• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.135-142
• /
• 2006

Purpose: We planned to determine the diagnostic capability of focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) in cases of blunt abdominal injury (BAI). Methods: A retrospective analysis of FAST sheets was performed from April 2002 to December 2004. During the study period, 135 BAI patients were evaluated with FAST at the Emergency Department of Bundang CHA Hospital. Of this group, twenty-eight patients were excluded, leaving 107 patients for analysis. Abdomen CT (computerized tomography) or exploratory laparotomy confirmed the presence of hemoperitoneum. At the secondary survey, patients underwent a three-view FAST examination (LogicQ; General Electric, Waukesha, USA) by an emergency physician, followed within 2 hours by an abdomen CT or exploratory laparotomy. The FAST examination was considered positive if it demonstrated evidence of free intra-abdominal fluid. Results: There were 45 true-positive FAST examination, 57 true-negatives, 1 false-positive, and 4 false negatives (sensitivity 91.8%, specificity 98.3%, positive predictive value 97.8%, negative predictive value 93.4%). The area under the ROC curve was 0.951 for the FAST examination. Conclusion: FAST is a highly reliable method for screening patients suspected of having BAI for the presence or absence of hemoperitoneum.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.294-298
• /
• 2021

Extrahepatic biliary tract and gallbladder injuries following blunt abdominal trauma are uncommon. Traumatic cystic duct transection is even rarer, which has frequently caused missed diagnosis and delayed treatment. An 18-year-old female patient with no past medical history was transferred to the Trauma Center of Kyungpook National University Hospital after falling from a height of approximately 20 meters. She became hemodynamically stable after initial resuscitation, and initial contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed right kidney traumatic infarction and multiple intrahepatic contusions with minimal fluid collection but no extravasation of the contrast. She was admitted to the intensive care unit. On the second day of hospitalization, her abdomen became distended, with follow-up CT showing a large collection of intra-abdominal fluid. Laparoscopic exploration was then performed, which revealed devascularization of the gallbladder with complete transection of the cystic duct and artery. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed, as well as primary closure of the cystic duct orifice on the common bile duct using a 4-0 Prolene suture. After surgery, no clinical evidence of biliary leakage or common bile duct stricture was observed.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.215-218
• /
• 2014

Blunt abdominal trauma may often cause multiple vascular injuries. However, common iliac artery injuries without associated bony injury are very rarely seen in trauma patients. In the present case, a 77-year-old male patient who had no medical history was admitted via the emergency room with blunt abdominal trauma caused by a forklift. At admission, the patient was in shock and had abdominal distension. On abdomino-pelvic computed tomography (CT), the patient was seen to have hemoperitoneum, right common iliac artery thrombosis and left common iliac artery rupture. During surgery, an additional injury to inferior vena cava was confirmed, and a primary repair of the inferior vena cava was successfully performed. However, the bleeding from the left common iliac artery could not be controlled, even with multiple sutures, so the left common iliac artery was ligated. Through an inguinal skin incision, the right common iliac artery thrombosis was removed with a Forgaty catheter and a femoral-to-femoral bypass graft was successfully performed. After the post-operative 13th day, on a follow-up CT angiography, the femoral-to-femoral bypass graft was seen to have good patency, but a right common iliac artery dissection was diagnosed. Thus, a right common iliac artery stent was inserted. Finally, the patient was discharged without complications.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.284-291
• /
• 2015

The aim of this study is to present a nonoperative treatment for abdominal injuries in patients with multiple traumas and to discuss the role of metropolitan tertiary hospital, non-regional trauma centers. We collected data from patients with multiple traumas including abdominal injuries from 2009 to 2014. Patient characteristics, associated injuries, short-term outcomes and departments that managed the patients overall were analyzed. Based on treatment modalities for abdominal injury, patients were divided into two groups: the operative treatment group and the nonoperative treatment group. We compared differences in patient characteristics, injury mechanisms, initial vital signs, detailed injury types, lengths of hospital and ICU stays. Of the 167 patients with multiple traumas, abdominal injuries were found in 57 patients. The injury mechanism for 44 patients (77.2%) was traffic accidents, and associated extra-abdominal injuries were shown in 45 patients (78.9%). The mean lengths of hospital and ICU stays for the 57 patients were 36.4 days and 8.3 days, respectively. The in-hospital mortality rate was 8.8%. Ten patients (17.5%) were treated operatively, and 47 patients (82.5%) were treated nonoperatively. Among the 47 patients in the nonoperative treatment group, 17 patients received embolization, and 3 patients underwent a percutaneous drainage procedure. Operative treatments were used more in patients with injuries to the pancreas and bowel. No patient required additional surgery or died due to the failure of nonoperative treatment. No differences in the clinical characteristics except for the detailed injury type were observed between the two groups. In appropriately selected patients with multiple traumas including abdominal injuries, nonoperative treatment is a safe and feasible. For rapid and accurate managements of these patients, well-trained trauma surgeons who can manage problems with the various systems in the human body and who can decide whether nonoperative treatment is appropriate or not are required.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.177-180
• /
• 2018

Heterotopic bone formation in abdominal incisions is a recognized but uncommon sequela of abdominal surgery. On the other hand, the formation of ectopic bone is a well-recognized complication following arthroplasty of the hip. Heterotopic ossification of midline abdominal incision scars is a subtype of myositis ossificans traumatica. Ectopic bone formation of midline abdominal incisions may cause regional pain or discomfort in the patient after surgery. If symptomatic, treatment is complete excision with primary closure. Radiologically, it is important to distinguish this benign entity from postoperative complications. We report a 69-year-old male who underwent exploratory laparotomy for traumatic small bowel perforation. A segment of abnormal hard tissue was found in the abdominal wall. Heterotopic ossification may occur at various sites and is a recognized but infrequent sequela of exploratory laparotomy. This case highlights clinical and etiological features of this finding.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.287-290
• /
• 2022

Gastric artery bleeding after blunt trauma is rare. In such cases, if vital signs are stable, angiographic embolization may be performed. Although gastric artery embolization is known to be safe due to its anatomical properties, complications may occur. We report a case of gastric necrosis after gastric artery embolization in a patient with blunt abdominal trauma. The 55-year-old male patient was found with gastric arterial bleeding after a traffic accident. His vital signs were stable, and gastric artery embolization was performed. Gastric necrosis was subsequently found, which was treated surgically.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.33-36
• /
• 2016

Traffic accidents involving agricultural machinery have been decreasing, but mortality is still high due to a lack of safety devices such as seat belts. Furthermore, secondary damage, such as abdominal impalement injury caused by loaded materials, is more likely to occur, and this type of injury leads to a poor prognosis. Impalement with pipes is often more fatal than other penetrating injuries because the diameter of the pipe is usually larger in size than other loaded materials. We report a case of a 72-year-old man with secondary abdominal impalement injury caused by a scaffolding pipe following a traffic accident.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.208-210
• /
• 2014

Rupture of the spleen is relatively common, both immediately and in a delayed fashion following significant blunt abdominal trauma. However, atraumatic splenic rupture rarely occurs. Multiple underlying pathologies have been associated with splenic rupture without trauma, including hematological, neoplastic, inflammatory and infectious conditions. In our case, a 21-year-old male without prior medical history visited the hospital with left upper quadrant abdominal pain that had started one day earlier. He had no history of trauma. An abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan found a collection of perisplenic fluid, accompanying a splenic rupture. Due to the patient's stable vital signs and lack of clinical progression of hemorrhage, he underwent conservative treatment. The patient was discharged at day 14 without complication. Rupture of a normal spleen without a history of trauma is not often reported, and it has long been a subject of debate. Ruptures of normal spleen almost always follow some kind of trauma, such as a car accidents or a fall from significant heights. Here, we report a case of spontaneous rupture of a normal spleen in the absence of other medical pathologies or triggering factors.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.248-255
• /
• 2015

Purpose: study of the mutual influence of the individual anatomical regions damage in patients associated with falls from heights. Methods: 561 medical reports of patients associated with falls from heights admitted to Republican Research Center of Emergency Medicine (RRCEM), in period of 2010-2013 yy, were analyzed retrospectively. Patient's age range was from 15 to 89. Treatment of these patients held in three stages: period of acute disorders of vital functions; relative stabilization period; stabilization of vital functions. The scope and content of medical diagnostic procedures performed on pre-hospital and intensive care stages. The severity of each injury was scored according to the AIS scale, the total severity of lesions was scored by points due to ISS. Digital material is treated by methods of mathematical statistics. Results: Falls from heights leads to associated injuries for 4 times more than isolated trauma, and increases according to height of fall and falling surface. Patients with TBI+chest trauma, are most serious contingent that has highest mortality and complications (36.8%). TBI+musculoskeletal system trauma are characterized by high blood loss, traumatic shock and fat embolism, forming a vicious circle. Conclusion: in patients associated with falls from heights clinical manifestations of injuries mutual aggravation syndrome will be seen. TBI leads to complication of chest trauma, delayed diagnostics of abdominal and chest trauma, aggravation of coma condition. Developing of high blood loss and fat embolism in musculoskeletal system trauma leads to shock and pulmonary embolism, which increases probability of death in the presence of abdominal or chest trauma, but abdominal trauma or chest trauma has no significant effect on the severity of the musculoskeletal system trauma.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.67-71
• /
• 2012

Purpose: Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) provides an important initial screening examination in adult trauma patients. However, due to its low sensitivity, FAST is not a replacement for computed tomography (CT) in hemodynamically stable trauma patients. The aim of this study was to determine the test characteristics of FAST in adult, hemodynamically stable, blunt abdominal trauma patients by using a critical action as a reference standard. Methods: The medical records for FAST examination at a single hospital from January 2009 to February 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. The inclusion criterion was isolated, hemodynamically stable, blunt abdominal trauma. Hemodynamically unstable patients or patients with penetrating injuries were excluded. The reference standard was the presence of a critical action, which was defined as one of the following: 1) operative intervention for a finding discovered on CT, 2) interventional radiology for bleeding, 3) transfusion of 2 or more packed RBCs, or 4) death at the emergency department. Results: There were 230 patients who met the inclusion criterion. There were 20 true positive, 206 true negative, 0 false positive, and 4 false negative results. The sensitivity and the specificity were 83% and 100%, respectively. Conclusion: Despite its low sensitivity for detecting any abnormal finding discovered on CT, negative FAST could aid to exclude critical action in hemodynamically stable, blunt abdominal trauma patients.