• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.120-125
• /
• 2017

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify clinical outcome and characteristics of trauma patients via emergency medical services (EMS). Methods: Medical records of the trauma patients visiting the emergency department were retrospectively collected and analyzed from January 2015 to June 2016 in the single institution. Of 529 registered patients, 371 patients were transported by - were enrolled. The parameters including age, gender, injury mechanism, Glasgow coma scale on arrival, presence of shock (systemic blood pressure <90 mmHg) on arrival, time to arrival from accident to emergency room (ER), need for emergency procedures such as operation or angioembolization, need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission, injury severity score (ISS), the trauma and injury severity score, revised trauma score (RTS), length of stay, and mortality rate were collected. The SAS version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA) was used for the data analysis. Results: Arrival time from the field to the ER was significantly shorter in EMS group. However, overall outcomes including mortalities, length of stay in the ICU and hospital were same between both groups. Age, ISS, RTS, and injury mechanisms were significantly different in both groups. ISS, RTS, and age showed significant influence on mortality statistically (p<0.05). Conclusions: The time to arrival of EMS was fast but had no effect on length of hospital stay, mortality rate. Further research that incorporates pre-hospital factors influence clinical outcomes should be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of such a system in trauma care of Korea.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.373-378
• /
• 1988

Since the introduction of percutaneous; transluminal coronary angioplasty[PTCA] by Grunt-zig in 1977, this is widely used in some patients with coronary artery disease and is an effective alternative to surgery for many patients. Indications for emergency coronary artery bypass graft[CABG] after PTCA are prolonged chest pain, worsening of coronary artery obstruction, "current of injury" by electrocardiogram, cardiogenic shock, and in a lesser incidence, ventricular fibrillation, coronary artery dissection[without obstruction], heart block, and intractable cardiac arrest. Recently, we have experienced one case of emergency CABG following unsuccessful PTCA. The patient was 54 year-old male and admitted with complaint of angina pectoris. The routine electrocardiogram revealed within normal limit. The treadmill test revealed severe chest pain after 2 min. exercise. Coronary cineangiogram revealed 95% segmental stenosis of the proximal right coronary artery. Our cardiologist was planned PTCA. During PTCA, severe chest pain and ischemic pattern on electrocardiogram were developed. But they were not relieved even by morphine and nitroglycerin till 90 min. So we performed emergency single coronary artery bypass graft from aorta to proximal right coronary artery with great saphenous vein. The patient had an excellent postoperative recovery and was free from anginal attack. He has shown striking improvement in general status[NYHA functional class 1] during 6 months after operation.operation.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.411-422
• /
• 2018

Background: Whether there is a difference in outcomes for trauma patients transferring to the helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) according to their previous team composition is controversial. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of trauma team-staffed-HEMS (TTS-HEMS) when transferring to a trauma center. Methods: A retrospective comparison was conducted on patients transported to a trauma center over a 6-year period by the TTS-HEMS and paramedic-staffed-HEMS (119-HEMS). Inclusion criteria were blunt trauma with age ${\geq}15years$. Patient outcomes were compared with the Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) (30-day mortality) and the Cox proportional hazard ratio of mortality (in hospital). Results: There were 321 patients of TTS-HEMS and 92 patients of 119-HEMS. The TTS-HEMS group had a higher Injury Severity Score and longer transport time but a significantly shorter time to emergency surgery. The prehospital data showed that the trauma team performed more aggressive interventions during transport. An additional 7.6 lives were saved per 100 TTS-HEMS deployments. However, the TRISS results in the 119-HEMS group were not significant. In addition, after adjusting for confounders, the hazard ratio of mortality in the 119-HEMS group was 2.83 times higher than that in the TTS-HEMS group. Conclusion: HEMS was likely to improve the survival rate of injured patients when physicians were involved in TTS-HEMS. Survival benefits in the TTS-HEMS group appeared to be related to the fact that the trauma team performed both more aggressive prehospital resuscitation and clinical decision making during transportation.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.92-98
• /
• 2002

Emergency medicine(EM) is the specialty of evaluating, stabilizing and initiating treatment for patients with life or limb-threatening illnesses or injuries. Techniques unique to the specialty of EM are the triage systems, quick stabilization methods, and emergency surgery procedures. The field of EM encompasses areas such as emergency department management, disaster planning and management, the management of emergency medical service(EMS) systems, research into such areas as brain and heart resuscitation, trauma and disaster management, survival medicine, and environmental emergencies(cold and heat injuries, poisioning, decompression sickness and barotrauma). Today, in addition to providing emergency care, the emergency specialists have moral and legal obligations to assess and report probable cases of child and spouse abuse, sexual assault, and alcohol and drug abuse. Future, the EM should provide surveillance, identification, intervention, and evaluation of injury and disease, therefore EM will remain as a key component of evolving community health care system.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.29-33
• /
• 2018

Traumatic blunt aortic injury especially on proximal ascending aorta is a rare injury with a few reports. Generally emergency surgical management was performed. In this case, however, in multiple trauma with brain injury, emergency surgical management of aortic injury might result in unexpected secondary injury of the brain. Herein, we report a case of a 33-year-old man who was driving a truck was injured in a head-on collision. Evaluation revealed a pseudoaneurysm on his ascending aorta concomitant with epidural hemorrhage. He was treated by surgical management of his ascending aorta after 3 days from accident. There were no postoperative and neurologic complications and the patient was discharged after 18 days.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.16-20
• /
• 2017

A 48-year-old man came to the emergency department with altered consciousness and hemoperitoneum following a pedestrian traffic accident. He underwent immediate emergency laparotomy, and on the second day, he required craniectomy because of increase of intracranial hemorrhage. A chest radiograph taken 7 days after admission, showed elevation of the right hemi-diaphragm, and follow-up chest CT showed a right-sided rupture of the diaphragm, which was surgically repaired. Rupture of the diaphragm can be easily overlooked and the diagnosis delayed, especially in unstable patients with multiple trauma or altered level of consciousness, as in the case reported here.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.56 no.2
• /
• pp.140-142
• /
• 2023

The azygos vein sometimes merges abnormally across the right upper lobe of the lung and it hangs at the lower edge of a membranous septum, called the meso-azygos. The septum invaginates the lobe and makes a fissure. The smaller medial part of the right upper lobe is called an azygos lobe. A 16-year-old male patient was diagnosed with right-sided pneumothorax, and a closed thoracostomy was done in the emergency room. During elective wedge resection including the bulla, the meso-azygos, abnormal azygos vein, and azygos lobe were detected. We reviewed the computed tomography images and found that the azygos lobe had re-expanded laterally, not medially, to the meso-azygos after the closed thoracostomy in the emergency room. The patient had been diagnosed with left-sided pneumothorax a year ago, and no one noticed the azygos lobe at that time. We report the intraoperative findings and comparative images of a migratory azygos lobe.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.173-178
• /
• 2017

Purpose: Most patients with acute low back pain visit emergency room (ER). They mostly need beds, and if their length of stay is longer, it can become difficult to accommodate new patients at the ER. We analyzed the treatment process of patients with back pain and tried to find method for shortening of the length of stay at the ER. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients with back pain who visited at our ER for one year. Patients were divided into two groups according to their length of stay at ER and were compared the charateristcs of between two groups. Results: A total of 274 patients were included in the study. Eigthy-nine patients (32.5%) were in the group with less than 3 hours and 185 patients (67.5%) were in the other group. In the comparison of the two groups according to the medical departments, the number of patients who were in group with more than 3 hours were 25 (14.0%) in the emergency department, 94 (50.5%) in neurosurgery, 66 (35.5%) in orthopedic surgery. Length of stay was significantly increased in orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery (p=0.014). In addition, the length of stay was longer when computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging examinations were performed (p=0.000). Regardless of the type of analgesic agent, the median time to the analgesic treatment was shorter in the group with less than 3 hours (p=0.034). Conclusions: In patients with back pain who visit the ER, the emergency medicine doctor will early control the pain and do not unnecessary image examination to reduce a length of stay at the ER.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.49 no.2
• /
• pp.130-133
• /
• 2016

The rupture of an internal mammary artery (IMA) aneurysm in a patient with type 1 neurofibromatosis (NF-1) is a rare but life-threatening complication requiring emergency management. A 50-year-old man with NF-1 was transferred to the emergency department of Kyungpook National University Hospital, where an IMA aneurysmal rupture and hemothorax were diagnosed and drained. The IMA aneurysmal rupture and hemothorax were successfully repaired by staged management combining endovascular treatment and subsequent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). The patient required cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation, the staged management of coil embolization, and a subsequent VATS procedure. This staged approach may be an effective therapeutic strategy in cases of IMA aneurysmal rupture.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.431-437
• /
• 2015

Background Repair of facial laceration in the emergency department can pose a number of difficulties. Children can be uncooperative, but adults can also be if they have sustained head trauma or are intoxicated. Leukosan SkinLink consists of topical adhesive and adhesive tape that can be applied easily to long or tense wounds. In this study, the authors compared conventional suturing with Leukosan SkinLink for facial laceration patients in the emergency department. Methods The prospective study was carried out from March 2013 to September 2013 with linear facial laceration patients visiting the emergency department. Exclusion criteria were open fractures, joint injuries, skin defects, hairy skin, and mucosa. The author used Leukosan SkinLink for skin closure in the experimental group and used conventional suturing in the control group. The scar evaluation using the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) along with satisfaction scores, procedure times, and complications were compared. Results A total of 77 patients (30 in the control group and 47 in the experimental group) participated and underwent follow-up for 6 months postoperatively. The scar assessment using the POSAS and the satisfaction score in both groups were similar. The average procedure time in the experimental group was shorter. In the control group, there were four cases of wound dehiscence, two of infection, and one of skin necrosis, whereas four cases of wound dehiscence and one allergic reaction occurred in the experimental group. Conclusions With a simple application technique, Leukosan SkinLink is a new effective method for facial laceration repair especially useful for children and uncooperative adults.