Commotio cordis (conmoción cardíaca) en un niño. Reporte de un caso / Commotio cordis (cardiac concussion) in a child. A case report

Commotio cordis o conmoción cardíaca es un síndrome arritmogénico mecano-eléctrico raro y mortal. Es la segunda causa de muerte súbita en atletas jóvenes. Se asocia con una lesión que se produce durante la práctica deportiva, en la que un proyectil impacta a alta velocidad en el precordio y provoca una arritmia que conduce a la muerte inmediata del individuo sin una reanimación cardíaca. En las autopsias, los corazones son estructuralmente sanos. Con el conocimiento de este síndrome y las capacitaciones de reanimación cardiorrespiratoria a la comunidad, las tasas de supervivencia han mejorado. El objetivo de este trabajo es describir un paciente que llegó a nuestro hospital con conmotio cordis y su evolución, enfatizando la importancia de medidas de prevención y capacitación de la población en técnicas de reanimación cardiopulmonar y uso del desfibrilador externo automático para la supervivencia de los pacientes que sufren esta entidad.

Commotio cordis or cardiac concussion is a rare and fatal mechano-electric arrhythmogenic syndrome. It is the second most common cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes. It is most commonly associated with a sports-related injury, wherein, there is a high-velocity impact between a projectile and the precordium, causing arrhythmia that leads to the immediate death of the individual without cardiac resuscitation. On autopsy, the heart is structurally normal. With increasing awareness of this condition and community training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, survival rates have been improving. The objective of this study is to describe the case of a patient who arrived at our hospital with commotio cordis and his course, emphasizing the importance of prevention and training of the population in cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques and the use of the automated external defibrillator for the survival of patients suffering from commotio cordis.

Removal of Foreign Body in the Rafe Pterigomandibular: Case Report / Remoção de Corpo Estranho Alojado na Rafe Pterigomandibular: Relato de Caso

Introduction: Penetrating lesions in the oral cavity, caused by foreign bodies, is an event of significant clinical relevance and presents itself as an important etiological factor, especially in pediatric patients. Several objects are related to this type of trauma, such as knife blades, nails, pencils, wood, firearm projectile, and glass, among others. Case Report: This report describes a case of removal of a pencil lodged in the left pterygomandibular raphe of a pediatric patient, as well as all the conduct adopted by the team of surgeons. Discussion: Pterygomandibular raphe has an intimate relationship with noble structures, and injuries by penetrating instruments in this region can result in important clinical repercussions. Due to this, it is necessary to have an efficient clinical-anamnesis examination, with adequate analysis of the affected structures, in order to provide a fast and effective treatment. Conclusion: For this, it is essential to have qualified professionals, adequate equipment available, and the proper management of the victim.

Introdução: As lesões penetrantes em cavidade oral, ocasionadas por corpos estranhos, é um evento de relevância clínica significativa e se apresenta como um importante fator etiológico, principalmente, em pacientes pediátricos. Diversos objetos estão relacionados a esse tipo de trauma, como lâmina de faca, prego, lápis, madeira, projétil de arma de fogo, vidro, entre outros. Relato de Caso: Este relato descreve um caso de remoção de um lápis alojado na rafe pterigomandibular esquerda de um paciente pediátrico, assim como toda a conduta adotada pela equipe de cirurgiões. Discussão: A rafe pterigomandibular possui uma íntima relação com estruturas nobres e as lesões por instrumentos penetrantes nessa região podem acarretar uma repercussão clínica importante. Devido a isso, se faz necessário, um exame clínico-anamnese eficiente, com análise adequada das estruturas acometidas, para assim fornecer um tratamento rápido e eficaz. Conclusão: Para isso, é fundamental profissionais qualificados, equipamentos adequados disponíveis e o manejo adequado da vítima.

Thoracic trauma in national hospital Abuja, Nigeria: The epidemiology, injury severity and initial management options

Background: Trauma is the leading cause of death in individuals between the ages of 1 and 44 years and it is the third commonest cause of death regardless of age. Thoracic trauma is a relatively common cause of preventable death among trauma patients. The spectrum of injuries after blunt chest trauma presents a challenging problem to the emergency physician. This study is intended to discuss the epidemiology, severity and initial management strategies in chest trauma patients, in a low income country. Methods: A cross sectional retrospective study among chest trauma patients seen in the emergency room of National Hospital Trauma Centre, Abuja, Nigeria, from January 2015 to December 2017. Relevant patients' information was retrieved from the trauma registry kept in the trauma centre. Data processing and analysis was done using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 24. Test of significance was done where applicable using chi square and student t test, using p value less than 0.05 as significant. Results are presented in tables and figures. Results: A total of 637 patients, male to female ratio of 3.6 and mean age of 34.18 ± 11.34 were enrolled into the study. The most common mechanisms of injury were MVC (54.6%) and assault (23.5%). Blunt injuries were 3.5 times more frequent than the penetrating injuries. The RTS of 12 (76.3%) and the ISS of 1-15 category (52.3%) were the most common scores. Up to 98% of patients were managed non-operatively. Recovery rate was high (89%) with relatively low mortality rate of 4.2%. Conclusion: Majority of thoracic trauma can be managed effectively by employing simple, non-operative procedures such as needle decompression and chest tube insertion. Efforts should be made to include these procedures in the skill set of every medical officer working in the emergency room, particularly in low and middle income countries where there is paucity of emergency physicians.

Evaluating the effect of montelukast tablets on respiratory complications in patients following blunt chest wall trauma: A double-blind, randomized clinical trial / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

PURPOSE@#Patients with multiple traumas are at high risk of developing respiratory complications, including pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Many pulmonary complications are associated with systemic inflammation and pulmonary neutrophilic infiltration. Leukotriene-receptor antagonists are anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant drugs subsiding airway inflammation. The present study investigates the effectiveness of montelukast in reducing pulmonary complications among trauma patients.@*METHODS@#This randomized, double-blind, placebo-control trial was conducted in patients with multiple blunt traumas and evidence of lung contusion detected via CT scan. We excluded patients if they met at least one of the following conditions: < 16 years old, history of cardiopulmonary diseases or positive history of montelukast-induced hypersensitivity reactions. Patients were allocated to the treatment (10 mg of montelukast) or placebo group using permuted block randomization method. The primary measured outcome was the volume of pulmonary contusion at the end of the trial. The secondary outcomes were intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, ventilation days, multi-organ failure, and the in-hospital mortality rate.@*RESULTS@#In total, 65 eligible patients (treatment = 31, placebo = 34) were included for the final analysis. The treatment group had more pulmonary contusion volume (mean (SD), mm3) at the right (68726.97 (93656.54) vs. 59730.27 (76551.74)) and the left side (67501.71 (91514.04) vs. 46502.21 (80604.21)), higher initial C-reactive peptide level (12.16 (10.58) vs. 10.85 (17.87)) compared to the placebo group, but the differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). At the end of the study, the mean (SD) of pulmonary contusion volume (mm3) (right side = 116748.74 (361705.12), left side = 64522.03 (117266.17)) of the treatment group were comparable to that of the placebo group (right side = 40051.26 (64081.56), left side = 25929.12 (47417.13), p = 0.228 and 0.082, respectively). Moreover, both groups have statistically similar hospital (mean (SD), days) (10.87 (9.83) vs. 13.05 (10.12)) and intensive care unit length of stays (mean (SD), days) (7.16 (8.15) vs. 7.82 (7.48)). Of note, the frequency of the in-hospital complications (treatment vs. control group) including acute respiratory distress syndrome (12.9% vs. 8.8%, p = 0.71), pneumonia (19.4% vs. 17.6%, p = 0.85), multi-organ failure (12.9% vs. 17.6%, p = 0.58) and the mortality rate (22.6% vs. 14.7%, p = 0.41) were comparable between the groups.@*CONCLUSION@#Administrating montelukast has no preventive or therapeutic effects on lung contusion or its complications.

Comparison of the diagnostic accuracy of CT scan with oral and intravenous contrast versus CT scan with intravenous contrast alone in the diagnosis of blunt abdominal trauma / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

PURPOSE@#Abdominal CT scan using oral and intravenous (IV) contrast is helpful in the diagnosis of intra-abdominal injuries. However, the use of oral and IV contrast delays the process of diagnosis and increases the risk of aspiration. It has also been shown that CT scan with IV contrast alone is as helpful as CT scan with oral and IV contrast and rectal CT scan in detecting abdominal injuries. Therefore, the present study aims to prospectively compare the diagnostic value of CT scan with oral and IV contrast versus CT scan with IV contrast alone in the diagnosis of blunt abdominal trauma (BAT).@*METHODS@#Altogether 123 BAT patients, 60 (48.8%) women and 63 (51.2%) men with the mean age of (40.4 ± 18.7) years who referred to the emergency department of Imam Khomeini Educational and Medical Center in Sari, Iran (a tertiary trauma center in north of Iran) from November 2014 to March 2017 and underwent abdominal CT scans + laparotomy were investigated. Those with penetrating trauma or hemodynamically unstable patients were excluded. The participants were randomly allocated to two groups: abdominal CT scan with oral and IV contrast (n = 63) and CT scan with IV contrast alone (n = 60). No statistically significant difference was found between two groups regarding the hemodynamic parameters, age, gender, injury mechanisms (all p > 0.05). The results of CT scan were compared with that of laparotomy results. The collected data were recorded in SPSS version 22.0 for Windows. Quantitative data were presented as mean and SD.@*RESULTS@#The sensitivity and specificity of CT scan using oral and IV contrast in the diagnosis of BAT were estimated at 96.48 (95% CI: 90.73 - 99.92) and 92.67 (95% CI: 89.65 - 94.88), respectively; while CT scan with IV contrast alone achieved a comparable sensitivity and specificity of 96.6 (95% CI: 87.45 - 99,42 and 92.84 (95% CI: 89.88 - 95.00), respectively.@*CONCLUSION@#CT scan with IV contrast alone can be used to assess visceral injuries in BAT patients with normal hemodynamics to avoid diagnostic delay.

Panscleritis After Blunt Ocular Trauma in A Child with Epididymitis / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

We reported an 8-year-old boy with panscleritis in left eye and right epididymitis after falling on the ground. Etiologic diagnosis played a key role in this case. Systemic examinations ruled out systemic autoimmune diseases, tumors, and infections as the cause of scleritis and suggested that the disease was caused by a local delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) induced by ocular trauma and was non-infectious. Still, the right epididymitis was infectious. Both conditions were treated successfully using steroids and antibiotics, respectively. Thus, early etiologic diagnosis and reasonable treatment are crucial to prevent visual loss.

Neumatocele traumático: una presentación inusual del trauma cerrado de tórax en paciente de 21 años / Traumatic pneumatocele: an unusual presentation of blunt chest trauma in a 21-year-old patient

El neumatocele traumático, o pseudoquiste pulmonar traumático, es una complicación infrecuente del trauma cerrado de tórax, caracterizada por lesiones cavitadas únicas o múltiples de paredes fibrosas bien delimitadas, sin revestimiento epitelial. Representa un reto diagnóstico ante la prevalencia de etiologías más frecuentes de cavitación pulmonar, presentación clínica inespecífica y el carácter subreportado de la patología. Se presenta el caso de un paciente de 21 años, con cuadro clínico de fiebre y dolor torácico posterior a traumatismo contuso por accidente en motocicleta, con identificación de una lesión cavitada rodeada de vidrio esmerilado, ubicada en lóbulo superior derecho en tomografía de tórax. Se ofreció tratamiento antibiótico ante la sospecha clínica de sobreinfección. Sin embargo, se atribuyó la alteración pseudoquística pulmonar al antecedente traumático. En ocasiones las cavitaciones pulmonares postrauma no son identificadas en la atención inicial, por ende, es fundamental la evaluación clínica e imagenológica subsecuente.

Traumatic pneumatocele, or traumatic pulmonary pseudocyst, is a rare complication of blunt chest trauma, characterized by multiple or unique cavitary lesions, with well-defined fibrous walls without epithelial lining. It represents a diagnostic challenge due to the higher prevalence of other etiologies of lung cavities, nonspecific clinical features and the under-reported nature of this pathology. We present the case of a 21-year-old male with fever and chest pain after a blunt chest trauma in a motorcycle accident, with identification of a cavity in the right upper lobe, surrounded by ground glass opacities. Antibiotic therapy was administered after clinical suspicion of superinfection, however, the cavitary lesion was attributed to the trauma. Occasionally, traumatic pulmonary pseudocysts are not identified during initial assessment, therefore, clinical and imagenologic follow-up is essential.

Hernias traumáticas de la pared abdominal en pediatría: serie de tres casos / Traumatic hernias of the abdominal wall in pediatrics: Series of three cases

Introducción. Las hernias traumáticas de la pared abdominal son una entidad de muy rara ocurrencia en niños, con pocos casos descritos. Son lesiones causadas por trauma cerrado cuando las fuerzas resultantes del trauma no tienen la suficiente energía para romper la piel, pero son suficientes para producir una disrupción de las fibras musculares y la fascia. Métodos. Se presentan tres casos clínicos de niños con hernias traumáticas, el primero tipo I y los otros dos, tipo II, cuyo diagnóstico y tratamiento quirúrgico se llevaron a cabo por el servicio de cirugía pediátrica en un hospital de alto nivel de atención en Colombia. Resultados. Los tres pacientes fueron llevados a manejo quirúrgico sin prótesis, el primero por abordaje abierto y los otros dos por cirugía videoasistida, con buena evolución y sin recidivas en el seguimiento. Discusión. Las hernias traumáticas de la pared abdominal son más frecuentes en varones, como en nuestros casos, y del lado derecho. El diagnóstico de este tipo de hernias es clínico y se apoya en imágenes, teniendo en cuenta que no hay antecedente de hernia en la región afectada. El tratamiento es quirúrgico, pero es controversial el momento del mismo y el uso de materiales protésicos, puesto que existe la posibilidad de recidiva en los primeros meses en los casos de reparo primario. Conclusión. A pesar de la rareza de esta entidad, presentamos tres pacientes pediátricos a quienes se les realizó diagnóstico y manejo quirúrgico tempranos, con buena evolución y seguimiento a más de tres años.

Introduction. Traumatic hernias of the abdominal wall in children are a very rare entity, with few cases described. They are injuries caused by blunt trauma when the forces resulting from low-energy trauma to break the skin, but enough to produce a disruption of the muscle fibers and fascia. Methods. Three clinical cases of traumatic hernias in children are presented, one type I and the other two type II, whose diagnosis and surgical treatment were carried out by the pediatric surgery service in a high-level hospital in Colombia. Results. The three patients underwent surgical management without prosthesis, one by open approach and the other two by video-assisted surgery, with good evolution and no recurrence during follow-up. Discussion. Traumatic hernias of the abdominal wall are more common in male patients as in our cases, and on the right side of the abdomen. The diagnosis of this type of hernia is clinical and based on images, taking into account that there is no history of hernia in the affected region. The treatment is surgical, but its timing and the use of prosthetic materials are controversial, since there is the possibility of recurrence in the first few months in cases of primary repair. Conclusion. Despite the rarity of this entity, we present three pediatric patients who underwent early diagnosis and surgical management, with good evolution and follow-up for more than three years.

Traumatismo de grandes vasos del tórax: tratamiento quirúrgico con soporte de circulación extracorpórea / Injury of the great vessels of the chest: surgical treatment with cardiopulmonary bypass support: clinical cases

Resumen Objetivo: Presentar dos casos en que se empleó como soporte la circulación extracorpórea (CEC) durante cirugía por traumatismo torácico con lesión de grandes vasos del tórax (TTLGV). Materiales y Método: Se presentan dos casos con TTLGV en que se empleó cirugía con CEC. Resultados: Caso 1; hombre de 31 años con TTLGV por cuerpo extraño (tubo pleural) intracavitario del tronco de la arteria pulmonar izquierda, con entrada a través de parénquima pulmonar, en que se realizó cirugía abierta para retiro de cuerpo extraño más toractotomía pulmonar utilizando CEC como soporte. Caso 2; hombre de 21 años con TTLGV contuso y lesión de aorta en unión sino tubular, en que se realizó cirugía abierta y reemplazo de aorta ascendente con prótesis y uso CEC como soporte. Discusión: El uso de CEC como soporte es una alternativa para sustituir la función cardíaca y/o pulmonar durante cirugías excepcionales de reparación de TTLGV. Conclusión: El uso de técnicas de asistencia circulatoria como soporte durante la cirugía de reparación de TTLGV ocurre en casos muy seleccionados, siendo una alternativa ante lesiones particularmente complejas.

Aim: To present two cases of thoracic trauma with great vessel injury (TTGVI) surgeries where extracorporeal circulation (ECC) was employed. Materials and Method: Two TTGVI cases are presented and ECC during surgery was used in both. Results: Case 1; 31-year-old man with TTGVI due to an intracavitary foreign body (pleural tube) in the left pulmonary artery trunk, which entered through lung parenchyma. An open surgery was performed to remove the foreign body with pulmonary tractotomy using ECC as support. Case 2; 21-year-old man with blunt TTGVI and aortic injury at sinotubular junction. An open surgery with ascending aorta prosthesis replacement was performed, using ECC as support. Discussion: The use of ECC as support is an alternative to replace cardiac and/or pulmonary function during exceptional TTGVI reparation surgeries. Conclusión: The use of circulation assist techniques as support during TTGVI repair surgery occurs in highly selected cases, being an alternative to face very complex injuries.

Strike Velocity Prediction of Stick Blunt Instruments Based on Backpropagation Neural Network / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To analyze and predict the striking velocity range of stick blunt instruments in different populations, and to provide basic data for the biomechanical analysis of blunt force injuries in forensic identification.@*METHODS@#Based on the Photron FASTCAM SA3 high-speed camera, Photron FASTCAM Viewer 4.0 and SPSS 26.0 software, the tester's maximum striking velocity of stick blunt instruments and related factors were calculated and analyzed, and inputed to the backpropagation (BP) neural network for training. The trained and verified BP neural network was used as the prediction model.@*RESULTS@#A total of 180 cases were tested and 470 pieces of data were measured. The maximum striking velocity range was 11.30-35.99 m/s. Among them, there were 122 female data, the maximum striking velocity range was 11.63-29.14 m/s; there were 348 male data, the maximum striking velocity range was 20.11-35.99 m/s. The maximum striking velocity of stick blunt instruments increased with the increase of weight and height, but there was no obvious increase trend in the male group; the maximum striking velocity decreased with age, but there was no obvious downward trend in the female group. The maximum striking velocity of stick blunt instruments has no significant correlation with the material and strike posture. The root mean square error (RMSE), the mean absolute error (MAE) and the coefficient of determination (R2) of the prediction results by using BP neural network were 2.16, 1.63 and 0.92, respectively.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The prediction model of BP neural network can meet the demand of predicting the maximum striking velocity of different populations.

Reconstruction and Quantitative Evaluation of Blunt Injury Cases by Finite Element Method / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To reconstruct the cases of acceleration craniocerebral injury caused by blunt in forensic cases by finite element method (FEM), and to study the biomechanical mechanism and quantitative evaluation method of blunt craniocerebral injury.@*METHODS@#Based on the established and validated finite element head model of Chinese people, the finite element model of common injury tool was established with reference to practical cases in the forensic identification, and the blunt craniocerebral injury cases were reconstructed by simulation software. The cases were evaluated quantitatively by analyzing the biomechanical parameters such as intracranial pressure, von Mises stress and the maximum principal strain of brain tissue.@*RESULTS@#In case 1, when the left temporal parietal was hit with a round wooden stick for the first time, the maximum intracranial pressure was 359 kPa; the maximum von Mises stress of brain tissue was 3.03 kPa at the left temporal parietal; the maximum principal strain of brain tissue was 0.016 at the left temporal parietal. When the right temporal was hit with a square wooden stick for the second time, the maximum intracranial pressure was 890 kPa; the maximum von Mises stress of brain tissue was 14.79 kPa at the bottom of right temporal lobe; the maximum principal strain of brain tissue was 0.103 at the bottom of the right temporal lobe. The linear fractures occurred at the right temporal parietal skull and the right middle cranial fossa. In case 2, when the forehead and left temporal parietal were hit with a round wooden stick, the maximum intracranial pressure was 370 kPa and 1 241 kPa respectively, the maximum von Mises stress of brain tissue was 3.66 kPa and 26.73 kPa respectively at the frontal lobe and left temporal parietal lobe, and the maximum principal strain of brain tissue was 0.021 and 0.116 respectively at the frontal lobe and left temporal parietal lobe. The linear fracture occurred at the left posterior skull of the coronary suture. The damage evaluation indicators of the simulation results of the two cases exceeded their damage threshold, and the predicted craniocerebral injury sites and fractures were basically consistent with the results of the autopsy.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The FEM can quantitatively evaluate the degree of blunt craniocerebral injury. The FEM combined with traditional method will become a powerful tool in forensic craniocerebral injury identification and will also become an effective means to realize the visualization of forensic evidence in court.

Logistic Regression Analysis of the Mechanism of Blunt Brain Injury Inference Based on CT Images / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To study the correlation between CT imaging features of acceleration and deceleration brain injury and injury degree.@*METHODS@#A total of 299 cases with acceleration and deceleration brain injury were collected and divided into acceleration brain injury group and deceleration brain injury group according to the injury mechanism. Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and Glasgow coma scale (GCS), combined with skull fracture, epidural hematoma (EDH), subdural hematoma (SDH) and brain contusion on the same and opposite sides of the stress point were selected as the screening indexes. χ2 test was used for primary screening, and binary logistic regression analysis was used for secondary screening. The indexes with the strongest correlation in acceleration and deceleration injury mechanism were selected.@*RESULTS@#χ2 test showed that skull fracture and EDH on the same side of the stress point; EDH, SDH and brain contusion on the opposite of the stress point; SAH, GCS were correlated with acceleration and deceleration injury (P<0.05). According to binary logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio (OR) of EDH on the same side of the stress point was 2.697, the OR of brain contusion on the opposite of the stress point was 0.043 and the OR of GCS was 0.238, suggesting there was statistically significant (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#EDH on the same side of the stress point, brain contusion on the opposite of the stress point and GCS can be used as key indicators to distinguish acceleration and deceleration injury mechanism. In addition, skull fracture on the same side of the stress point, EDH and SDH on the opposite of the stress point and SAH were relatively weak indicators in distinguishing acceleration and deceleration injury mechanism.

Correlation of rib fracture patterns with abdominal solid organ injury: A retrospective observational cohort study / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

PURPOSE@#Rib fractures are one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality and are associated with abdominal solid organ injury (ASOI). The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation of ASOI with the number, location, and involved segments of rib fracture(s) in blunt chest trauma.@*METHODS@#This retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients with blunt chest trauma over the age of 15 years, who were hospitalized with the diagnosis of rib fractures from July 2015 to September 2020. After ethic committee approval, a retrospective chart review was designed and patients with a diagnosis of rib fractures were selected. Patients who had chest and abdominopelvic CT scan were included in the study and additional data including age, gender, injury severity score, trauma mechanism, number and sides of the fractured ribs (left/right/bilateral), rib fracture segments (upper, middle, lower zone) and results of chest and abdominal spiral CT scan were recorded. The correlation between ASOI and the sides, segments and number of rib fracture(s) was assessed by Pearson's correlation coefficient.@*RESULTS@#Altogether 1056 patients with rib fracture(s) were included. The mean age was (42.76 ± 13.35) years and 85.4% were male. The most common mechanism of trauma was car accident (34.6%). Most fractures occurred in the middle rib zone (60.44%) and the most commonly involved ribs were the 6th and 7th ones (15.7% and 16.4%, respectively). Concurrent abdominal injuries were observed in 103 patients (34.91%) and were significantly associated with middle zone rib fractures.@*CONCLUSION@#There is a significant relationship between middle zone rib fractures and ASOI. Intra-abdominal injuries are not restricted to fractures of the lower ribs and thus should always be kept in mind during management of blunt trauma patients with rib fractures.

Tratamento pré-hospitalar da dor traumática aguda: um estudo observacional / Tratamiento prehospitalario del dolor traumático agudo: un estudio observacional / Pre-hospital treatment of acute trauma pain: an observational study

Resumo Objetivo Descrever e analisar a eficácia das intervenções levadas a cabo pelos enfermeiros para reduzir a dor dos doentes com lesões traumáticas. Métodos Estudo de coorte prospetivo realizado junto das Ambulâncias de Suporte Imediato de Vida em Portugal, entre 1 de março de 2019 e 30 de abril de 2020. Foram recolhidos dados sobre o tipo de intervenções implementadas e sobre o tempo que durou a aplicação dos procedimentos de salvamento. De forma a poder estudar a evolução das dores traumáticas agudas, foi utilizada uma Escala de Classificação Numérica composta por 11 pontos. As alterações do nível de dor registadas ao longo dos três momentos de avaliação realizados foram estudadas utilizando modelos lineares mistos com interceptos aleatórios para se poder analisar as medidas repetidas aplicadas ao mesmo paciente. Estas alterações foram avaliadas antes e depois da aplicação das intervenções para alívio da dor. Resultados 596 pacientes foram incluídos neste estudo. A maioria era do sexo masculino (65,9%) e tinha média de idade de 53,05±19,72 anos. Houve redução na intensidade média da dor na ordem dos 2,44 pontos (p<0,005) entre o início e o fim da avaliação, e redução de 39,62% entre os pacientes que apresentavam nível de dor igual ou superior a 7 (46,7% contra 7,08%, p<0,05). As medidas que envolvem o uso de morfina, crioterapia e intervenções de suporte emocional provaram ser eficazes. As medidas de conforto como um todo não parecem ser capazes de ter um impacto significativo no alívio da dor. Conclusão As intervenções pré-hospitalares farmacológicas e não farmacológicas levadas a cabo pelos enfermeiros provaram ser eficazes na redução da dor. As medidas de conforto não provaram ser eficazes, pelo que o seu potencial deve ser repensado e reforçado.

Resumen Objetivo Describir y analizar la eficacia de las intervenciones llevadas a cabo por los enfermeros para reducir el dolor de los enfermos con lesiones traumáticas. Métodos Estudio de corte prospectivo realizado con las Ambulancias de Soporte Inmediato de Vida en Portugal, entre el 1º de marzo de 2019 y el 30 de abril de 2020. Se recopilaron datos sobre el tipo de intervenciones implementadas y sobre el tiempo que duró la aplicación de los procedimientos de salvamento. De forma a poder estudiar la evolución de los dolores traumáticos agudos, se utilizó una Escala de Clasificación Numérica compuesta por 11 puntos. Las alteraciones en el nivel de dolor registradas a lo largo de los tres momentos de evaluación realizados fueron estudiadas utilizando modelos lineales mixtos con interceptos aleatorios para posibilitar el análisis de medidas repetidas aplicadas con el mismo paciente. Estas alteraciones fueron evaluadas antes y después de la aplicación de las intervenciones para el alivio del dolor. Resultados 596 pacientes fueron incluidos en este estudio. La mayoría era del sexo masculino (65,9 %), con un promedio de edad entre de 53,05±19,72 años. Hubo una reducción en la intensidad promedio del dolor del orden de 2,44 puntos (p<0,005) entre el inicio y el fin de la evaluación y una reducción del 39,62 % entre los pacientes que presentaban un nivel de dolor igual o superior a 7 (46,7 % contra 7,08 %, p<0,05). Las medidas que involucran el uso de morfina, crioterapia e intervenciones de soporte emocional probaron que son eficaces. No parece que las medidas de confort, de forma general, sean capaces de tener un impacto significativo en el alivio del dolor. Conclusión Las intervenciones prehospitalarias farmacológicas y no farmacológicas llevadas a cabo por los enfermeros comprobaron que son eficaces en la reducción del dolor. Las medidas de confort no comprobaron ser eficaces, motivo este por el que se debe volver a pensar su potencial y reforzarlo.

Abstract Objective To describe and analyze the effectiveness of nurses' interventions in pain reduction among patients with traumatic injury. Methods Prospective cohort study conducted in the Immediate Life Support Ambulances in Portugal from March 1, 2019 to April 30, 2020. We have collected data on the kind of interventions implemented and the time elapsed during rescue procedures. To investigate the course of acute trauma pain, a 11-point Numeric Rating Scale was used. Changes in the level of pain registered throughout the three assessment moments were studied using linear mixed-effects models with random intercepts to account for the repeated measurements conducted on the same patient. These changes were assessed before and after the administration of the pain relief interventions. Results 596 patients were included in this study. Most of them were male (65.9%) and had a mean age of 53.05±19.72 years. There was a reduction in the average pain intensity of 2.44 points (p<0.005), between the beginning and end of the assessment, and a reduction of 39.62% among the patients who were experiencing a level of pain equal to or greater than 7 (46.7% vs 7.08%, p<0.05). Measures involving the use of morphine, cryotherapy and relationship-based measures have proven to be effective. Comfort measures as a whole do not seem to have a significant impact on pain relief. Conclusion Pre-hospital pharmacological and non-pharmacological nurses' interventions have proven to be effective in reducing pain. Comfort measures have not been proved to be effective, so their potential must be rethought and enhanced.

Mortalidad en hospitalizados con traumatismo torácico: variables asociadas, causas y distribución temporal / Associated variables, causes and time distribution of mortality in thoracic trauma patients

Resumen Introducción: Los traumatismos están entre las diez principales causas de muerte a nivel mundial y son la primera en jóvenes. El traumatismo torácico (TT) está presente en un alto porcentaje de las muertes por traumatismos y es la segunda causa de muerte después del traumatismo encefalocraneano. Objetivos: Analizar las variables asociadas a mortalidad, las causas principales y la distribución temporal de la mortalidad en hospitalizados fallecidos con TT. Materiales y Método: Estudio observacional de hospitalizados con TT, período enero de 1981 a diciembre de 2018. Revisión de protocolos prospectivos de TT y base de datos. Se consignaron las causas de muerte sindromáticas principales y se realizó una regresión logística para variables asociadas a mortalidad. Se utilizó SPSS25® con pruebas chi-cuadrado para comparar clasificación, tipo de TT y su distribución temporal, considerando significativo p < 0,05. Resultados: Total 4.297 TT, mortalidad global de 120 (2,8%) casos. Las principales variables independientes asociadas a mortalidad fueron el deterioro fisiológico al ingreso, el hemotórax masivo y el TT por arma de fuego. La principal causa de muerte fue el shock hipovolémico, con diferencias significativas según tipo de TT en las primeras 4 y 24 horas. En la distribución temporal se observó que las muertes con TT penetrante y aislado fueron más precoces y no se evidenció un nuevo peak en la mortalidad luego de la primera semana. Conclusiones: Se observaron variables independientes asociadas a mortalidad en hospitalizados con TT, siendo el deterioro fisiológico al ingreso el factor más importante. Además, existen diferencias significativas en las causas de muerte y distribución temporal de la mortalidad entre diferentes subgrupos de hospitalizados con TT.

Background: Trauma is one of the ten leading causes of death worldwide and the first among the youth. Thoracic trauma (TT) is present in a high percentage of deaths due to trauma and is the second leading cause of death after traumatic brain injury. Aim: To analyze the mortality associated variables, major causes and temporal distribution of mortality among dead hospitalized patients with TT. Materials and Method: Observational study in hospitalized patients with TT, period January 1981 to December 2018. Review of prospective TT protocols and data base. Major syndromic causes of death were recorded and a logistic regression for variables associated with mortality was made. SPSS25® with chi-quadrat tests was used to compare classification, type of TT and temporal distribution. A p value < 0,05 was considered significant. Results: Total 4.297 TT and global mortality was 120 (2,8%) cases. The main independent variables associated with mortality were the physiological decline upon admission, massive hemothorax and TT by firearms. The leading cause of death was hypovolemic shock, with significant differences according to the type of TT in the first 4 and 24 hours. In the temporal distribution was observed that, the deaths with penetrating and isolated TT were earlier and that there was no second peak of mortality following the first week. Conclusions: Independent variables associated with mortality were observed among hospitalized patients with TT, being physiological deterioration the most important factor. Besides, there are significant differences in the death causes and temporal distribution of mortality among the different subgroups of hospitalized patients with TT.

Terapia endovascular en trauma periférico: una alternativa a la cirugía abierta tradicional / Endovascular therapy in peripheral trauma: our experience

Resumen Introducción: La terapia endovascular ha demostrado ser una buena alternativa de tratamiento en las enfermedades arteriales y venosas. Asimismo, en trauma vascular periférico constituye una excelente opción, especialmente en sitios anatómicos difíciles de acceder y con lesiones complejas como seudoaneurismas, fístulas arteriovenosas (FAV) o la combinación de ambos, con numerosas ventajas. Objetivo: Evaluar los resultados del tratamiento endovascular en trauma vascular penetrante por agresiones y iatrogenias. Materiales y Método: Revisión retrospectiva de todos los pacientes con trauma vascular periférico sometidos a terapia endovascular. Resultados: Entre abril de 2011 y mayo de 2020 se trataron 30 pacientes, 28 hombres y 2 mujeres. Con edades fluctuantes entre 17 y 84 años. La causa del trauma fue 20 penetrantes y 10 iatrogenias. Los vasos afectados fueron arteria femoral superficial 6, femoral profunda 2, subclavia 9, axilar 1, poplítea 4, ilíacas 1, peronea 1, tibial anterior 5, tronco venoso braquiocefálico 1. Diecisiete pacientes fueron tratados con endoprótesis, 9 con embolización y 4 con cierre percutáneo en relación con catéteres arteriales en subclavia. No hubo mortalidad, pero dos pacientes requirieron reparación abierta: un seudoaneurisma poplíteo gigante y un seudoaneurisma de tibial anterior, en ambos se constató sección completa de ambas arterias. El seguimiento clínico ha sido entre 30 días y 3 años. Conclusiones: En esta serie de casos, la terapia endovascular en lesiones de trauma vascular periférico ofrece excelentes resultados con baja morbimortalidad y permeabilidad aceptable a corto y mediano plazo.

Introduction: Endovascular therapy has proven to be a good treatment alternative in arterial and venous diseases. Likewise, in peripheral vascular trauma it is an excellent option, especially in anatomical sites that are difficult to access and with complex lesions such as pseudoaneurysms, arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) or the combination of both, with numerous advantages. Aim: To evaluate the results of endovascular treatment in trauma Penetrating vascular injury and iatrogenesis. Materials and Method: Retrospective review of all patients with peripheral vascular trauma undergoing endovascular therapy. Results: Between April 2011 and May 2020, 30 patients were treated, 28 men and 2 women. With fluctuating ages between 17 and 84 years. The cause of the trauma was 20 penetrating and 10 iatrogenic. The affected vessels were superficial femoral artery 6, deep femoral 2, subclavian 9, axillary 1, popliteal 4, iliac 1, peroneal 1, anterior tibial 5, brachiocephalic venous trunk 1. Seventeen patients were treated with endoprosthesis, 9 with embolization and 4 with percutaneous closure in relation to arterial catheters in the subclavian. There was no mortality but two patients required open repair: a giant popliteal pseudoaneurysm and an anterior tibial pseudoaneurysm in which both sections of both arteries were found to be complete. Clinical follow-up was between 30 days and 3 years. Conclusión: In this serie, endovascular therapy in peripheral vascular trauma lesions offers excellent results with low morbidity and mortality and acceptable patency in the short and medium term.

Algorithms for clinical assessment of the cervical spine in patients with severe trauma: a mixed-method analyzis / Algoritmos de avaliação clínica da coluna cervical em pacientes com traumatismo grave: uma análise mista / Algoritmos de evaluación clínica de la columna cervical en pacientes con traumatismo grave: un análisis mixto

ABSTRACT Objective: Cervical trauma is an important cause of morbidity and mortality, affecting 2% of patients admitted to emergency units. Therefore, this study aims to compare the use of two clinical cervical spine evaluation algorithms, the Canadian C-Spine Rule (CCR) and the National Emergency X-radiography Utilization Study (NEXUS). Methods: A descriptive study of the use of the two algorithms by medical residents in the initial assessment of severely traumatized patients admitted to the regional emergency unit was conducted. The evaluation of the indication for imaging tests and the positive predictive value of the algorithms were the parameters analyzed. Finally, the residents answered a questionnaire evaluating the applicability, degree of confidence and advantages of both flowcharts. Results: There was no significant difference between the number of indications for imaging or their predictive values. In the analysis of the questionnaires, the CCR proved to be more reliable and the NEXUS more applicable, and the positive and negative points of applying each of them were highlighted. Conclusion: It is concluded that the two methods are similar in detecting injuries and optimizing the use of imaging exams, being equally indicated to evaluate cervical trauma. However, the technical specifics of each must be taken into account when deciding which to use. Level of evidence IV; Descriptive Study.

RESUMO Objetivo: O trauma cervical é uma importante causa de morbidade e mortalidade, com acometimento de 2% dos pacientes admitidos nas unidades de emergência. Assim sendo, a pesquisa visa comparar a utilização de dois algoritmos clínicos de avaliação da coluna cervical: Canadian C-Spine Rule (CCR) e National Emergency X-radiography Utilization Study (NEXUS). Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo descritivo da utilização dos dois algoritmos por médicos residentes na avaliação inicial de pacientes traumatizados graves admitidos na unidade de emergência regional. A avaliação da indicação de exames de imagem e do valor preditivo positivo dos algoritmos foram os parâmetros analisados. Por fim, os residentes responderam a um questionário de avaliação da aplicabilidade, grau de confiança e vantagens de ambos os fluxogramas. Resultados: Não houve diferença significativa entre os números de indicação para imagem nem dos valores preditivos. Na análise do questionário, o CCR mostrou-se mais confiável e o NEXUS foi mais aplicável, sendo destacados os pontos positivos e negativos da aplicação de cada um deles. Conclusões: Conclui-se que houve semelhança na detecção de lesões e otimização da utilização de exames de imagem entre os dois métodos, sendo igualmente indicados para avaliação de traumatismo cervical, contudo cada um tem especificidades técnicas que devem ser levadas em conta no momento da escolha. Nível de evidência IV; Estudo descritivo.

RESUMEN Objetivo: El trauma cervical es una importante causa de morbilidad y mortalidad, con acometimiento de 2% de los pacientes admitidos en las unidades de emergencia. Siendo así, la investigación tiene como objetivo comparar el uso de dos algoritmos clínicos de evaluación de la columna cervical: Canadian C-Spine Rule (CCR) y National Emergency X-radiography Utilization Study (NEXUS). Métodos: Fue realizado un estudio descriptivo del uso de los dos algoritmos por médicos residentes en la evaluación inicial de los pacientes traumatizados graves admitidos en la unidad de emergencia regional. La evaluación de la indicación de exámenes de imagen y del valor predictivo positivo de los algoritmos fueron los parámetros analizados. Finalmente, los residentes respondieron un cuestionario de evaluación de la aplicabilidad, grado de confianza y ventajas de ambos diagramas de flujo. Resultados: No hubo diferencia significativa entre los números de indicación para imagen ni de los valores predictivos. En el análisis del cuestionario, el CCR se mostró más confiable y el NEXUS fue más aplicable, siendo destacados los puntos positivos y negativos de la aplicación de cada uno de ellos. Conclusiones: Se concluye que hubo semejanza en la detección de lesiones y optimización del uso de exámenes de imagen entre los dos métodos, siendo igualmente indicados para la evaluación de traumatismo cervical, aunque cada uno tiene especificidades técnicas que deben ser llevadas en cuenta en el momento de elegir. Nivel de evidencia IV; Estudio descriptivo.

Challenging chest drainage: a case report / Drenaje torácico desafiante: reporte de un caso

Introduction. Chest trauma is one of the most common causes of death corresponding to 20 to 25 % of cases. The majority of the patients (85%), can be managed with only a tube thoracostomy. Our objective by presenting this case report is to provide an example of how to manage a challenging chest tube thoracostomy in a patient with cardiac hernia diagnosed in the preoperative phase, based on signs of computed tomography. Case report. A 45-year-old male presented to our emergency department who fell from a light pole 7 meters high. He fell to the ground on his back. Physical examination revealed a huge subcutaneous emphysema on his entire anterior chest wall and presented no sensitivity or movements below the navel line. After the initial assessment and management care, the patient improved. As the patient stabilized we decided to go to CT. The scan revealed pericardial rupture with only the right pericardial circumference intact, the heart herniated into the left pleural space, bilateral pneumothorax, small right hemothorax and a relevant subcutaneous emphysema surrounding the chest. We decided to perform the blunt dissection technique to insert chest tubes bilaterally because of safety. After performed it the patient was transferred to cardiothoracic department. Discussion. There is a variety of techniques to perform tube thoracostomy but the blunt dissection remain the safer, especially when we are facing an anatomic distortion of the heart. Conclusion. We present a case report of a challenging thoracic drainage performed in a patient with traumatic cardiac hernia, which procedure was successful

Introducción. El traumatismo torácico es una de las causas más comunes de muerte y corresponde al 20 a 25 % de los casos. La mayoría de los pacientes (85 %) pueden tratarse solo con toracostomía. Nuestro objetivo al presentar este informe de caso es proporcionar un ejemplo de cómo manejar una toracostomía desafiante en un paciente con hernia cardíaca, diagnosticada en la fase preoperatoria, basada en signos de tomografía computarizada. Presentación del caso. Paciente masculino de 45 años que ingresa a nuestro departamento de emergencias luego de caída de 7 metros de altura (poste de luz), cayendo de espaldas al suelo. El examen físico reveló un enfisema subcutáneo importante en todo el tórax anterior y sin sensibilidad ni movimientos debajo de la línea del ombligo. Después de la evaluación y atención inicial el paciente mejoró y se decidió realizar una tomografía computarizada que reveló la rotura pericárdica, con solo la circunferencia pericárdica derecha intacta, el corazón herniado en el espacio pleural izquierdo, neumotórax bilateral, pequeño hemotórax en el lado derecho y enfisema subcutáneo rodeando completamente el tórax. Se escogió una técnica de disección roma para insertar el tubo torácico en ambos hemitórax, debido a su mayor seguridad. Posteriormente, el paciente fue trasladado al departamento de cirugía cardiotorácica. Discusión. Existe una variedad de técnicas para realizar una toracostomía con sonda, pero la disección roma sigue siendo la más segura, especialmente cuando enfrentamos una distorsión anatómica del corazón. Conclusión. Presentamos el caso de un drenaje torácico desafiante practicado a un paciente con hernia cardíaca traumática, con éxito.

Lesiones precordiales: reporte de dos casos / Precordial injuries: report of two cases

Las heridas precordiales son una entidad poco frecuente y desafiante en cirugía de trauma en los servicios de Emergencia. La incidencia elevada de taponamiento y trauma cardiaco, así como su alta mortalidad obliga a tomar decisiones diagnósticas y terapéuticas rápidas y precisas. Material y Métodos: se presentan los casos de dos pacientes masculinos que ingresaron al servicio de Emergencia del Hospital Roosevelt con lesiones precordiales penetrantes con trauma pericárdico y cardiaco, con diferentes manifestaciones clínicas a los que se les realizó ventana pericárdica subxifoidea diagnóstica y seguido una esternotomía media con exposición pericárdica y cardiaca como abordaje y tratamiento quirúrgico definitivo. Discusión: Es de suma importancia reconocer los amplios escenarios de presentaciones clínicas del paciente con heridas en la región precordial y mantener un alto índice de sospecha de trauma y taponamiento cardiacos en todas las lesiones precordiales penetrantes en pacientes estables e inestables para no retrasar el diagnóstico y tratamiento quirúrgico temprano y adecuado. Las lesiones asociadas y complicaciones trans y postoperatorias aumentan la mortalidad de estos pacientes (AU)

Precordial wounds are rare and challenging lesions in Trauma Services. The high incidence of cardiac trauma and the high mortality requires fast and precise diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. Case report: Two male patients who were admitted to the Roosevelt Hospital Emergency Service with penetrating precordial injuries with pericardial and cardiac trauma are presented, with different clinical manifestations, who underwent a diagnostic subxiphoid pericardial window and a median sternotomy with pericardial and cardiac exposure as a definitive surgical approach and treatment. Discussion: Is important to recognize the broad scenarios of patients with wounds in the precordial region and to maintain a high index of suspicion of cardiac trauma and tamponade in all penetrating precordial injuries inclusive in stable patients to not delay diagnosis and treatment and a proper surgical intervention. Associated injuries and perioperative complications increase the mortality of these patients

Non-operative management of blunt splenic trauma: evolution, results and controversies / Tratamento não operatório do trauma esplênico: evolução, resultados e controvérsias

ABSTRACT The spleen is one of the most frequently affected organs in blunt abdominal trauma. Since Upadhyaya, the treatment of splenic trauma has undergone important changes. Currently, the consensus is that every splenic trauma presenting with hemodynamic stability should be initially treated nonoperatively, provided that the hospital has adequate structure and the patient does not present other conditions that indicate abdominal exploration. However, several topics regarding the nonoperative management (NOM) of splenic trauma are still controversial. Splenic angioembolization is a very useful tool for NOM, but there is no consensus on its precise indications. There is no definition in the literature as to how NOM should be conducted, neither about the periodicity of hematimetric control, the transfusion threshold that defines NOM failure, when to start venous thromboembolism prophylaxis, the need for control imaging, the duration of bed rest, and when it is safe to discharge the patient. The aim of this review is to make a critical analysis of the most recent literature on this topic, exposing the state of the art in the NOM of splenic trauma.

RESUMO O baço é um dos órgãos mais frequentemente afetados no trauma abdominal contuso. Desde os trabalhos de Upadhyaya, o tratamento do trauma esplênico vem sofrendo importantes modificações. Atualmente, é consenso que todo trauma esplênico que se apresenta com estabilidade hemodinâmica pode ser tratado inicialmente de forma não operatória, desde que o serviço possua estrutura adequada e o paciente não apresente outras condições que indiquem exploração da cavidade abdominal. Entretanto, vários tópicos permanecem controversos no que diz respeito ao tratamento não operatório (TNO) do trauma esplênico. A angioembolização esplênica é uma ferramenta de grande auxílio no TNO, porém não há consenso sobre suas indicações precisas. Não há uma definição na literatura a respeito da forma como o TNO deve ser conduzido, tampouco a respeito da periodicidade do controle hematimétrico, do limiar de transfusão que define falha do TNO, de quando iniciar a profilaxia contra tromboembolismo venoso, da necessidade de exames de imagem de controle, do período de repouso no leito, e de quando é seguro indicar alta hospitalar. O objetivo desta revisão é analisar de forma crítica a literatura a respeito desse tema, expondo o estado da arte no TNO do trauma esplênico.