Periportal edema in trauma patients: correlation with trauma severity.

BACKGROUND: Periportal edema (PPE) can be seen in different clinical settings, including in patients following trauma. However, the underlying mechanisms and clinical significance in trauma patients still remain unclear. PURPOSE: To determine the incidence of PPE in CT scans of trauma patients and to correlate PPE with trauma severity and different patterns of injury. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed contrast-enhanced spiral CT scans of 127 trauma patients that were referred to our Trauma Center Level I between January 2006 and June 2007. According to the Injury Severity Score (ISS), 70 patients with an ISS < 16 (minor trauma) were assigned to group 1 and 57 patients with an ISS ≥16 (major trauma) to group 2. RESULTS: The presence of PPE was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in group 2 (22 of 57 patients [38.6%]) than in group 1 (10 of 70 patients [14.3%]). In 29 patients PPE presented with a diffuse pattern and in three patients with a focal pattern, affecting only one liver lobe. In 14 patients PPE was found in absence of abdominal injuries. In addition, PPE was present in five patients with abdominal injuries but without liver injury. CONCLUSION: PPE is seen significantly more often on abdominal CT scans following major traumas (ISS ≥ 16), but is not necessarily associated with liver injury.

Treatment of unstable fractures of the pelvic ring in pregnancy.

Unstable fractures of the posterior pelvic ring during pregnancy are rare. Pregnancy increases the high demands on the therapy of these types of fractures. The aim of the therapeutic strategy in such a situation is a good functional outcome of the mother without influencing the fetal health. Some osteosynthetic techniques result in good functional outcomes, but they are associated with high amounts of ionizing radiation. We report the case of a pregnant woman who sustained a vertical unstable fracture of the posterior pelvic ring as a result of a traffic accident. The fracture was treated surgically by open reduction and internal fixation with two transiliac reconstruction plates with minimal radiographic exposure to the fetus. One year later, a good functional result concerning the mother was shown. The child was healthy without any signs of prenatal impairment. Surgical treatment of an unstable fracture of the pelvic ring during pregnancy is possible with a justifiable risk to the mother and the child. Consideration of the expected fetal radiation exposure in the course of the therapy is particularly recommended. Using minimal doses of ionizing radiation, the described method results in a good clinical outcome of the mother while simultaneously reducing the radiation exposure of the fetus to an acceptable level.