• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.170-174
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• 2013

Purpose: A flail chest is one of most challenging problems for trauma surgeons. It is usually accompanied by significant underlying pulmonary parenchymal injuries and mayled to a life-threatening thoracic injury. In this study, we evaluated the treatment result for a flail chest to determine the effect of trauma localization on morbidity and mortality. Methods: Between 2004 and 2011, 46 patients(29 males/17 females) were treated for a flail chest. The patients were divided into two group based on the location of the trauma in the chest wall; Group I contained patients with an anterior flail chest due to a bilateral costochondral separation (n=27) and Group II contained patients with a single-side posterolateral flail chest due to a segmental rib fracture (n=19). The location of the trauma in the chest wall, other injuries, mechanical ventilation support, prognosis and ISS (injury severity score) were retrospectively examined in the two groups. Results: Mechanical ventilation support was given in 38 patients(82.6%), and 7 of these 38 patients required a subsequent tracheostomy. The mean ISS for all 46 patients was $19.08{\pm}10.57$. Between the two groups, there was a significant difference in mean ventilator time (p<0.048), but no significant difference in either trauma-related morbidity (p=0.369) or mortality (p=0.189). Conclusion: An anterior flail chest frequently affects the two underlying lung parenchyma and can cause a bilateral lung contusion, a hemopneumothorax and lung hemorrhage. Thus, it needs longer ventilator care than a lateral flail chest does and is more frequently associated with pulmonary complications with poor outcome than a lateral flail chest is. In a severe trauma patient with a flail chest, especially an anterior flail chest, we must pay more attention to the pulmonary care strategy and the bronchial toilet.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed at developing a novel tube thoracostomy technique using the sternum, a fixed anatomical structure, as an indicator to reduce the possibility of incorrect chest tube positioning and complications in patients with chest trauma. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the data of 184 patients with chest trauma who were aged ≥18 years, visited a single regional trauma center in Korea between April and June 2022, and underwent chest computed tomography (CT) with their arms down. The conventional gold standard, 5th intercostal space (ICS) method, was compared to the lower 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 of the sternum method by analyzing CT images. Results: When virtual tube thoracostomy routes were drawn at the mid-axillary line at the 5th ICS level, 150 patients (81.5%) on the right side and 179 patients (97.3%) on the left did not pass the diaphragm. However, at the lower 1/2 of the sternum level, 171 patients (92.9%, P<0.001) on the right and 182 patients (98.9%, P= 0.250) on the left did not pass the diaphragm. At the 5th ICS level, 129 patients (70.1%) on the right and 156 patients (84.8%) on the left were located in the safety zone and did not pass the diaphragm. Alternatively, at the lower 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 of the sternum level, 139 (75.5%, P=0.185), 49 (26.6%, P<0.001), and 10 (5.4%, P<0.001), respectively, on the right, and 146 (79.3%, P=0.041), 69 (37.5%, P<0.001), and 16 (8.7%, P<0.001) on the left were located in the safety zone and did not pass the diaphragm. Compared to the conventional 5th ICS method, the sternum 1/2 method had a safety zone prediction sensitivity of 90.0% to 90.7%, and 97.3% to 100% sensitivity for not passing the diaphragm. Conclusions: Using the sternum length as a tube thoracostomy indicator might be feasible.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2022

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of evidence-based practice competency, self-leadership, and organizational commitment on professional self-concept of nurses in regional trauma centers. Methods: The 98 research participants were nurses with clinical experience of a year or more. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, Mann-Whitney U test, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation coefficients were computed, and multiple regression analysis was conducted. Results: Professional self-concept showed statistically significant differences according to marital status, religion, and educational background, and was positively correlated with and affected by evidence-based practice competency, self-leadership, and organizational commitment. Conclusion: Trauma nursing education programs should include evidence-based practice competency and self-leadership and organizational support should be provided to improve the professional self-concept of nurses in regional trauma centers.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.47-52
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• 2013

Purpose: Injury severity score (ISS), a widely used scoring system, is used to define the severity of trauma in multiple-trauma patients. Nevertheless, ISS cut-off value for predicting the outcome of multiple-trauma patients has not been confirmed. Thus, this study was performed to determine the more useful method for predicting the outcome for multiple-trauma patients: the ISS or the number of anatomical Abbreviated injury scale (AIS) injury regions. Methods: for 195 consecutive patients who a regional emergency medical center, we analyzed the ISS and the number of anatomical AIS injury region. The patients were divided into four groups based on the ISS and the number of anatomical AIS regions. We compared intensive-care-unit (ICU) admission days and hospitalization days and ICU stay ratio (ICU admission days/hospitalization days) between the four groups. Results: In the groups with an ISS more than 17, the results were not significantly different statistically the group with 2 anatomical AIS injury regions and more than 3 anatomical AIS injury regions. Also, in the group with an ISS of 17 or less, the results were the same as those for patients with an ISS more than 17 (p>0.05). Among the patients with 2 anatomical AIS injury regions, patients with an ISS more than 17 patients had more ICU admission days and a higher ICU stay ratio than patients with an ISS 17 or less. Also, Among the patients with 3 anatomical AIS injury regions, the results were the same as those for patients with 2 anatomical AIS injury regions. Conclusion: Patients with high ISS, regardless of the number of anatomical AIS injury regions had significantly longer ICU stays and higher ICU admission ratio. Thus, the ISS may be a better method than the number of anatomical AIS injury regions for predicting the outcomes for multiple-trauma patients.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.232-242
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• 2019

Objective : To investigate the effects of trauma center establishment on the clinical characteristics and outcomes of trauma patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods : We enrolled 322 patients with severe trauma and TBI from January 2015 to December 2016. Clinical factors, indexes, and outcomes were compared before and after trauma center establishment (September 2015). The outcome was the Glasgow outcome scale classification at 3 months post-trauma. Results : Of the 322 patients, 120 (37.3%) and 202 (62.7%) were admitted before and after trauma center establishment, respectively. The two groups were significantly different in age (p=0.038), the trauma location within the city (p=0.010), the proportion of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions (p=0.001), and the emergency room stay time (p<0.001). Mortality occurred in 37 patients (11.5%). Although the preventable death rate decreased from before to after center establishment (23.1% vs. 12.5%), the difference was not significant. None of the clinical factors, indexes, or outcomes were different from before to after center establishment for patients with severe TBI (Glasgow coma scale score ${\leq}8$). However, the proportion of inter-hospital transfers increased and the time to emergency room arrival was longer in both the entire cohort and patients with severe TBI after versus before trauma center establishment. Conclusion : We confirmed that for patients with severe trauma and TBI, establishing a trauma center increased the proportion of ICU admissions and decreased the emergency room stay time and preventable death rate. However, management strategies for handling the high proportion of inter-hospital transfers and long times to emergency room arrival will be necessary.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.500-506
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• 2018

This study analyzed current prehospital emergency care for severe trauma patients administered by different number of 119 EMS (emergency medical services) teams. Out of 1,067 severe trauma patients transferred by 119 EMS teams in J province from January 1st to December 31st 2015, 438 were evaluated in this study. IBM SPSS Statistics 21.0 was used to analyze collected data. The number of patients with severe trauma during the period of study was higher in male with two and three ambulance crews of 119 EMS teams with 242 patients (70.6%) and 66 patients (69.5%) respectively. The percentage of transfers made to local emergency medical centers was highest in those two groups, being 44.0% (151 patients) and 49.5% (47 patients), respectively. Total time spent at the scene did not differ between ambulance crews of two and three, nor did the frequency of practicing advanced airway management and IV (intravenous) cannulation, or the success rate of IV cannulation (p=0.253, p=0.362, p=1.000). Overall, the results indicated that merely increasing the number of paramedics does not improve the quality of prehospital care for severe trauma patients. Measures such as securing professional paramedics, simplifying direct medical oversights, activating indirect medical oversights, and expanding the legally allowed work scope are required.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.166-172
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• 2017

Purpose: Thoracic traumas represent 10-15% of all traumas and are responsible for 25% of all trauma mortalities. Traumatic cardiac injury (TCI) is one of the major causes of death in trauma patients, rarely present in living patients who are transferred to the hospital. TCI is a challenge for trauma surgeons as it provides a short therapeutic window and the management is often dictated by the underlying mechanism and hemodynamic status. This study is to describe our experiences about emergency cardiac surgery in TCI. Methods: This is a retrospective clinical analysis of patients who had undergone emergency cardiac surgery in our trauma center from January 2014 to December 2016. Demographics, physiologic data, mechanism of injuries, the timing of surgical interventions, surgical approaches and outcomes were reviewed. Results: The number of trauma patients who arrived at our hospital during the study period was 9,501. Among them, 884 had chest injuries, 434 patients were evaluated to have over 3 abbreviated injury scale (AIS) about the chest. Cardiac surgeries were performed in 18 patients, and 13 (72.2%) of them were male. The median age was 47.0 years (quartiles 35.0, 55.3). Eleven patients (61.1%) had penetrating traumas. Prehospital cardiopulmonary resuscitations (CPR) were performed in 4 patients (22.2%). All of them had undergone emergency department thoracotomy (EDT), and they were transferred to the operating room for definitive repair of the cardiac injury, but all of them expired in the intensive care unit. Most commonly performed surgical incision was median sternotomy (n=13, 72.2%). The majority site of injury was right ventricle (n=11, 61.1%). The mortality rate was 22.2% (n=4). Conclusions: This study suggests that penetrating cardiac injuries are more often than blunt cardiac injury in TCI, and the majority site of injury is right ventricle. Also, it suggests prehospital CPR and EDT are significantly responsible for high mortality in TCI.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.165-171
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• 2023

Trauma remains a significant healthcare burden, causing over five million yearly fatalities. Notably, the liver is a frequently injured solid organ in abdominal trauma, especially in patients under 40 years. It becomes even more critical given that uncontrolled hemorrhage linked to liver trauma can have mortality rates ranging from 10% to 50%. Liver injuries, mainly resulting from blunt trauma such as motor vehicle accidents, are traditionally classified using the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma grading scale. However, recent developments have introduced the World Society of Emergency Surgery classification, which considers the patient's physiological status. The diagnostic approach often involves multiphase computed tomography (CT). Still, newer methods like split-bolus single-pass CT and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) aim to reduce radiation exposure. Concerning management, nonoperative strategies have emerged as the gold standard, especially for hemodynamically stable patients. Incorporating angiography with embolization has also been beneficial, with success rates reported between 80% and 97%. However, it is essential to identify the specific source of bleeding for effective embolization. Given the severity of liver trauma and its potential complications, innovations in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches have been pivotal. While CT remains a primary diagnostic tool, methods like CEUS offer safer alternatives. Moreover, nonoperative management, especially when combined with angiography and embolization, has demonstrated notable success. Still, the healthcare community must remain vigilant to complications and continuously seek improvements in trauma care.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.47-50
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• 2017

A 21-year-old male visited our emergency room. He could not remember the mechanism of injury. He was found beside a motorcycle. Initial vital sign was stable. Observation and conservative treatment were planned at the intensive care unit (ICU). On the third day at ICU, he complained sudden flank pain. It was colicky and hard to control. Without the pain, he had no specific symptom, sign, or laboratory findings. On computed tomography, renal pelvis was filled with hematoma which induced hydronephrosis. Double-J catheter and percutaneous nephrostomy was implemented by an intervention radiologist. Hematome in the renal pelvis was aspirated during the procedure. Symptom of the patient was subsided after the procedure. He was discharged without specific complications.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.147-150
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• 2024

This case report describes the management of a 51-year-old female patient who arrived at the emergency room with a stab wound to the upper right chest. Immediate medical interventions were undertaken, including blood transfusions and endotracheal intubation. To prevent tension and control bleeding, gauze packing was applied directly through the large open wound. Further surgical exploration identified a laceration in the lung, necessitating a right upper lobe resection. Postoperatively, the patient's vital signs stabilized, and she was subsequently discharged without complications. This case highlights the decision-making process in selecting between an emergency department thoracotomy and an operating room thoracotomy for patients with penetrating chest trauma. It also illustrates the role of gauze packing in managing tension and hemorrhage. In summary, gauze packing can be an effective interim measure for stabilizing patients with traumatic injuries, unstable vital signs, and large open chest wounds, particularly when a chest tube is already in place, to prevent tension and facilitate bleeding control prior to surgical intervention.