The preventability of trauma-related death: A two-year cohort study in a trauma center in middle Taiwan.

INTRODUCTION: The preventable death rate (PDR) is an important parameter in the quality assurance of traumatic care. Medical errors or untimely management may occur during stressful trauma care, resulting in preventable deaths. We aimed to develop an applicable PDR model in a trauma center in middle Taiwan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified adult trauma-related deaths which occurred from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019 at our hospital. Patients with a trauma and injury severity score (TRISS) <75% or ≥75% but with a chance of preventability, as determined by a trauma surgeon, were discussed by a panel comprising an emergency physician and surgeons specializing in different fields of medicine. Deaths were subsequently classified as definitely preventable (DP), potentially preventable (PP), or non-preventable (NP). Causes of DP or PP deaths were categorized as delayed diagnosis, delayed treatment, technical error, or inadequate infection prevention/control. The relationship between the time and cause of preventable deaths was also analyzed. RESULTS: This study included 127 trauma-related deaths, of which 39 were discussed by the panel. Eight patients (6.3%) were categorized as DP, eight (6.3%) as PP, and 111 (87.4%) as NP. Among patients with preventable deaths, inadequate infection prevention/control, delayed treatment, delayed diagnosis, and technical error were identified in six (37.5%), five (31.2%), three (18.8%), and two (12.5%) patients, respectively. Four patients in the inadequate infection prevention/control group (4/6, 66.7%) died of aspiration pneumonia during the recovery phase. CONCLUSION: A PDR evaluation model was developed and revealed that postoperative care is as important as a timely diagnosis and treatment to avoid preventable deaths following trauma.

Posterior transthecal approach for repair of cauda equina fibers and ventral dural laceration in lumbar burst fracture: a novel surgical technique.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective descriptive study of an innovative surgical technique for patients with thoracolumbar fracture. OBJECTIVE: To describe the transthecal approach for patients with thoracolumbar fracture and demonstrate its safety and effectiveness. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The goals of surgery in patients with thoracolumbar fracture include neural decompression, re-establishing stability, reduction of deformity, and repair of dural laceration and the damaged neural elements. The traditional posterior approach may only accomplish the former 3 goals. METHODS: Simply opening the dura during the traditional posterior approach enables accomplishment of all the aforementioned goals, which would not be possible through an anterior or posterior approach alone. RESULTS: We have successfully performed the transthecal approach in 5 patients with thoracolumbar burst fracture with cauda equina fiber injury. Neural decompression, re-establishing stability, reduction of deformity, and repair of dural laceration and the damaged cauda equina fiber were all achieved in these patients. No complications were noted. CONCLUSION: The transthecal approach can be applied to patients with thoracolumbar burst fracture to achieve neural decompression, re-establishing stability, reduction of deformity, and repair of dural laceration and the damaged cauda equina fiber. This approach may be an alternative to combined (circumferential) surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Rescue a drowning patient by prolonged extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support for 117 days.

Drowning is one of the most common causes of accidental events. Here we report a drowning patient who experienced acute respiratory distress syndrome after hospitalization. Although the compliance of lung was as poor less as 5 mL/cm H2O, this patient was eventually rescued and recovered by extraprolonged extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support for 117 days.