Thoracic trauma: analysis of 100 consecutive cases

Objective: To analyze thoracic trauma assisted by the EmergencyService of Hospital da Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia deSão Paulo. Methods: One hundred patients with thoracic trauma wereassisted throughout six months in 2006. Data from their records werecollected and a protocol of thoracic trauma was fulfilled. The RevisedTrauma Score was used to evaluate gravity of injury and to calculatethe survival index. Results: Prevalence of trauma injury in male from20 to 29 years old was observed. Out of all patients, 44 had blunttrauma and 56 penetrating trauma (78.6% presented stab woundsand 21.4% gun shots). Up to the settings of injuries, 23% were in thethoracoabdominal transition, 7% in the precordium and 70% in theremainder thoracic area. In those with the thoracoabdominal transitioninjury, 22.7% were hemodynamically unstable and 77.3% stable.Thoracoabdominal injury patients presented 40.9% of diaphragmwound and all were stable. Of those with precordium wound, 37.5%presented cardiac injury. In cardiac onset, 66.7% presented stableand 33.3% unstable. Thoracic drainage was the most accomplishedsurgical procedure (71%). Conclusions: The thoracic trauma patientis most prevalently young male with stab wound penetrating injury,without associated injuries, hemodynamically stable, presentinghemothorax, with high probability of survival

Tracheobronchial injuries in chest trauma: a 17-year experience

ABSTRACT Objective: to discuss the clinical and therapeutic aspects of tracheobronchial lesions in victims of thoracic trauma. Methods: we analyzed the medical records of patients with tracheobronchial lesions treated at the São Paulo Holy Home from April 1991 to June 2008. We established patients' severity through physiological (RTS) and anatomical trauma indices (ISS, PTTI). We used TRISS (Trauma Revised Injury Severity Score) to evaluate the probability of survival. Results: nine patients had tracheobronchial lesions, all males, aged between 17 and 38 years. The mean values of the trauma indices were: RTS - 6.8; ISS - 38; PTTI - 20.0; and TRISS - 0.78. Regarding the clinical picture, six patients displayed only emphysema of the thoracic wall or the mediastinum and three presented with hemodynamic or respiratory instability. The time interval from patient admission to diagnosis ranged from one hour to three days. Cervicotomy was performed in two patients and thoracotomy, in seven (77.7%), being bilateral in one case. Length of hospitalization ranged from nine to 60 days, mean of 21. Complications appeared in four patients (44%) and mortality was nil. Conclusion: tracheobronchial tree trauma is rare, it can evolve with few symptoms, which makes immediate diagnosis difficult, and presents a high rate of complications, although with low mortality

Repercussões respiratórias e hemodinâmicas do pneumoperitônio na lesão do diafragma: estudo experimental Hemodynamic and respiratory changes caused by CO2 laparoscopy in an experimental model of diaphragmatic injury

OBJETIVO: Analisar as alterações hemodinâmicas e respiratórias secundárias à laparoscopia em modelo experimental de lesão diafragmática. MÉTODOS: Foram utilizados 15 suínos, distribuídos em três grupos com cinco animais cada, assim constituídos: Grupo 1 - Portadores de lesão diafragmática e avaliados sem pneumoperitônio (CLSP); Grupo 2 - Sem lesão diafragmática e avaliados com pneumoperitônio (SLCP); Grupo 3 - Portadores de lesão diafragmática e avaliados com pneumoperitônio (CLCP). Foram avaliadas variáveis gasométricas, hemodinâmicas e respiratórias. RESULTADOS: Houve alterações significantes da pressão média de artéria pulmonar (PAP), pressão de capilar pulmonar (PCP), PAO2, SAO2 e SVO2. CONCLUSÃO: A videolaparoscopia na presença de lesão do diafragma não acarreta alterações do débito cardíaco e pode ser realizada com segurança, desde que a pressão de pneumoperitônio não ultrapasse valores de 15 mmHg.<br>OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to analyze the hemodynamic and respiratory changes caused by CO2 laparoscopy in an experimental model of diaphragmatic injury. METHODS: Fifteen animals chosen at random were submitted to diaphragmatic injury by means of CO2 laparoscopy. Evaluation consisted of drawing blood samples to analyze blood gases, as well as the hemodynamic and respiratory variables. RESULTS: Alterations occurred in APA, CPP, PAO2, ASO2, VSO2. CONCLUSION: We concluded that videolaparoscopy with pneumoperitoneum pressure under 15mmHg is a safe procedure in patients with diaphragmatic injuries because this pressure level does not cause hemodynamic changes, such as decrease of the cardiac output. [Rev Assoc Med Bras 2007; 53(4): 294-9

Perfurações não detectadas de luvas em procedimentos de urgência Undetected surgical glove perforation during emergency procedures

OBJETIVOS: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a incidência de perfuração de luvas utilizadas em operações e atendimentos de urgência realizados no Serviço de Emergência do Departamento de Cirurgia da Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo, num período de dois meses. MÉTODOS: Foram analisadas 2613 luvas, sendo 252 em 42 operações e 2361 em atendimentos na Sala de Emergência. As luvas foram testadas pelo método de insuflação com água. RESULTADOS: Houve perfuração em 41 luvas durante o ato operatório (16,3%), sendo que a maior porcentagem ocorreu nas urgências traumáticas (33%). As perfurações decorrentes do atendimento na sala de emergência ocorreram em 7,3% das luvas. CONCLUSÃO: Concluiu-se que o índice de perfuração foi significativo, mais frequente em urgências traumáticas e que, no campo operatório, o cirurgião é o elemento mais vulnerável da equipe.<br>OBJECTIVE: Gloves are the most important barriers that protect hospital personnel and patients. Unfortunately, glove perforation rates reach up to 78% in high risk procedures. The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate the glove perforation rate in emergency procedures carried out in the Emergency Service of "Santa Casa de São Paulo", School of Medicine. METHODS: The study analyzed all gloves used in the emergency room during a 2 months period. Gloves were tested immediately after the surgical procedure using the approved standardized water leak method. RESULTS: A total of 252 surgical gloves used by residents in 42 surgical procedures and 2361 gloves used in emergency procedures were tested for the presence of punctures by the water insuflation method. Forty one (16.3%) of the gloves tested showed at least one puncture, 18 (33%) in traumatic emergencies. The overall perforation rate in the emergency room was 7,3%. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the incidence of punctures in gloves during surgical procedures was high, and occurred mostly with surgeons

Relação entre o mecanismo de trauma e lesões diagnosticadas em vítimas de trauma fechado

RESUMO Objetivo: analisar a correlação do mecanismo de trauma com a frequência e a gravidade das lesões. Métodos: análise retrospectiva das informações do registro de trauma em período de 15 meses. O mecanismo de trauma foi classificado em seis tipos: ocupantes de veículo de quadro rodas envolvidos em acidente de tráfego (AUTO), pedestres vítimas de atropelamento (ATRO), motociclistas vítimas de acidentes de tráfego (MOTO), vítimas de quedas de altura (QUED), vítimas de agressão física com instrumentos contundentes (AGRE) e vítimas de queda do mesmo nível (QMN). Resultados: o mecanismo de trauma foi classificado em 3639 casos, sendo 337 (9,3%) AUTO, 855 (23,5%) ATRO, 924 (25,4%) MOTO, 455 (12,5%) QUED, 424 (11,7%) AGRE e 644 (17,7%) QMN. Houve diferença significativa na comparação entre os grupos das médias dos índices do Revised Trauma Score (RTS), do Injury Severity Score (ISS) e da Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) do segmento cefálico, torácico, abdominal e extremidades (p<0,05). Lesões graves em segmento cefálico foram mais frequentes nas vítimas de ATRO, seguidos de AGRE e QUED (p<0,001). Lesões graves em tórax foram mais frequentes em AUTO, seguidos de QUED e ATRO (p<0,001). As lesões abdominais foram menos frequentes nas vítimas de QMN (p=0,004). Lesões graves em extremidades foram mais frequentes em ATRO, seguidos de MOTO e QUED (p<0,001). Conclusão: com a análise do mecanismo de trauma é possível prever a frequência e a gravidade das lesões em vítimas de trauma fechado

Ruling out intra-abdominal injuries in blunt trauma patients using clinical criteria and abdominal ultrasound

ABSTRACT Objective: to identify victims of blunt abdominal trauma in which intra-abdominal injuries can be excluded by clinical criteria and by complete abdominal ultrasonography. Methods: retrospective analysis of victims of blunt trauma in which the following clinical variables were analyzed: hemodynamic stability, normal neurologic exam at admission, normal physical exam of the chest at admission, normal abdomen and pelvis physical exam at admission and absence of distracting lesions (Abbreviated Injury Scale >2 at skull, thorax and/or extremities). The ultrasound results were then studied in the group of patients with all clinical variables evaluated. Results: we studied 5536 victims of blunt trauma. Intra-abdominal lesions with AIS>1 were identified in 144 (2.6%); in patients with hemodynamic stability they were present in 86 (2%); in those with hemodynamic stability and normal neurological exam at admission in 50 (1.8%); in patients with hemodynamic stability and normal neurological and chest physical exam at admission, in 39 (1.5%); in those with hemodynamic stability, normal neurological, chest, abdominal and pelvic physical exam at admission, in 12 (0.5%); in patients with hemodynamic stability, normal neurological, chest, abdominal and pelvic physical exam at admission, and absence of distracting lesions, only two (0.1%) had intra-abdominal lesions. Among those with all clinical variables, 693 had normal total abdominal ultrasound, and, within this group, there were no identified intra-abdominal lesions. Conclusion: when all clinical criteria and total abdominal ultrasound are associated, it is possible to identify a group of victims of blunt trauma with low chance of significant intra-abdominal lesions