerebrospinal fluid findings. The diagnosis is often difficult to confirm because of reduced levels of consciousness or coma. Both Gram-positive and Gram-negative (often multidrug-resistant or even pandrug-resistant) microorganisms may be the cause. Selection of antibiotics must consider susceptibility and penetration into the central nervous system. Ineffective treatments are frequent, and mortality can reach 60%. Future research should focus on the diagnostic performance of biomarkers and on the use of novel antimicrobial regimens, especially for the treatment of difficult to treat infections.