Older Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: National Variability in Palliative Care.

BACKGROUND: Older patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) have higher mortality and morbidity than their younger counterparts. Palliative care (PC) is recommended for all patients with a serious or life-limiting illness. However, its adoption for trauma patients has been variable across the nation. The goal of this study was to assess PC utilization and intensity of care in older patients with severe TBI. We hypothesized that PC is underutilized despite its positive effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The National Inpatient Sample database (2009-2013) was queried for patients aged ≥55 y with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes for TBI with loss of consciousness ≥24 h. Outcome measures included PC rate, in-hospital mortality, discharge disposition, length of stay (LOS), and intensity of care represented by craniotomy and or craniectomy, ventilator use, tracheostomy, and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. RESULTS: Of 5733 patients, 78% died in hospital with a median LOS of 1 d, and 85% of the survivors were discharged to facilities. The overall PC rate was 35%. Almost 40% of deaths received PC, with nearly half within 48 h of admission. PC was used in 26% who had neurosurgical procedures, compared with 35% who were nonoperatively managed (P = 0.003). PC was associated with less intensity of care in the entire population. For survivors, those with PC had significantly shorter LOS, compared with those without PC. CONCLUSIONS: Despite high mortality, only one-third of older patients with severe TBI received PC. PC was associated with decreased use of life support and lower intensity of care. Significant efforts need to be made to bridge this quality gap and improve PC in this high-risk population.

Profile of service and satisfaction of users of the Mobile Emergency Care Service (SAMU). / Perfil de atendimento e satisfação dos usuários do Serviço de Atendimento Móvel de Urgência (SAMU).

OBJECTIVE: To know the profile of service and satisfaction of users served by the Mobile Emergency Care Service (SAMU). METHODS: A cross-sectional study of the 854 services performed by the Advanced Life Support (SAV) teams from SAMU of Porto Alegre/RS, in the first quarter of 2016. A total of 164 users or respondents answered by phone to the questions regarding the service performed. Analysis performed using the Spearman and Chi-square tests. Study approved in Ethics and Research Committee of the Institutions involved. RESULTS: A higher percentage of clinical visits (48.2%) followed by trauma care (32.8%). Regarding telephone calls, 71.4% of respondents rated the service as 'very good' while the service was classified by 76.8% of the respondents. From them, 81.1% stated that the service was resolving. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical type stands out among the assistances and the users reveal satisfaction with the service provided, considering that it serves the population resolutely.

Perfil de atendimento e satisfação dos usuários do Serviço de Atendimento Móvel de Urgência (SAMU) / Perfil de atención y satisfacción de los usuarios del Servicio de Atención Móvil de Urgencia (SAMU) / Profile of service and satisfaction of users of the Mobile Emergency Care Service (SAMU)

Resumo OBJETIVO Conhecer o perfil de atendimento e satisfação dos usuários atendidos pelo Serviço de Atendimento Móvel de Urgência (SAMU). MÉTODOS Estudo transversal dos 854 atendimentos realizados pelas equipes de Suporte Avançado de Vida (SAV) do SAMU de Porto Alegre/RS, no primeiro trimestre de 2016. Participaram 164 usuários ou responsáveis que responderam via telefone questões referentes ao atendimento realizado. Análise realizada através dos Testes de Spearman e Qui-quadrado. Estudo aprovado em Comitê de Ética e Pesquisa das Instituições envolvidas. RESULTADOS Observou-se maior percentual de atendimentos clínicos (48,2%) seguidos pelos atendimentos aos traumas (32,8%). Sobre o atendimento pelo telefone, 71,4% dos participantes classificaram o serviço como 'muito bom' enquanto o atendimento presencial foi assim classificado por 76,8% dos respondentes. Desses, 81,1% afirmaram que o atendimento foi resolutivo. CONCLUSÕES O tipo clínico se destaca entre os atendimentos e os usuários revelam satisfação com o serviço prestado, considerando que esse atende a população resolutamente.

Resumen OBJETIVO Conocer el perfil de atención y satisfacción de los pacientes atendidos por el Servicio de Atención Móvil de Urgencia (SAMU). MÉTODOS Estudio transversal de 854 atenciones realizadas por los equipos de Soporte Avanzado de Vida (SAV) del SAMU de Porto Alegre/RS, en el primer trimestre de 2016. Participaron 164 pacientes o responsables que respondieron vía teléfono las preguntas referentes a la atención realizada. Análisis realizado a través de las pruebas de Spearman y Chi-cuadrado. Estudio aprobado por el Comité de Ética e Investigación de las Instituciones involucradas. RESULTADOS Se observó un mayor porcentaje de atenciones clínicas (48,2%) seguido por traumas (32,8%). Sobre la atención telefónica, 71,4% de los participantes clasificaron el servicio como 'muy bueno', mientras que la atención presencial fue clasificada de la misma forma por el 76,8% de los encuestados. De ellos, 81,1% afirmó que la atención fue resolutiva. CONCLUSIONES El tipo clínico se destaca entre las atenciones y los usuarios que revelan satisfacción con el servicio brindado, considerando que este atiende a la población resolutivamente.

Abstract OBJECTIVE To know the profile of service and satisfaction of users served by the Mobile Emergency Care Service (SAMU). METHODS A cross-sectional study of the 854 services performed by the Advanced Life Support (SAV) teams from SAMU of Porto Alegre/RS, in the first quarter of 2016. A total of 164 users or respondents answered by phone to the questions regarding the service performed. Analysis performed using the Spearman and Chi-square tests. Study approved in Ethics and Research Committee of the Institutions involved. RESULTS A higher percentage of clinical visits (48.2%) followed by trauma care (32.8%). Regarding telephone calls, 71.4% of respondents rated the service as 'very good' while the service was classified by 76.8% of the respondents. From them, 81.1% stated that the service was resolving. CONCLUSIONS The clinical type stands out among the assistances and the users reveal satisfaction with the service provided, considering that it serves the population resolutely.

TEAM: A Low-Cost Alternative to ATLS for Providing Trauma Care Teaching in Haiti.

OBJECTIVE: Trauma resuscitation protocols have unified the care of trauma patients and significantly improved outcomes. However, the success of the Advanced Trauma Life Support course is difficult to reproduce in developing countries due to set-up costs, limitations of resources, and variations of practice. The objective of this study is to assess the Trauma Evaluation and Management (TEAM) course as a low-cost alternative for trauma resuscitation teaching in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC). DESIGN: As part of the Team Broken Earth initiative, TEAM course was provided to the health care professionals in Haiti. At its conclusion, participants were asked to complete a survey evaluating the course. Qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed to evaluate the perception of the course. SETTING: The course was provided in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 80 health care professionals participated in the course. Response was obtained from 69 participants, which comprised of 32 physicians, 10 Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), 22 nurses, and 5 medical trainees. RESULTS: The course was well received by physicians, nurses, and EMT with an average score of 90.6%. Question analysis revealed a lower satisfaction of physicians for the course manual and teaching materials, and information related to decisions for transfer of patients. EMT consistently felt that the course was not tailored to their learning and practice needs. Written feedback demonstrated several areas of weaknesses including need for improvements in translations, hands-on practice, and educational materials. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the TEAM course was well received. Analysis demonstrated a need for adjustments specific to LMIC including a focus on prehospital assessment, increased nursing responsibilities, and unavailability of specialist's referrals. Team Broken Earth intends to take these findings into consideration and continue to provide the TEAM course to other LMIC.

Calidad asistencial en la atención inicial al trauma pediátrico / Quality of initial trauma care in paediatrics

Introducción: En nuestro país la asistencia al trauma no se presta en centros específicos, lo que expone a los profesionales sanitarios a un contacto esporádico con este tipo de pacientes. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar la calidad de la asistencia inicial prestada a los pacientes antes de su ingreso en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos (UCIP) de un centro de tercer nivel tras el inicio de un programa formativo en trauma pediátrico, como medida indirecta del aumento de profesionales con formación específica. Material y métodos: Se seleccionaron 2 cohortes de pacientes correspondientes a los ingresos en UCIP por trauma durante los 4 años previos al inicio de los cursos de formación (grupo 1, periodo 2001-2004) y durante los 4 últimos años (grupo 2, periodo 2012-2015), tras haber formado a cerca de 500 profesionales. Se registró el mecanismo lesional, equipo que presta la asistencia inicial, puntuación en el score de Glasgow (GCS) en la atención inicial, y puntuación en el índice de trauma pediátrico (ITP) en la atención inicial. La calidad de la asistencia se evaluó mediante 5 indicadores: uso de collarín cervical, obtención de una vía venosa, intubación orotraqueal si GCS ≤ 8, sondaje gástrico si ITP ≤ 8, y número de actuaciones realizadas entre las primeras 4 medidas recomendadas (control cervical, administración de oxígeno, canalización de vía periférica y administración de fluidos). Se comparó el porcentaje de cumplimiento de los indicadores en ambos periodos. Una p < 0,05 fue considerada estadísticamente significativa. Resultados: Se analizó a 218 pacientes; 105 en el grupo 1 y 113 en el grupo 2. Los grupos mostraron diferencias tanto en el mecanismo lesional como en el equipo que presta la asistencia inicial. En los últimos años se aprecia una disminución de los accidentes de tráfico (28% vs. 6%; p: 0,0001), así como un aumento de los casos atendidos en centros de baja complejidad (29,4% vs. 51,9%; p: 0,008). También disminuyeron los pacientes en coma (29,8% vs. 13,5%; p: 0,004) o con trauma grave (48,5% vs. 29,7%; p: 0,005). De los indicadores analizados solo se observó mejoría en el uso de collarín cervical (17,3% vs. 32,7%; p: 0,01), sin modificarse el porcentaje de pacientes en los que no se realiza ninguna acción en la asistencia inicial (19% vs. 11%; p: 0,15). Conclusiones: Aunque con mejoras aisladas, el desarrollo de un programa formativo específico no se ha traducido en una mejora global de la calidad asistencial en este tipo de pacientes. La formación en trauma debe complementarse con medidas de refuerzo para conseguir una aplicación sistemática del algoritmo de actuación (AU)

Introduction: Trauma care in Spain is not provided in specific centres, which means that health professionals have limited contact to trauma patients. After the setting up of a training program in paediatric trauma, the aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of the initial care provided to these patients before they were admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a third level hospital (trauma centre), as an indirect measurement of the increase in the number of health professionals trained in trauma. Material and methods: Two cohorts of PICU admissions were reviewed, the first one during the four years immediately before the training courses started (Group 1, period 2001-2004), and the second one during the 4 years (Group 2, period 2012-2015) after nearly 500 professionals were trained. A record was made of the injury mechanism, attending professional, Glasgow coma score (GCS), and paediatric trauma score (PTS). Initial care quality was assessed using five indicators: use of cervical collar, vascular access, orotracheal intubation if GCS ≤ 8, gastric decompression if PTS≤8, and number of actions carried out from the initial four recommended (neck control, provide oxygen, get vascular access, provide IV fluids). Compliance was compared between the 2 periods. A P<.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 218 patient records were analysed, 105 in Group 1, and 113 in Group 2. The groups showed differences both in injury mechanism and in initial care team. A shift in injury mechanism pattern was observed, with a decrease in car accidents (28% vs 6%; P<.0001). Patients attended to in low complexity hospitals increased from 29.4% to 51.9% (P=.008), and their severity decreased when assessed using the GCS ≤ 8 (29.8% vs 13.5%; P=.004), or PTS≤8 (48.5% vs 29.7%; P=.005). As regards quality indicators, only the use of neck collar improved its compliance (17.3% to 32.7%; P=.01). Patients who received no action in the initial care remained unchanged (19% vs 11%%; P=.15). Conclusions: Although there are limited improvements, the setting up of a training program has not translated into better initial care for trauma patients in our area of influence. Trauma training should be complemented with other support measures in order to achieve a systematic application of the trauma care principles (AU)

Physician staffed helicopter emergency medical systems can provide advanced trauma life support in mountainous and remote areas.

INTRODUCTION: In remote and mountainous areas, helicopter emergency medical systems (HEMS) are used to expedite evacuation and provide pre-hospital advanced trauma life support (ATLS) in major trauma victims. Aim of the study was to investigate feasibility of ATLS in HEMS mountain rescue missions and its influence on patient condition at hospital admission. PATIENTS: 58 major trauma victims (Injury Severity Score ≥16), evacuated by physician staffed HEMS from remote and mountainous areas in the State of Tyrol, Austria between 1.1.2011 and 31.12.2013. RESULTS: Pre-hospital time exceeded 90min in 24 (44%) cases. 31 (53%) patients suffered critical impairment of at least one vital function (systolic blood pressure <90mmHg, GCS <10, or respiratory rate <10 or >30). 4 (6.9%) of 58 patients died prior to hospital admission. Volume resuscitation was restrictive: 18 (72%) of 25 hypotensive patients received ≤500ml fluids and blood pressure was increased >90mmHg at hospital admission in only 9 (36%) of these 25 patients. 8 (50%) of 16 brain trauma patients with a blood pressure <90mmHg remained hypotensive at hospital admission. Endotracheal intubation was accomplished without major complications in 15 (79%) of 19 patients with a Glasgow Coma Scale score <10. Rope operations were necessary in 40 (69%) of 58 cases and ATLS was started before hoist evacuation in 30 (75%) of them. CONCLUSIONS: The frequent combination of prolonged pre-hospital times, with critical impairment of vital functions, supports the need for early ATLS in HEMS mountain rescue missions. Pre-hospital endotracheal intubation is possible with a high success and low complication rate also in a mountain rescue scenario. Pre-hospital volume resuscitation is restrictive and hypotension is reversed at hospital admission in only one third of patients. Prolonged pre-hospital hypotension remains an unresolved problem in half of all brain trauma patients and indicates the difficulties to increase blood pressure to a desired level in a mountain rescue scenario. Despite technical considerations, on-site ATLS is feasible for an experienced emergency physician in the majority of rope rescue operations.

Successful Resuscitation: Novel Partnership between Paramedics and U.S. Coast Guard.

In this article, we present a notable case that illustrates a novel partnership between a United States Coast Guard small boat station and a civilian paramedic response unit. Patients who experience medical emergencies in remote environments are at particularly high risk for morbidity and mortality. For the most serious conditions, delayed contact with Advanced Life Support (ALS) has grave results. Typically, these circumstances involve small groups of individuals and cannot be easily predicted. The waters off the coasts of Maui, Hawaii, however, host millions of residents and visitors annually, with activities including swimming, snorkeling, diving, parasailing, and other types of ocean recreation. As a result, medical and rescue emergencies are not uncommon, many with poor outcomes. Prior to October of 2013, a Coast Guard response boat crew with limited medical training and equipment responded to most off shore cases. Since October 2013, a paramedic from Maui County EMS co-responds aboard the Coast Guard boat with a full complement of ALS equipment. This partnership has resulted in some significant improvements in patient outcome, and strengthened a collaborative emergency services system. The experience has also indicated the need for continued improvement in early activation and communication, as well as reinforcing the importance of primary prevention.

Decision making in trauma settings: simulation to improve diagnostic skills.

INTRODUCTION: In the setting of acute injury, a wrong, missed, or delayed diagnosis can impact survival. Clinicians rely on pattern recognition and heuristics to rapidly assess injuries, but an overreliance on these approaches can result in a diagnostic error. Simulation has been advocated as a method for practitioners to learn how to recognize the limitations of heuristics and develop better diagnostic skills. The objective of this study was to determine whether simulation could be used to provide teams the experiences in managing scenarios that require the use of heuristic as well as analytic diagnostic skills to effectively recognize and treat potentially life-threatening injuries. METHODS: Ten scenarios were developed to assess the ability of trauma teams to provide initial care to a severely injured patient. Seven standard scenarios simulated severe injuries that once diagnosed could be effectively treated using standard Advanced Trauma Life Support algorithms. Because diagnostic error occurs more commonly in complex clinical settings, 3 complex scenarios required teams to use more advanced diagnostic skills to uncover a coexisting condition and treat the patient. Teams composed of 3 to 5 practitioners were evaluated in the performance of 7 (of 10) randomly selected scenarios (5 standard, 2 complex). Expert rates scored teams using standardized checklists and global scores. RESULTS: Eighty-three surgery, emergency medicine, and anesthesia residents constituted 21 teams. Expert raters were able to reliably score the scenarios. Teams accomplished fewer checklist actions and received lower global scores on the 3 analytic scenarios (73.8% [12.3%] and 5.9 [1.6], respectively) compared with the 7 heuristic scenarios (83.2% [11.7%] and 6.6 [1.3], respectively; P < 0.05 for both). Teams led by more junior residents received higher global scores on the analytic scenarios (6.4 [1.3]) than the more senior team leaders (5.3 [1.7]). CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study indicates that teams led by more senior residents received higher scores when managing heuristic scenarios but were less effective when managing the scenarios that require a more analytic approach. Simulation can be used to provide teams with decision-making experiences in trauma settings and could be used to improve diagnostic skills as well as study the decision-making process.

Pre-hospital and early in-hospital management of severe injuries: changes and trends.

The pre-hospital and early in-hospital management of most severely injured patients has dramatically changed over the last 20 years. In this context, the factor time has gained more and more attention, particularly in German-speaking countries. While the management in the early 1990s aimed at comprehensive and complete therapy at the accident site, the premise today is to stabilise trauma patients at the accident site and transfer them into the hospital rapidly. In addition, the introduction of training and education programmes such as Pre-hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS(®)), Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS(®)) concept or the TEAM(®) concept has increased the quality of treatment of most severely injured trauma patients both in the preclinical field and in the emergency trauma room. Today, all emergency surgical procedures in severely injured patients are generally performed in accordance with the Damage Control Orthopaedics (DCO) principle. The advancements described in this article provide examples for the improved quality of the management of severely injured patients in the preclinical field and during the initial in-hospital treatment phase. The implementation of trauma networks, the release of the S3 polytrauma guidelines, and the DGU "Weißbuch" have contributed to a more structured management of most severely injured patients.

[Management of medical care for the victims of road accidents in traumatology centers of Saint-Petersburg].

The number of road accidents, fatal outcomes and victims exceeded in 1.5 times in Saint-Petersburg in comparison with Moscow. At the average, 600 victims were treated in each of 6 first-level traumatology centers every year. The quantity of patients, who were admitted to 3 second-level traumatology centers, numbered 10 times less. About 300 people entered to others hospitals. The lethality consisted of 15%, 20% and 37%, respectively. There are a lot of matters, that should be discussed, such as an importance of better treatment financing of multitrauma by using compulsory medical insurance system, an optimization of pre-admission treatment and a necessity of patient delivery by mobile medical team using the anaesthesiology and resuscitation.

En 2010, la Consejería de Salud de Andalucía... [editorial] / No disponible

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Prehospital interventions for penetrating trauma victims: a prospective comparison between Advanced Life Support and Basic Life Support.

BACKGROUND: Advanced Life Support (ALS) providers may perform more invasive prehospital procedures, while Basic Life Support (BLS) providers offer stabilisation care and often "scoop and run". We hypothesised that prehospital interventions by urban ALS providers prolong prehospital time and decrease survival in penetrating trauma victims. STUDY DESIGN: We prospectively analysed 236 consecutive ambulance-transported, penetrating trauma patients an our urban Level-1 trauma centre (6/2008-12/2009). Inclusion criteria included ICU admission, length of stay >/=2 days, or in-hospital death. Demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes were compared between ALS and BLS patients. Single and multiple variable logistic regression analysis determined predictors of hospital survival. RESULTS: Of 236 patients, 71% were transported by ALS and 29% by BLS. When ALS and BLS patients were compared, no differences in age, penetrating mechanism, scene GCS score, Injury Severity Score, or need for emergency surgery were detected (p>0.05). Patients transported by ALS units more often underwent prehospital interventions (97% vs. 17%; p<0.01), including endotracheal intubation, needle thoracostomy, cervical collar, IV placement, and crystalloid resuscitation. While ALS ambulance on-scene time was significantly longer than that of BLS (p<0.01), total prehospital time was not (p=0.98) despite these prehospital interventions (1.8 ± 1.0 per ALS patient vs. 0.2 ± 0.5 per BLS patient; p<0.01). Overall, 69.5% ALS patients and 88.4% of BLS patients (p<0.01) survived to hospital discharge. CONCLUSION: Prehospital resuscitative interventions by ALS units performed on penetrating trauma patients may lengthen on-scene time but do not significantly increase total prehospital time. Regardless, these interventions did not appear to benefit our rapidly transported, urban penetrating trauma patients.

Practical Approach to the Management of the Severely Injured.

Events associated with severely injured victims are common occurrences. These injured patients should be properly managed to achieve good outcome. Trauma algorithm protocols are known to improve therapeutic process and outcome. However, most hospitals in our subregion that attend to severely injured patients are yet to develop an algorithm treatment protocols for the management of these patients. The ambulance system in Nigeria is still un-coordinated and unsupervised. Most of the existing ambulances are not well equipped and usually not manned by experienced paramedics. Therefore, transfer of severely injured victims is fraught with danger during transit. Communication link to inform the trauma centres ahead of transfer is virtually non-existent. Upgrading of the trauma systems in Nigeria is necessary to prevent unnecessary mortality among the resourceful age group that are mostly affected by events causing severely injured patients .