Retrocecal Appendicitis Post-blunt Abdominal Trauma: A Case Report.

Appendicitis, characterized by inflammation and obstruction of the appendiceal lumen, is a common surgical emergency often attributed to various factors. We present the case of an 18-year-old female who developed retrocecal appendicitis following blunt abdominal trauma, a rare occurrence with significant diagnostic challenges. Initial symptoms mimicked upper abdominal trauma, evolving to classic signs of appendicitis within hours. Despite a negative pre-trauma history of abdominal pain, clinical evaluation led to a suspicion of appendicitis. Contrast-enhanced CT scan confirmed the thickening of the cecal appendix, prompting urgent surgical intervention. An open appendectomy revealed a congested retrocecal appendix, supporting the diagnosis. Our case underscores the importance of considering trauma as a potential trigger for appendicitis, especially in the absence of typical pre-trauma symptoms. Diagnostic criteria for post-trauma appendicitis are evolving, and we underscore a comprehensive clinical assessment alongside imaging modalities. While surgical management remains standard, newer approaches like endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy warrant exploration. Further research is essential to refine diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for this uncommon presentation, ensuring timely intervention and improved patient outcomes.

Complex Traumatic Jejunal Perforation With Mesenteric Tear and Intussusception: A Case Report.

Blunt abdominal trauma can result in a spectrum of injuries, ranging from superficial contusions to severe hollow viscus perforations. We present the case of a 52-year-old male involved in a bicycle-truck collision, leading to complex intra-abdominal injuries. The patient presented with acute abdominal pain and signs of peritonitis, prompting urgent diagnostic workup and surgical intervention. Imaging studies revealed pneumoperitoneum, free fluid, and multiple rib fractures indicative of significant trauma. Exploratory laparotomy unveiled a perforated jejunal loop with an associated mesenteric tear and intussusception, necessitating segmental bowel resection and repair. Histopathological analysis confirmed acute hemorrhagic inflammation consistent with traumatic perforation. This case highlights the challenges and complexities associated with blunt abdominal trauma, emphasizing the importance of prompt recognition, multidisciplinary management, and surgical intervention in optimizing patient outcomes.

Seat Belt Injury and Efferent Loop Laceration Following a Single Anastomosis Duodenal Switch: A Case Report.

Blunt abdominal trauma patients who have had prior bariatric procedures may present a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The single anastomosis duodenal-ileal bypass with sleeve (SADI-S) is a modified duodenal switch procedure that is relatively uncommon. This case report describes a patient who previously underwent a SADI-S for the management of obesity and subsequently sustained a seat belt injury in a motor vehicle collision resulting in a laceration of the efferent loop. The patient presented with symptoms of acute abdominal pain and was diagnosed through imaging studies. Prompt surgical intervention was performed with resection and primary anastomosis of the damaged section of the jejunum, and repair of a large mesenteric laceration. We discuss the importance of early recognition and intraoperative decision-making in the case of this patient concerning her SADI-S.

Associations between hollow viscus injury and acute kidney injury in blunt abdominal trauma: A national trauma data bank analysis.

PURPOSE: It is well established that hollow viscus perforation leads to sepsis and acute kidney injury (AKI) in non-trauma patients. However, the relationship between traumatic hollow viscus injury (HVI) and AKI is not well understood. Utilizing data from the National Trauma Data Bank, we investigated whether HVI serves as a risk factor for AKI. Additionally, we examined the characteristics of AKI in stable patients who underwent conservative treatment. METHODS: We reviewed blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) cases from 2012 to 2015, comparing patients with and without AKI. Significant factors from univariate analysis were tested in a multivariate logistic regression (MLR) to identify independent AKI determinants. We also analyzed subsets: patients without HVI and stable patients given conservative management. RESULTS: Out of the 563,040 BAT patients analyzed, 9073 (1.6%) developed AKI. While a greater proportion of AKI patients had HVI than those without AKI (13.3% vs. 5.2%, p < 0.001), this difference wasn't statistically significant in the MLR (p = 0.125). Notably, the need for laparotomy (odds = 3.108, p < 0.001) and sepsis (odds = 13.220, p < 0.001) were identified as independent risk factors for AKI. For BAT patients managed conservatively (systolic blood pressure >90 mmHg, without HVI or laparotomy; N = 497,066), the presence of sepsis was a significant predictor for the development of AKI (odds = 16.914, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: While HVI wasn't a significant risk factor for AKI in BAT patients, the need for laparotomy was. Stable BAT patients managed conservatively are still at risk for AKI due to non-peritonitis related sepsis.

Evaluation of the cushion effect in blunt abdominal trauma patients: A computerized analysis.

BACKGROUND: Obesity may serve as a protective factor in blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) patients due to a "cushion effect". In this study, we aim to use computed tomography (CT) scans to measure abdominal adiposity and its correlation with injury severity in BAT patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of male BAT patients who had undergone CT scans. Subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were manually measured and height-normalized for analysis at lumbar levels L2 and L3. Statistical methods were used to compare differences in adiposity between patients with and without severe abdominal injuries. For controls, we also compared adipose tissue in patients with and without severe trauma to the chest, where less fat typically accumulates. RESULTS: We included 361 male participants and conducted a comparative analysis of their demographic and injury characteristics. Patients without severe abdominal injuries had significantly higher SAT and VAT indices at both L2 and L3 (p < 0.05). However, these measures showed no significant differences between patients with and without severe chest trauma. Solid organ injuries, particularly liver injuries, were associated with decreased SAT and VAT. CONCLUSION: Increase abdominal adiposity was linked to lower abdominal injury severity and solid organ injuries, particularly liver injuries. In addition to conventional BMI for evaluating obesity, either subcutaneous or visceral adipose tissue over lumbar levels L2 and L3 can be used to assess the "cushion effect."

Incidence of intra-abdominal injuries in hemodynamically stable blunt trauma patients with a normal computed tomography scan admitted to the emergency department.

OBJECTIVES: Blunt abdominal trauma is a common cause of emergency department admission. Computed tomography (CT) scanning is the gold standard method for identifying intra-abdominal injuries in patients experiencing blunt trauma, especially those with high-energy trauma. Although the diagnostic accuracy of this imaging technique is very high, patient admission and prolonged observation protocols are still common practices worldwide. We aimed to evaluate the incidence of intra-abdominal injury in hemodynamically stable patients with high-energy blunt trauma and a normal abdominal CT scan at a Level-1 Trauma Center in Colombia, South America, to assess the relevance of a prolonged observation period. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of patients admitted to the emergency department for blunt trauma between 2021 and 2022. All consecutive patients with high-energy mechanisms of trauma and a normal CT scan at admission were included. Our primary outcomes were the incidence of intra-abdominal injury identified during a 24-hour observation period or hospital stay, ICU admission, and death. RESULTS: We included 480 patients who met the inclusion criteria. The median age was 33 (IQR 25.5, 47), and 74.2% were male. The most common mechanisms of injury were motor vehicle accidents (64.2%), falls from height (26%), and falls from bikes (3.1%). A total of 99.2% of patients had a Revised Trauma Score of 8. Only 1 patient (0.2%) (95% CI: 0.01-1.16) presented with an abdominal injury during the observation period. No ICU admissions or deaths were reported. CONCLUSION: The incidence of intra-abdominal injury in patients with hemodynamically stable blunt trauma and a negative abdominal CT scan is extremely low, and prolonged observation may not be justified in these patients.

An evaluation of the "Obesity Paradox" in isolated blunt abdominal trauma in the United States.

BACKGROUND: The obesity paradox theorizes a survival benefit in trauma patients secondary to the cushioning effect of adiposity. We aim to evaluate the impact of body mass index (BMI) on abdominal injury severity, morbidity, and mortality in adults with isolated, blunt abdominal trauma in the United States. METHODS: We reviewed the National Trauma Data Bank (2013-2021) for adults sustaining isolated, blunt abdominal trauma stratified by BMI. We performed a doubly robust, augmented inverse-propensity weighted multivariable logistic regression to estimate the average treatment effect (ATE) of BMI on mortality and the presence of abdominal organ injury. RESULTS: 36,350 patients met the inclusion criteria. In our study, 41.4 % of patients were normal-weight (BMI 18.5-24.9), 20.6 % were obese (BMI 30-39.9), and 4.7 % were severely obese (BMI≥40). In these cohorts, the abdominal abbreviated injury scale (AIS) was 2 (2 -3). Obese and severely obese patients had significantly reduced presence of pancreas, spleen, liver, kidney, and small bowel injuries. The predicted probability of abdominal AIS severity decreased significantly with increasing BMI. Crude mortality was significantly higher in obese (1.3 %) and severely obese patients (1.3 %) compared to normal-weight patients (0.7 %). Obese and severely obese patients demonstrated non-statistically significant changes in the mortality of +26.4 % (ATE 0.264, 95 %CI -0.108-0.637, p = 0.164) and +55.5 % (ATE 0.555, 95 %CI -0.284-1.394, p = 0.195) respectively, compared to normal weight patients. CONCLUSION: BMI may protect against abdominal injury in adults with isolated, blunt abdominal trauma. Mortality did not decrease in association with increasing BMI, as this may be offset by the increase in co-morbidities in this population.

Pre- and post-implementation protocol for non-operative management of grade III-V splenic injuries: An observational study.

Background: Grade (III-V) blunt splenic injuries (BSI) in hemodynamically stable patients represent clinical challenges for successful non-operative management (NOM). In 2014, Our institution proposed a treatment protocol requiring splenic angiography and embolization for stable, intermediate, and high-grade BSI. It also included a follow-up CT scan for grade III BSI. We sought to assess the success rate of NOM in treating intermediate and high-grade BSI, following a standardized treatment protocol at a level 1 trauma center. Methods: An observational retrospective study was conducted. Data of patients with BSI from June 2011 to September 2019 were reviewed using the Qatar National Trauma Registry. Patients' demographics, CT scan and angiographic findings, grade of splenic injuries, and outcomes were analyzed. The pre- and post-implementation of treatment protocol periods were compared. Results: During the study period, a total of 552 hemodynamically stable patients with BSI were admitted, of which 240 had BSI with grade III to V. Eighty-one patients (33.8%) were admitted in the pre-protocol implementation period and 159 (66.2%) in the post-protocol implementation period. The NOM rate increased from 50.6% in the pre-protocol group to 65.6% in the post-protocol group (p = 0.02). In addition, failure of the conservative treatment did not significantly differ in the two periods, while the requirement for blood transfusion dropped from 64.2% to 45.9% (p = 0.007). The frequency of CT scan follow-up (55.3% vs. 16.3%, p = 0.001) and splenic arterial embolization (32.7% vs. 2.5%, p = 0.001) in NOM patients increased significantly in the post-protocol group compared to the pre-protocol group. Overall mortality was similar between the two periods. However, hospital and ICU length of stay and ventilatory days were higher in the post-protocol group. Conclusions: NOM is an effective and safe treatment option for grade III-V BSI patients. Using standardized treatment guidelines for intermediate-to high-grade splenic injuries could increase the success rate for NOM and limit unnecessary laparotomy. Moreover, angioembolization is a crucial adjunct to NOM that could improve the success rate.

Damage to the Descending Colon after Endoscopic Balloon Dilatation following a Minor Traffic Accident in a Patient with Crohn's Disease: A Case Report.

Introduction: Crohn's disease (CD) is complicated by intestinal strictures and fistula formation; however, intestinal perforation is relatively rare. Case Presentation: Following a traffic accident in the evening, a 39-year-old woman experienced abdominal pain that worsened the following morning and was taken to the emergency department. She had a 17-year history of CD and eight endoscopic balloon dilations for descending colonic strictures. She presented with a high fever of 40.0°C, along with tenderness and rebound pain throughout her abdomen, with the most substantial point being in the lower left abdomen. Computed tomography showed thickening of the descending colon wall, increased fat concentration around the wall, and a slight presence of air in the mesentery near the intestinal wall. We diagnosed the patient with generalized peritonitis due to traumatic penetration of the mesentery of the descending colon and performed emergency surgery. Intraoperative observation of the abdominal cavity with a laparoscope revealed purulent ascites but no apparent perforation or edematous mesentery, with white moss and redness in the descending colon. This prompted the decision to perform peritoneal lavage drainage and a transverse colonic double colostomy. The postoperative course was favorable, and the patient was discharged from the hospital on the postoperative day 14. Four months after discharge, colostomy closure was performed. Conclusion: Relatively minor trauma in patients with CD can result in colon injury. An injured bowel is usually accompanied by active lesions due to CD; however, caution is required, as endoscopic balloon dilatation without accompaniment may be a background factor.

Blunt Abdominal Trauma in Pregnancy: Higher Rates of Severe Abdominal Injuries.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggest increased abdominal girth in obese individuals provides a "cushion effect," against severe abdominal trauma. In comparison, the unique anatomic/physiological condition of pregnancy, such as the upward displacement of organs by an expanding uterus, may decrease risk of abdominal injury. However, increased overall blood volume and vascularity of organs during pregnancy raise concerns for increased bleeding and potentially more severe injuries. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate whether the "cushion effect" observed in obese patients extends to pregnant trauma patients (PTPs). We hypothesized a lower risk of blunt solid organ injury (BSOI) (liver, spleen, and kidney) in pregnant vs non-pregnant blunt trauma patients. METHODS: The 2020-2021 Trauma Quality Improvement Program was queried for all female blunt trauma patients (age<50 years) involved in motor vehicle collisions (MVCs). We compared pregnant vs non-pregnant patients. The primary outcomes were incidence of BSOI, and severity of abdominal trauma defined by abbreviated injury scale (AIS). RESULTS: From 94,831 female patients, 2598 (2.7%) were pregnant. When compared to non-pregnant patients, PTPs had lower rates of liver (5.5% vs 7.6%, P < .001) and kidney (1.8% vs 2.6%, P = .013) injury. However, PTPs had higher rates of serious (13.4% vs 9.0%, P < .001) and severe abdominal injury (7.5% vs 4.3%, P < .001). DISCUSSION: BSOI occurred at a lower rate in PTPs compared to non-PTPs; however, contrary to the "cushion effect" observed in obese populations, pregnant women had a higher rate of severe abdominal injuries. These data support comprehensive evaluations for PTPs presenting after a MVC. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV (therapeutic).

Traumatic appendicitis with mass formation, a rare case report.

This case report delves into an atypical presentation of postblunt abdominal trauma in an adult male, characterized by acute appendicitis complicated by the formation of an appendicular inflammatory mass. The patient's clinical evolution, diagnostic intricacies, and the multidisciplinary approach employed for successful management. By documenting this rare complication, our report contributes to expanding knowledge base on unusual consequences of abdominal trauma, aiming to enhance awareness and facilitate informed decision-making in clinical practice.

Meckel's Diverticulum Injuries after Blunt Trauma.

Background: The complications associated with Meckel's diverticulum (MD) are well-known. However, blunt injuries regarding MD have not been widely described in the literature. This was the reason for undertaking research on MD lesions. Materials and Methods: The materials consisted of 28 cases of damage to MD after blunt trauma published during the years 1921-2022. The collected data were subjected to statistical analysis. Results: The following MD injuries have been identified, starting with the most common isolated perforation of MD, bleeding from the area of MD, perforation of MD with concomitant tearing of the mesentery intestines and bleeding, intussusception of MD, and intramural hematoma of MD with adjacent mesenteric hematoma. Most injuries were caused by a traffic accident, followed by sports, accidents at work, and then violence. Almost all the cases (27) involved men. Several possible mechanisms may contribute to post-traumatic damage to MD. First of all, they are associated with abdominal compression and a secondary increase in intra-abdominal pressure as well as with the action of shearing forces during deceleration. Conclusions: Traumatic MD injuries are differentiated and very rare. They can coexist with other serious injuries to the abdominal organs.

Evaluation of management of CT scan proved solid organ injury in blunt injury abdomen-a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Trauma especially road traffic injury is one of the major health-related issues throughout the world, especially in developing countries like India (Mattox 2022). Solid organ injury is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with blunt abdominal trauma. The non-operative management (NOM) is being consistently followed for hemodynamically stable patients with respect to solid organ injuries. This study aims to provide an evidence base for management modalities of solid organ injuries in blunt abdominal trauma. AIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of various treatment modalities for solid organ injury in blunt abdominal trauma. OBJECTIVES: Evaluating the characteristics of blunt abdominal injury with respect to age and gender; distribution, mode of injury, most common organ injured, and severity of injury; effect of delay in getting treatment on the management outcome for patients with solid organ injury; evaluating the various modalities of treatment of CT-proven solid organ injury; incidence of complications in different modes of treatment. METHODS: All patients aged more than 18 years and suffering from CT-proven solid organ injury secondary to blunt abdominal trauma between February 2021 and September 2022 were included in this prospective observational study. Sixty-five patients were enrolled in the study after meeting the inclusion criteria. Details such as age, gender, mechanism of injury, the time between injury to first hospital contact, presenting complaints, organ and grade of injury, Revised Trauma Score (RTS), Trauma Score and Injury Severity Score (TRISS), management, and outcomes were collected using self-designed pro forma and analyzed. Different modalities of treatment were evaluated and patients undergoing operative and non-operative management were compared. Patients in whom non-operative management failed were compared with patients with successful non-operative management. RESULTS: The mean age of patients involved were 36.8 years with a male:female ratio of 7.125:1 and the most common age group affected being between 21 and 30 years. The most common mode of injury was noted to be road traffic accidents (72.3%). The most common presenting complaints were abdominal pain (64.6%) followed by chest pain (29.2%) and vomiting (13.8%). There was no significant relationship between latent period and type of intervention or failure of non-operative management. FAST positivity rate was noted to be 92.3%. Chronic alcoholism and bronchial asthma were significant predictors for patients undergoing upfront surgery (p = 0.003 and 0.006 respectively). The presence of pelvic and spine injury was statistically significant for predicting mortality in polytrauma patients (p = 0.003). Concurrent adrenal injury was found in 24.6% of patients but was not related to failure of non-operative management or mortality. RTS significantly predicts the multitude of organ involvement (p = 0.015). The liver was the most common organ injured (60%) followed by the spleen (52.3%) and the kidney (20%). The liver and the spleen (9.2%) were noted to be the most common organ combination involved. No specific organ or organ injury combination was noted to predict failure of non-operative management or mortality. But the multitude of organ involvement was statistically significant for predicting patients undergoing upfront surgery (p = 0.011). Out of 65 patients enrolled in the study, 7 patients (10.8%) underwent immediate surgery, and 58 patients (89.2%) underwent non-operative management. Among the 68 chosen for non-operative management, 6 patients (9.2%) failed non-operative management and 52 patients (80%) had success of non-operative management. A significant drop in hemoglobin (83.3%) on day 1 (66.6%) was seen to be the commonest reason for failure of non-operative management. The spleen was noted to be the most commonly involved organ intra-operatively (61.5%) followed by the liver (30.8%). Concordance between pre-operative and intra-operative grading of organ injuries was highest for liver and kidney injuries (100%) and lowest for pancreatic injuries (0%). Requirement of blood transfusion and liver injuries were significant factors for failure of non-operative management (p = 0.012 and 0.045 respectively). The presence of pancreatic leak was significant between the non-operated patients and patients operated upfront (p = 0.003). Mortality was noted to be 10.8% (7 patients) in our study. CONCLUSION: Solid organ injury in blunt abdominal trauma is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. RTS was noted to be a good predictor for solid organ injury in blunt abdominal trauma. Pancreatic injuries are notorious for being under-staged on CT findings; hence, the need arises for multimodality imaging for suspected pancreatic injuries. Non-operative management is a successful modality of treatment for majority of patients suffering from multiple solid organ injuries in blunt abdominal trauma provided serial close monitoring of patient's clinical signs and hemoglobin is instituted along with the presence of an emergency surgery team.

First-trimester uterine rupture in a twin gestation after a motor vehicle collision: a case report.

Uterine rupture following trauma in pregnancy is rare, especially in earlier gestational ages. The diagnosis can be challenging, and treatment may be delayed when patients present with nonspecific findings. Therefore, a high index of suspicion must be maintained. Once diagnosed, the treatment involves surgical exploration. We present a case report of a first-trimester uterine rupture of a twin pregnancy following a motor vehicle collision in a patient with prior cesarean sections.

Pediatric Age-adjusted Shock Index (SIPA): From Injury to Outcome in Blunt Abdominal Trauma.

Purpose: The Shock Index Pediatric Age-Adjusted (SIPA) score is a useful tool for identifying pediatric trauma patients at a risk of poor outcomes and for triaging. We are studying the relationship between elevated SIPA score and specific outcomes in pediatric trauma patients. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in which case records of 58 pediatric patients with blunt abdominal trauma were evaluated and tabulated for their SIPA scores only at the time of their initial presentation and categorized into two groups - normal SIPA and elevated SIPA. The primary outcomes were need for blood transfusion, need for any intervention, and need for emergency surgery, and the secondary outcomes were need for computed tomography (CT) scan, need for a ventilator, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, length of hospital stay, and mortality. Statistical methods were applied to find a relationship between elevated SIPA score and the primary and secondary outcomes. Results: An elevated SIPA score was noted in 27 (46%) patients. There was a significant relationship between elevated SIPA scores and patients needing blood transfusion (68.75%, n = 11) and length of hospital stay (10.48 ± 7.54 days). A significant relationship between elevated SIPA score and need for emergency surgery (54.54%, n = 6), need for a CT scan (56%, n = 14), and ICU stay (50%, n = 2) was not found. Conclusion: We have seen in our study that elevated SIPA scores at presentation are significantly related to need for blood transfusion and length of hospital stay. In more than half of the patients, elevated SIPA was associated with need for emergency surgery and requirement of CT scan, but it was statistically not significant. Therefore, assessment of this parameter can help in identifying such poor outcomes.

Diagnosis of small intestinal microperforation by cell morphology detection in abdominal puncture fluid: A case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Although abdominal computed tomography angiography (CTA) may be a gold standard for early diagnosis of small intestinal microperforation, early missed and delayed diagnosis are often important factors leading to poor prognosis. The cellular morphology diagnosis of abdominal puncture fluid (DAPF) or diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL) may have unexpected clinical outcomes. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of small bowel microperforation which dues to BAT. A 39-year-old male with a chief complaint of "multiple injuries to the whole body from a car accident within 7 hours" was admitted to the trauma center. The first abdominal CTA ruled out perforation of abdominal parenchymatous organs and gastrointestinal tract. Subsequently, the patient underwent emergency surgery for traumatic shock, followed by clinical manifestations of persistent fever and septic shock. After diagnostic abdominal puncture fluid cell morphology examination, intestinal perforation was first considered. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Routine examination of abdominal puncture fluid can usually roughly determine the condition of visceral trauma, especially quickly and conveniently determine whether there is intra-peritoneal bleeding. However specific diagnostic components which were found in the cell images of abdominal puncture fluid also showed the clinical value of cellular morphology of DAPF. CONCLUSION: The cellular morphology examination of DAPF/DPL may be the simplest, fastest, and most effective method for diagnosing small intestinal perforation due to blunt abdominal trauma(BAT). The value of DAPF /DPL in traumatic gastrointestinal injury cannot be ignored, especially for patients with BAT.

Ascending colon injury and ileal perforation due to blunt abdominal trauma: A case report.

A rare case of an ascending colon injury and ileal perforation in a 34-year-old male patient due to blunt abdominal trauma caused by a road traffic accident is reported in this study. This paper reports the clinical and imaging findings of seat belt syndrome. The seat belt syndrome primarily involves soft tissue injury; however, lacerations of the colon, small intestine, and mesentery have rarely been reported in the literature. However intestinal injuries, including bowel perforation and mesenteric injuries due to seat belt syndrome, must not be underestimated because they usually require emergency laparotomy because of accompanying peritonitis and hemorrhaging, and can be lethal if left untreated. Therefore, when an ascending mesocolon hematoma and free gas in the peritoneal cavity are present, gastrointestinal perforation due to seat belt syndrome should be suspected. In this case, gastrointestinal perforation was suspected based on the computed tomography findings, and emergency surgery was performed; the patient's course was uneventful without any postoperative complications. Early diagnosis and management are essential to prevent associated morbidity and mortality.

Deep Learning for Automated Detection and Localization of Traumatic Abdominal Solid Organ Injuries on CT Scans.

Computed tomography (CT) is the most commonly used diagnostic modality for blunt abdominal trauma (BAT), significantly influencing management approaches. Deep learning models (DLMs) have shown great promise in enhancing various aspects of clinical practice. There is limited literature available on the use of DLMs specifically for trauma image evaluation. In this study, we developed a DLM aimed at detecting solid organ injuries to assist medical professionals in rapidly identifying life-threatening injuries. The study enrolled patients from a single trauma center who received abdominal CT scans between 2008 and 2017. Patients with spleen, liver, or kidney injury were categorized as the solid organ injury group, while others were considered negative cases. Only images acquired from the trauma center were enrolled. A subset of images acquired in the last year was designated as the test set, and the remaining images were utilized to train and validate the detection models. The performance of each model was assessed using metrics such as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value based on the best Youden index operating point. The study developed the models using 1302 (87%) scans for training and tested them on 194 (13%) scans. The spleen injury model demonstrated an accuracy of 0.938 and a specificity of 0.952. The accuracy and specificity of the liver injury model were reported as 0.820 and 0.847, respectively. The kidney injury model showed an accuracy of 0.959 and a specificity of 0.989. We developed a DLM that can automate the detection of solid organ injuries by abdominal CT scans with acceptable diagnostic accuracy. It cannot replace the role of clinicians, but we can expect it to be a potential tool to accelerate the process of therapeutic decisions for trauma care.

Hollow viscus perforation in blunt abdominal trauma: A 14-year experience from a trauma center.

BACKGROUND: Isolated perforations of hollow viscus (HV) represent less than 1% of injuries in blunt abdominal trauma (BAT). When they do present, they are generally due to high-impact mechanisms in the segments of the intestine that are fixed. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence of major HV injuries in BAT at the "Dr. Domingo Luciani" General Hospital (HDL), and address the literature gap regarding updated HV perforations following BAT, especially in low-income settings. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted on the medical records of patients admitted to our trauma center with a diagnosis of complicated BAT with HV perforation over 14 years. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Seven hundred sixty-one patients were admitted under the diagnosis of BAT. Of them, 36.79% underwent emergency surgical resolution, and 6.04% had HV perforation as an operative finding. Almost half (44.44%) of these cases presented as a single isolated injury, while the remaining were associated with other intra-abdominal organ injuries. The most common lesions were Grade II-III jejunum and Grade I transverse colon, affecting an equal proportion of patients at 13.33%. In recent years, an increased incidence of HV injuries secondary to BAT has been observed. Despite this, in many cases, the diagnosis is delayed, so even in the presence of negative diagnostic studies, the surgical approach based on the trauma mechanism, hemodynamic status, and systematic reevaluation of the polytraumatized patient should prevail.