• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.337-342
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the resting energy expenditure (REE) measured using indirect calorimetry with that estimated using predictive equations in severe trauma patients to determine the appropriate caloric requirements. Methods: Patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit between January 2020 and March 2023 were included in this study. Indirect calorimetry was used to measure the patients' REE values. These values were subsequently compared with those estimated using predictive equations: the weight-based equation (rule of thumb, 25 kcal/kg/day), Harris-Benedict, Ireton-Jones, and the Penn State 2003 equations. Results: A total of 27 severe trauma patients were included in this study, and 47 indirect calorimetric measurements were conducted. The weight-based equation (mean difference [MD], -28.96±303.58 kcal) and the Penn State 2003 equation (MD, - 3.56±270.39 kcal) showed the closest results to REE measured by indirect calorimetry. However, the REE values estimated using the Harris-Benedict equation (MD, 156.64±276.54 kcal) and Ireton-Jones equation (MD, 250.87±332.54 kcal) displayed significant differences from those measured using indirect calorimetry. The concordance rate, which the predictive REE differs from the measured REE value within 10%, was up to 36.2%. Conclusions: The REE values estimated using predictive equations exhibited substantial differences from those measured via indirect calorimetry. Therefore, it is necessary to measure the REE value through indirect calorimetry in severe trauma patients.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.385-392
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• 2023

Purpose: This study investigated the epidemiology, management, outcomes, and postoperative disabilities of degloving soft tissue injuries (DSTIs) treated at a tertiary care center in northern India. Methods: A prospective study of patients with DSTIs was conducted over 15 months. The type of degloving injury, the mechanism of injury, and any associated injuries were analyzed using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0 along with the management, outcomes, and disabilities at a 3-month follow-up. Results: Among 75 patients with DSTIs, the average age was 27.5 years, 80.0% were male, and 76.0% had been injured in traffic accidents. The majority (93.3%) were open degloving injuries. Lower limbs were affected most often (62.7%), followed by upper limbs (32.0%). Fractures were the most commonly associated injuries (72.0%). Most patients required more than two procedures, including secondary debridement (41.3%), split skin grafting (80.0%), flap coverage (12.0%), or vacuum-assisted closure (24.0%), while five patients underwent conservative management for closed degloving injuries. Postoperative complications included surgical site infections (14.7%) and skin necrosis (10.7%). Two patients died due to septic shock and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. The mean length of hospital stay was 11.5±8.1 days, with injuries affecting the lower limbs and perineum requiring longer hospital stays. The mean WHODAS 2.0 disability score at 3 months was 19. Most patients had mild disabilities. Time away from work depended largely upon the site and severity of the injury. Approximately 75% of patients resumed their previous job or study, 14% changed their job, and 8% stopped working completely due to residual disability. Conclusions: DSTIs are common injuries in trauma and management is challenging. Although open DSTI are clinically evident at secondary survey, closed degloving injuries may be missed in the primary survey, necessitating a high index of suspicion, thorough clinical examination, and protocol-based management. Primary preventive strategies (e.g., road safety protocols, preplacement training, and proper protective equipment in industries) are also needed to reduce the incidence of these injuries.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.106-113
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• 2024

Purpose: Helicopter transport with medical teams has been proven to be effective, with improvements in patient survival rates. This study compared and analyzed the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of trauma patients transported by doctor helicopters according to whether patients were transferred after a clinical evaluation or without a clinical evaluation. Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed data from the Korean Trauma Data Bank of trauma patients who arrived at a regional trauma center through doctor helicopters from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2022. The patients were divided into two groups: doctor helicopter transport before evaluation (DHTBE) and doctor helicopter transport after evaluation (DHTAE). These groups were compared. Results: The study population included 351 cases. At the time of arrival at the trauma center, the systolic blood pressure was significantly lower in the DHTAE group than in the DHTBE group (P=0.018). The Injury Severity Score was significantly higher in the DHTAE group (P<0.001), and the accident to trauma center arrival time was significantly shorter in the DHTBE group (P<0.001). Mortality did not show a statistically significant between-group difference (P=0.094). Surgical cases in the DHTAE group had a longer time from the accident scene to trauma center arrival (P=0.002). The time from the accident to the operation room or from the accident to angioembolization showed no statistically significant differences. Conclusions: DHTAE was associated with significantly longer transport times to the trauma center, as well as nonstatistically significant trends for delays in receiving surgery and procedures, as well as higher mortality. If severe trauma is suspected, air transport to a trauma center should be requested immediately after a simple screening test (e.g., mechanism of injury, Glasgow Coma Scale, or Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma), which may help reduce the time to definitive treatment.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.74-78
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• 2024

Inferior vena cava (IVC) injuries can have fatal outcomes and are associated with high mortality rates. Patients with IVC injuries require multiple procedures, including prehospital care, surgical techniques, and postoperative care. We present the case of a 67-year-old woman who stabbed herself in the abdomen with a knife, resulting in an infrarenal IVC injury. We shortened the transfer time by transporting the patient using a helicopter and decided to perform direct-to-operating room resuscitation by a trauma physician in the helicopter. The patient underwent laparotomy with IVC ligation for damage control during the first operation. The second- and third-look operations, including previous suture removal, IVC reconstruction, and IVC thrombectomy, were performed by a trauma surgeon specializing in cardiovascular diseases. The patient was discharged without major complications on the 19th postoperative day with rivaroxaban as an anticoagulant medication. Computed tomography angiography at the outpatient clinic showed that thrombi in the IVC and both iliac veins had been completely removed. Patients with IVC injuries can be effectively treated using a trauma system that includes fast transportation by helicopter, damage control for rapid hemostasis, and expert treatment of IVC injuries.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.182-191
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• 2024

Purpose: Vascular injuries require immediate surgical treatment with standard vascular techniques. We aimed to identify pitfalls in vascular surgery for trauma team optimization and to suggest recommendations for trauma and vascular surgeons. Methods: We reviewed 28 victims and analyzed the patterns of injuries, methods of repair, and outcomes. Results: Ten patients had torso injuries, among whom three thoracic aorta injuries were repaired with thoracic endovascular aortic repair, one left hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm with embolization, and two inferior vena cava with venorrhaphy, three iliac arteries with patch angioplasty or embolization, and three common femoral arteries with bypass surgery or arterioplasty. Four patients had upper extremity injuries, among whom one brachial artery and vein was repaired with bypass surgery after temporary intravascular shunt perfusion, two radial arteries were repaired with anastomoses, and one ulnar artery was repaired with ligation. One radial artery under tension was occluded. Fourteen patients had lower extremity injuries, among whom one superficial femoral artery and vein was repaired with bypass and concomitant ligation of the deep femoral artery and vein, three superficial femoral arteries were repaired with bypass (two concomitant femoral veins with bypass or anastomosis), one deep femoral artery with embolization, two popliteal arteries with bypass or anastomosis, four infrapopliteal transected arteries, one arteriovenous fistula with ligation, and one pseudoaneurysm with bypass. However, one superficial femoral artery and all femoral veins were occluded. One leg replantation failed. Conclusions: There are potential complications of vascular access during resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta procedures. Vascular repair should be performed without tension or spasm. Preservation of the harvested vein in papaverine solution and blood while using a temporary intravascular shunt is a method of eliminating spasms.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.9-14
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• 2015

Purpose: The aim of this study was to estimate the seropositive prevalence of blood-borne infection in neurotrauma patients who underwent emergent surgical intervention, especially patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), syphilis and human immunodefIciency virus (HIV). Methods: A retrospective review identified 559 patients with traumatic brain injury and spinal trauma who underwent emergent surgery between 2007 and 2014. We reviewed the medical records and extracted data, including age, sex, location of lesion, result of serologic tests, time interval of admission and surgery after presenting to emergency room. Serologic tests for HBV, HCV, syphilis and HIV were performed and analyzed to determine whether the seropositive results were confirmed by the surgeon before surgery. Results: The majority of the patients were male (74.6%), and the mean age was $55.4{\pm}20.2years$. Most patients underwent surgery due to traumatic brain injury (90.0%). Fifty-three patients (10.0%) showed a positive result on at least one serologic test. Seropositive rates according to pathogens were 0.5% for syphilis, 5.2% for HBV and 3.9% for HCV. No positive results were noted on the serologic tests for HIV. HBV in patients with spinal cord injury and age from 40 to 49 years were associated with high serologic positive rate, and that result was statistically significant. However, no statistically significant differences were found in the other variables. Serologic results could not confirmed before surgery in the majority of the cases (62.1%), and 10.4% of these patients showed seropositive results. Conclusion: The results of this study emphasize the importance of taking precautions and conducting rapid serologic testing in preventing the occupational transmission of blood-borne viruses to health-care workers.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.43-48
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• 2010

Purpose: Over the past few decades, the treatment of traumatic splenic injuries has shifted to nonoperative management from surgical intervention. Although some nonoperative management failure have been reported, in most trauma centers, nonoperative management is now believed to be the treatment of choice in hemodynamically stable patients. Then, in this study, we have retrospectively evaluated our experience with traumatic splenic injury. Methods: From January 2005 to July 2009, 150 patients with blunt splenic injuries were managed in our hospital. Patients' charts were retrospectively reviewed to analyze their treatment, the patients were grouped according to those who had been admitted before October 2006, defined as the "early group", and those who had been admitted after October 2006, defined as the "late group". After the patients had been divided into two group, physiologic parameters and differences between the treatments were compared. Results: 150 patients were admitted to our hospital with blunt splenic trauma. In late group, both the surgical management rate and the nonoperative management failure rate were lower than they were in the early group. Conclusion: We expect angioembolization to effectively replace surgery for the treatment of selected patients with blunt splenic injury and to result in fewer complications.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.21-28
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• 2010

Purpose: In Korea, most abdominal penetrating wounds are caused by stab wounds rather than gun-shot wounds. However, not many studies have been performed on stab injuries and their epidemiologic characteristics. Disagreements of opinions of obligatory surgical exploration and conservative treatment exist, and this subject is still being debated. Therefore, the authors studied the epidemiologic characteristics of abdominal stab wound patients visiting the emergency department and reviewed the proportion of patients that received nontherapeutic surgery and conservative treatment. Methods: This study included patients visiting the emergency department with abdominal stab wounds. A retrospective chart review was done on the abdominal stab wound patients. Sex, age, cause of injury, location of wound, initial vital signs, operation results, injured organs and CT & LWE results were reviewed. Results: The median age of the 121 patients was 40.9 years, of these patients, 88 were males, of which 52 (43.0%) were drunken. Of the patients that received non-therapeutic operations, only 3 patients (15.0%) were drunken, significantly lower than the therapeutic operation group. For the location of the wound, most patients were injured in the right and left upper quadrants, 27 patients each. The most common injured organ was the small bowel; 13 patients were injured in the small bowel. With abdominal CT scans and local wound explorations together, the results exhibited a sensitivity of 97%, a specificity of 44%, a positive predictive value of 56%, and a negative predictive value of 95%. Conclusion: In our study, the sensitivity was 97% when CT & LWE were performed together; thus we can conclude that CT and LWE can be used together to select the treatment method. Although in our study, the surgical indications in abdominal stab wound patients is not sufficient, our results showed a higher rate of nontherapeutic surgery compared to previous studies. Therefore, more research is needed to prevent unnecessary laparotomies in hemodynamically-stable patients without symptoms.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.21-27
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• 2006

Purpose: The liver is one of the most commonly injured organs by blunt or penetrating abdominal trauma. Patients with liver injury can be treated by using nonoperative or operative management. The aim of this study was to study patients with traumatic liver injury who were treated by using operative management. Methods: Ninety-eight patients with traumatic liver injury underwent surgical treatment from January 1995 to December 2004 at Soonchunhyang University Cheonan hospital. Medical records were reviewed retrospectively, and demographic, clinical, operative, and postoperative datas were collected and analyzed. Results: Among the patients with operative management, the peak incidence was in the third and the fourth decades. The male-to-female ratio was 1.9:1. The most frequent injury mechanism was blunt trauma (85.7%). Abdominal computed tomography was the diagnostic modality used most frequently. Severe liver injury above Grade III was seen in 80.6% of all patients, and long bone fracture was the most common combined injury. Patients were managed by using various techniques, including simple closure, liver resection, and perihepatic packing. Pulmonary complications were the most common postoperative complications (35.7%). the overall mortality rate was 17.3%. Between the survival group and the expired group, the amount of transfusion for the expired group was statistically more than that for the survival group. Conclusion: Operative management is an effective treatment modality for hemodynamically unstable patients with severe traumatic liver injury. The amount of transfusion is a significant prognostic factor for survival.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.243-247
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• 2013

Introduction: Surgical treatment of subclavian artery (SA) injury is challenging because approaching the lesion directly and clamping the proximal artery is difficult. This can be overcome by using an endovascular technique. Case 1: A 37-year-old male was drawn into the concrete mixer truck. He had a right SA injury with multiple traumatic injuries: an open fracture of the right leg with posterior tibial artery (PTA) injury, a right hemothorax, and fractures of the clavicle, scapula, ribs, cervical spine and nasal bone. The injury severity score (ISS) was 27. Computed tomography (CT) showed a 30-mm-length thrombotic occlusion in the right SA, which was 15 mm distal to the vertebral artery (VA). A self-expandable stent($8mm{\times}40mm$ in size) was deployed through the right femoral artery while preserving VA flow, and the radial pulse was palpable after deployment. Other operations were performed sequentially. He had a viable right arm during a 13-month follow-up period. Case 2: A 25-year-old male was admitted to our hospital due to a motorcycle accident. The ISS was 34 because of a hemothorax and open fractures of the mandible and the left hand. Intraoperative angiography was done through a right femoral artery puncture. Contrast extravasation of the SA was detected just outside the left rib cage. After balloon catheter had been inflated just proximal to the bleeding site, direct surgical exploration was performed through infraclavicular skin incision. The transected SA was identified, and an interposition graft was performed using a saphenous vein graft. Other operations were performed sequentially. He had a viable left arm during a 15-month follow-up period. Conclusion: The challenge of repairing an SA injury can be overcome by using an endovascular approach.