Factors affecting mortality of critical care trauma patients.

BACKGROUND: Critically-ill trauma patients have a high mortality. OBJECTIVE: To study the factors affecting the mortality of ICU trauma patients treated at Al-Ain Hospital, United Arab Emirates (UAE). METHODS: All trauma patients who were admitted to the ICU were prospectively collected over three years (2003-2006). Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to compare patients who died and who did not. Gender, age, nationality, mechanism of injury, systolic blood pressure and GCS on arrival, the need for ventilation, presence of head or chest injuries, AIS for the chest and head injuries and the ISS were studied. RESULTS: There were 202 patients (181 males). The most common mechanism of injury was road traffic collisions (72.3 %). The overall mortality was 13.9%. A direct logistic regression model has shown that factors that affected mortality were decreased GCS (p < 0.0001), mechanism of injury (p = 0.004) with burns having the highest mortality, increased age (p = 0.004), and increased ISS (p = 0.02). The best GCS that predicted mortality was 5.5 while the best ISS that predicted mortality was 13.5. CONCLUSION: Road traffic collision is the most common cause of serious trauma in UAE followed by falls. Decreased GCS was the most significant factor that predicted mortality in the ICU trauma patients.

Camel-related pancreatico-duodenal injuries: a report of three cases and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Human pancreatico-duodenal injuries caused by camels are extremely rare. OBJECTIVE: We report three patients who sustained camel-related pancreatico-duodenal injuries and review the literature on this topic. RESULTS: A 32-year camel caregiver was kicked by a camel which then stepped on his abdomen trying to kill him. The patient's abdomen was soft and lax. CT scan of the abdomen showed free retroperitoneal air. Laparotomy revealed a complete tear of the anterior wall of the second part of duodenum which was primarily repaired. A 40-year camel caregiver was directly kicked into his abdomen by a camel. He developed traumatic pancreatitis which was treated conservatively. A 31-year-old male fell down on his abdomen while riding a camel. Abdominal examination revealed tenderness and guarding. Abdominal CT Scan showed complete transection of the neck of the pancreas which was confirmed by laparotomy. The patient had distal pancreatectomy with preservation of the spleen. All patients were discharged home in good condition. CONCLUSION: These cases demonstrate the misleading presentation of the camel-related pancreatico-duodenal injuries and their unique mechanism of injury.

Clinical "case series": a concept analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the concept of "case series" in the medical literature compared with case reports. METHODS: A PubMed search for articles published during 2009 which had "case series" in their title was performed. A total number of 621 articles were retrieved. 586 papers were included in the analysis and 35 were excluded (18 were commentary letters, 5 were not in English, and twelve could not be retrieved by our Library). The number of patients and category of these articles were analyzed. RESULTS: The median (range) of the number of cases of articles having "case series" in their title was 7 (1-6432) cases. 186/ 586 articles had less than 5 cases (31.7%, 95% CI (28.3-35.1%)). The median (range) of the number of cases of articles having "case report" as their publication type was 4 (1-178) cases. Out of the 219 articles categorized as case reports 114 (52.1%, 95% CI (45.6-58.6%)) had less than five cases. CONCLUSIONS: The concept of "case series" is not well defined in the literature and does not reflect a specific research design. We suggest that a case series should have more than four patients while four paitents or less should be reported individually as case reports.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma presenting as a lateral neck cyst.

BACKGROUND: Solitary lateral cervical cystic mass is an uncommon presentation of papillary thyroid carcinoma. OBJECTIVES: To report our recent experience in the diagnosis and management of papillary thyroid carcinoma presenting as a lateral neck cyst. METHODS: Patients who had papillary thyroid carcinoma and presented as a painless lateral neck cyst at the Department of Surgery, Al-Ain Hospital, from April 2005 to June 2009 were retrospectively studied. Their clinical presentation, diagnosis and management were reviewed. RESULTS: Five patients were studied. No thyroid nodules were clinically palpable in all patients. Fine needle aspiration cytology from the cyst was positive for papillary thyroid carcinoma in three patients (60 percent). Two patients were diagnosed after excisional biopsy. Three patients had total thyroidectomy with modified radical neck dissection and postoperative radioactive iodine ablation. Two patients preferred to travel overseas for treatment. Thyroid histopathological examination has shown papillary thyroid carcinoma in all operated patients with multiple microscopic foci in two of them. This was associated with multiple bilateral cervical lymph node involvement. CONCLUSIONS: Metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma presenting as a neck cyst is a diagnostic challenge. Excisional biopsy is indicated if fine needle aspiration cytology was inconclusive so as to rule out malignancy.

Sonographic findings of superior mesenteric artery syndrome causing massive gastric dilatation in a young healthy girl.

Acute gastric dilatation due to superior mesenteric artery syndrome in healthy individuals is extremely rare. A 17-year-old girl who complained of epigastric pain for two days following excessive eating was admitted to our hospital. She was nauseated but was unable to vomit. Succussion splash was positive. Bedside ultrasonography revealed a hyperactive duodenum, a distended stomach compressing on the inferior vena cava and a narrowed angle between the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and the aorta. Abdominal computed tomography imaging confirmed the above findings. The angle between the aorta and SMA was only eight degrees. Gastrograffin follow-through showed complete obstruction of the third part of the duodenum. 3,500 ml of fluid was immediately drained through the nasogastric tube. Another gastrograffin study conducted five days later showed normal results. Bedside ultrasonography thus proved to be useful for both the diagnosis and management of superior mesenteric artery syndrome.

Management of mesenteric vascular occlusion.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate our recent clinical management of mesenteric vascular occlusion (MVO) at Al-Ain Hospital, United Arab Emirates. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed including all patients who were diagnosed to have MVO from December 2001 to May 2005. The records were studied with regard to clinical features, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome. RESULTS: Of the 14 patients studied, seven patients experienced mesenteric venous thrombosis (MVT), five patients mesenteric arterial occlusion (MAO), and two patients were found to have both MVT and MAO. The main risk factor for MAO was ischaemic heart disease with atrial fibrillation in four patients (80 percent). No predisposing factors were identified in three patients with MVT (primary MVT 43 percent). Contrast-enhanced computed tomography was performed in all patients and was diagnostic in 12 (86 percent) patients. Seven patients (50 percent) underwent surgery. One patient died on the ninth postoperative day (overall mortality rate 7 percent). Seven patients (50 percent) were successfully managed conservatively, five of them had only MVT, one had combined MVT and MAO, and one had only MAO. CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis and prompt initiation of anticoagulation therapy, with operative intervention when indicated, are essential for a favourable outcome.

Non-traumatic Perforation of the Small Bowel

Background: Non-traumatic perforation of the small bowel is an uncommon serious complication associated with high morbidity and mortality. Diseases that cause small bowel perforation vary in different areas of the world. Objective: To highlight difficulties in the diagnosis and management of non-traumatic perforation of small bowel. Material and methods: The medical records of four patients who have presented with non-traumatic perforation of the small bowel and were treated at Al-Ain Hospital during the last 5 years were studied retrospectively. Results: The presenting symptoms of all patients were similar. Erect chest X-ray has shown free air under diaphragm in 3 patients. Leukocytosis was present in only one patient. HIV was confirmed in one patient. Patients were diagnosed to have typhoid; HIV; hook worms and tuberculosis. Only the HIV patient died while the others were discharged home in a good condition. Conclusion: Clinical findings of small bowel perforation are usually non specific and diagnosis is usually reached after surgery. The Histopathological examination of the small bowel ulcer were non conclusive in three patients. We have made our management plan according to the clinical findings. Non traumatic perforation in developing countries can be due to typhoid; HIV; tuberculosis and possibly hook worms

Primary anterior abdominal wall actinomycosis.

Actinomycosis of the anterior abdominal wall is rare. We report a 50-year-old diabetic man who presented with a left hypochondrial mass of three weeks duration associated with fever. Abdominal computed tomography showed a 2 x 4 cm mass projecting from the internal abdominal wall associated with surrounding inflammation. The mass did not decrease after a week of intravenous antibiotics. Excision of the mass and primary closure of the abdominal wall were performed. The mass involved the deep muscles of anterior abdominal wall. The omentum was adherent to the parietal peritoneum underneath the mass. Microscopical examination of the mass was consistent with actinomycosis. The postoperative period was uneventful and the patient recovered completely. The patient received penicillin for six months.