Double Jeopardy in Penetrating Trauma: Get FAST, Get It Right.

BACKGROUND: In hypotensive patients with thoracoabdominal penetrating injuries, trauma surgeons often face a considerable dilemma, which cavities and when to explore. We hypothesized that the Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) would be accurate enough to determine the need and sequence of cavity exploration. METHODS: We conducted a 4-year retrospective study at a level 1 trauma center with high penetrating trauma volume. Patients with potential multi-cavity thoracoabdominal injuries were selected based on the location and number of external wounds. Findings in the operation or on computed tomography were used as references to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of pericardial and abdominal FAST. RESULTS: A total of 2851 patients with penetrating injury were admitted from 2012 to 2015. Of those, 103 patients (3.6%) met our inclusion criteria (stab wounds 56.3%, gunshot wounds 43.7%). Median age: 32, male gender: 89.3%, median injury severity score: 17, in-hospital mortality rate: 11.7%. Thirty-seven patients (35.9%) required surgical exploration of more than one cavity. Although the pericardial FAST was falsely negative in only one case with large left hemothorax, all cardiac injuries were treated without delay (12/13, 92.3% sensitivity). Sensitivity and specificity of the abdominal FAST was 68.5 and 93.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In hypotensive patients following penetrating thoracoabdominal injuries, the pericardial FAST was highly sensitive and could reliably determine the need to explore the pericardium. While positive findings of abdominal FAST warrant an exploratory laparotomy, negative abdominal FAST does not exclude the abdominal cavity as a bleeding source.

The role of computed tomography after emergent trauma operation.

BACKGROUND: Although computed tomography (CT) has become the preferred diagnostic modality, immediate surgical intervention is often required for severely injured patients with minimum preoperative radiographic evaluation. The utility of postoperative CT (postop-CT) for the identification of undiagnosed injuries and its impact on patient management remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of postop-CT for the identification of clinically significant injuries in patients who underwent an emergent life-saving procedure. METHODS: A 5-y retrospective study from 2009 to 2013 was conducted at a high-volume level I trauma center. We included blunt and penetrating trauma patients who underwent an emergent operation (neck exploration, thoracotomy, and laparotomy) without preoperative CT. Postop-CT was obtained within 48 h after the initial operation at the discretion of the attending trauma surgeon. Characteristics of newly diagnosed injuries on postop-CT were analyzed. These injuries were considered clinically significant when the patient required (1) immediate intervention; (2) new consultation from a specialty service; or (3) a higher level of care. RESULTS: A total of 89 patients met our inclusion criteria (five neck explorations, 16 thoracotomies, and 74 laparotomies) with the following characteristics: median age of 30 y, 87.6% male, 47.2% penetrating injury, and median injury severity score of 24. New injuries were identified on postop-CT in 59 cases (66%), and clinical management was changed in 51 cases (57%). Patients with an admission Glasgow Coma Scale <15 and solid organ injury identified during the index operation were more likely to have new injuries on postop-CT. CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing an emergent operation before having their full diagnostic workup completed, postop-CT often demonstrates clinically significant injuries. Further prospective study to identify the patients who will benefit from postop-CT is warranted.

High-Density Free Fluid on Computed Tomography: a Predictor of Surgical Intervention in Patients with Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Patients with adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO) often develop intraabdominal free fluid (IFF). While IFF is a finding on abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) associated with the need for surgical intervention, many patients with IFF can be still managed non-operatively. A previous study suggested that a higher red blood cell count of IFF is highly predictive of strangulated ASBO. We hypothesized that radiodensity in IFF (Hounsfield unit (HU)) on CT would predict the need for surgical intervention. STUDY DESIGN: Patients with clinicoradiological evidence of ASBO between January 2009 and December 2013 were identified. In patients with IFF > 3 cm2 identified on CT, the HU was measured in the largest pocket of IFF. A sensitivity analysis was performed to determine a high-density HU threshold. The HU of patients who underwent therapeutic laparotomy was compared with those successfully discharged with non-operative management. RESULTS: A total of 318 patients with ASBO (median age 52 years, 56.0 % male) were identified. Of 111 patients who had IFF on CT, 55.9 % underwent therapeutic laparotomy and 15.3 % required bowel resection. Radiodensity of IFF in the operative group was significantly higher than that in the non-operative group (18.2 vs. 7.0 HU, p < 0.01). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of high-density IFF (>10 HU) to predict the need for surgical intervention were 83.9, 65.3, 75.4, 76.2, and 75.6 %, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: High-density IFF on CT was significantly associated with the need for surgical intervention in patients with ASBO. Prospective study to validate the predictive value of high-density IFF on CT will be warranted.

Accuracy of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Ultrasound for Appendicitis in Diagnostic and Nondiagnostic Studies.

OBJECTIVES: Suggestive radiographic studies with nonvisualization of the appendix can present a challenge to clinicians in the evaluation of pediatric abdominal pain. The primary objective of this study was to quantify the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and of ultrasound (US) in the setting of nonvisualization of the appendix. Secondary objectives reported include sensitivity of MRI and US overall and correlation between MRI and US for diagnosis of appendicitis. METHODS: Records of pediatric emergency department patients aged 3 to 21 years undergoing MRI and/or US for the evaluation of appendicitis were retrospectively reviewed. Radiographs were categorized as a normal appendix, neither demonstrating the appendix nor demonstrating abnormalities consistent with appendicitis; equivocal, not demonstrating the appendix but showing evidence of appendicitis; demonstrating an abnormal appendix consistent with appendicitis; or demonstrating an alternate pathology. The reading was compared with the final diagnosis for accuracy. RESULTS: Of the 589 patients included, 146 had appendicitis. Diagnostic accuracy for studies with a nonvisualized appendix without secondary signs of appendicitis was 100% for MRI and 91.4% (95% CI = 87.3% to 94.2%) for US. Diagnostic accuracy for studies with a nonvisualized appendix with secondary signs of appendicitis was 50% (95% CI = 2.5% to 97.5%) for MRI and 38.9% (95% CI = 18.2% to 64.5%) for US. Appendicitis was ultimately diagnosed in 8.6% of patients with an otherwise negative right lower quadrant (RLQ) US that failed to directly identify the appendix. There was a moderate correlation between US and MRI (ρ = 0.573, p = 0.0001) when all studies were considered. CONCLUSIONS: Magnetic resonance imaging without secondary signs of appendicitis is effective in excluding appendicitis regardless of whether the appendix is directly visualized, while otherwise negative RLQ US that fail to identify the appendix are less useful. Secondary signs of appendicitis without visualization of the appendix were not helpful regardless of radiographic modality. Results of MRI and US correlated moderately well.

Does Right Lower Quadrant Abdominal Ultrasound Accurately Identify Perforation in Pediatric Acute Appendicitis?

BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of acute abdomen in pediatric emergency department (ED) visits, and right lower quadrant abdominal ultrasound (RLQUS) is a valuable diagnostic tool in the clinical approach. The utility of ultrasound in predicting perforation has not been well-defined. OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the sensitivity of RLQUS to identify perforation in pediatric patients with appendicitis. METHODS: A chart review of all patients 3 to 21 years of age who received a radiographic work-up and who were ultimately diagnosed with perforated appendicitis between 2010 and 2013 at a pediatric ED was conducted. The final read for ultrasonography was compared to either the operative diagnosis, surgical pathology diagnosis, or further imaging results (if the patient was managed nonoperatively). Test characteristics were calculated for the identification of appendicitis and identification of perforation. RESULTS: Of the 539 patients evaluated for appendicitis, 144 (26.7%) patients had appendicitis, and 40 of these (27.8%) were perforated. Thirty-nine had RLQUS performed as part of their evaluation. Of these, 28 had positive findings for appendicitis, and 9 were read as definite or possible perforated appendicitis. The sensitivity of RLQUS for the diagnosis of appendicitis in the group with perforation was 77.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 59.4-89%) and the sensitivity for diagnosing a perforation was 23.1% (95% CI, 11.1-39.3%). CONCLUSION: There was a low rate of detection of perforation by RLQUS in our pediatric population. If larger studies confirm this, additional imaging should be recommended in patients with a high suspicion of perforation and in whom a diagnosis of perforation would change management.

Candida Score as a Predictor of Worse Outcomes and Mortality in Severely Injured Trauma Patients with Positive Candida Cultures.

Invasive candidiasis is associated with worse outcomes and increased mortality in critically ill patients. The Candida score (CS) provides a clinical tool for identifying patients at risk for invasive candidiasis. Outcomes of severely injured trauma patients with positive candida cultures stratified by their CS have not been well described. In this retrospective observational study, all severely injured trauma patients (Injury Severity Score ≥16) admitted to the Los Angeles County and University of Southern California Medical Center from April 2008 to April 2014 with positive Candida cultures were included. Outcomes of patients with a low risk for invasive candidiasis (CS < 3) were compared with those with a high risk (CS ≥ 3). A CS ≥ 3 was significantly associated with higher mortality (35.9% vs 5.0%, P = 0.001), longer length of stay (LOS) (median 49.0 vs 28.0, P = 0.002), longer intensive care unit LOS (35.0 vs 20.0, P < 0.001), requirement for renal replacement therapy (38.5% vs 4.9%, P < 0.001), and increased ventilator days (22.0 vs 12.0, P < 0.001). Multivariable regression analysis revealed a CS ≥ 3 as a significant predictor for increased mortality [OR 6.983], longer LOS [regression coefficient (RC) 1.572] and intensive care unit LOS (RC 1.698), more frequent need for renal replacement therapy (OR 13.268), and increased ventilator days (RC 1.836). In conclusion, a CS ≥ 3 is significantly associated with increased mortality and worse outcomes in severely injured trauma patients with positive Candida cultures. The CS thus may serve as a clinical tool to predict outcomes in this patient population.