Cardiovascular parameters on computed tomography are independently associated with in-hospital complications and outcomes in level-1 trauma patients

Background: In-hospital complications after trauma may result in prolonged stays, higher costs, and adverse functional outcomes. Among reported risk factors for complications are pre-existing cardiopulmonary comorbidities. Objective and quick evaluation of cardiovascular risk would be beneficial for risk assessment in trauma patients. Studies in non-trauma patients suggested an independent association between cardiovascular abnormalities visible on routine computed tomography (CT) imaging and outcomes. However, whether this applies to trauma patients is unknown.Purpose: To assess the association between cardiopulmonary abnormalities visible on routine CT images and the development of in-hospital complications in patients in a level-1 trauma center.Methods: All trauma patients aged 16 years or older with CT imaging of the abdomen, thorax, or spine and admitted to the UMC Utrecht in 2017 were included. Patients with an active infection upon admission or severe neurological trauma were excluded. Routine trauma CT images were analyzed for visible abnormalities: pulmonary emphysema, coronary artery calcifications, and abdominal aorta calcification severity. Drug-treated complications were scored. The discharge condition was measured on the Glasgow Outcome Scale.Results: In total, 433 patients (median age 50 years, 67% male, 89% ASA 1–2) were analyzed. Median Injury Severity Score and Glasgow Coma Scale score were 9 and 15, respectively. Seventy-six patients suffered from at least one complication, mostly pneumonia (n = 39, 9%) or delirium (n = 19, 4%). Left main coronary artery calcification was independently associated with the development of any complication (OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.7–8.9). An increasing number of calcified coronary arteries showed a trend toward an association with complications (p = 0.07) and was significantly associated with an adverse discharge condition (p = 0.02). Pulmonary emphysema and aortic calcifications were not associated with complications.Conclusion: Coronary artery calcification, visible on routine CT imaging, is independently associated with in-hospital complications and an adverse discharge condition in level-1 trauma patients. The findings of this study may help to identify trauma patients quickly and objectively at risk for complications in an early stage without performing additional diagnostics or interventions.</p

Epidemiology of combined clavicle and rib fractures:a systematic review

Purpose The aim of this systematic review was to provide an overview of the incidence of combined clavicle and rib fractures and the association between these two injuries. Methods A systematic literature search was performed in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL databases on the 14(th) of August 2020. Outcome measures were incidence, hospital length of stay (HLOS), intensive care unit admission and length of stay (ILOS), duration of mechanical ventilation (DMV), mortality, chest tube duration, Constant-Murley score, union and complications. Results Seven studies with a total of 71,572 patients were included, comprising five studies on epidemiology and two studies on treatment. Among blunt chest trauma patients, 18.6% had concomitant clavicle and rib fractures. The incidence of rib fractures in polytrauma patients with clavicle fractures was 56-60.6% versus 29% in patients without clavicle fractures. Vice versa, 14-18.8% of patients with multiple rib fractures had concomitant clavicle fractures compared to 7.1% in patients without multiple rib fractures. One study reported no complications after fixation of both injuries. Another study on treatment, reported shorter ILOS and less complications among operatively versus conservatively treated patients (5.4 +/- 1.5 versus 21 +/- 13.6 days). Conclusion Clavicle fractures and rib fractures are closely related in polytrauma patients and almost a fifth of all blunt chest trauma patients sustain both injuries. Definitive conclusions could not be drawn on treatment of the combined injury. Future research should further investigate indications and benefits of operative treatment of this injury

Is a chest radiograph indicated after chest tube removal in trauma patients? A systematic review

PURPOSE The aim of this systematic review was to assess the necessity of routine chest radiographs after chest tube removal in ventilated and nonventilated trauma patients. METHODS A systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, and CINAHL on May 15, 2020. Quality assessment was performed using the Methodological Index for Nonrandomized Studies criteria. Primary outcome measures were abnormalities on postremoval chest radiograph (e.g., recurrence of a pneumothorax, hemothorax, pleural effusion) and reintervention after chest tube removal. Secondary outcome measures were emergence of new clinical symptoms or vital signs after chest tube removal. RESULTS Fourteen studies were included, consisting of seven studies on nonventilated patients and seven studies on combined cohorts of ventilated and nonventilated patients, all together containing 1,855 patients. Nonventilated patients had abnormalities on postremoval chest radiograph in 10% (range across studies, 0-38%) of all chest tubes and 24% (range, 0-78%) of those underwent reintervention. In the studies that reported on clinical symptoms after chest tube removal, all patients who underwent reintervention also had symptoms of recurrent pathology. Combined cohorts of ventilated and nonventilated patients had abnormalities on postremoval chest radiograph in 20% (range, 6-49%) of all chest tubes and 45% (range, 8-63%) of those underwent reintervention. CONCLUSION In nonventilated patients, one in ten developed recurrent pathology after chest tube removal and almost a quarter of them underwent reintervention. In two studies that reported on clinical symptoms, all reinterventions were performed in patients with symptoms of recurrent pathology. In these two studies, omission of routine postremoval chest radiograph seemed safe. However, current literature remains insufficient to draw definitive conclusions on this matter, and future studies are needed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Systematic review study, level IV

Epidemiology and outcome of rib fractures:a nationwide study in the Netherlands

Purpose Rib fractures following thoracic trauma are frequently encountered injuries and associated with a significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to provide current data on the epidemiology, in-hospital outcomes and 30-day mortality of rib fractures, and to evaluate these results for different subgroups. Methods A nationwide retrospective cohort study was performed with the use of the Dutch Trauma Registry which covers 99% of the acutely admitted Dutch trauma population. All patients aged 18 years and older admitted to the hospital between January 2015 and December 2017 with one or more rib fractures were included. Incidence rates were calculated using demographic data from the Dutch Population Register. Subgroup analyses were performed for flail chest, polytrauma, primary thoracic trauma, and elderly patients. Results A total of 14,850 patients were admitted between 2015 and 2017 with one or more rib fractures, which was 6.0% of all trauma patients. Of these, 573 (3.9%) patients had a flail chest, 4438 (29.9%) were polytrauma patients, 9273 (63.4%) were patients with primary thoracic trauma, and 6663 (44.9%) were elderly patients. The incidence rate of patients with rib fractures for the entire cohort was 29 per 100.000 person-years. The overall 30-day mortality was 6.9% (n = 1208) with higher rates observed in flail chest (11.9%), polytrauma (14.8%), and elderly patients (11.7%). The median hospital length of stay was 6 days (IQR, 3-11) and 37.3% were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Conclusions Rib fractures are a relevant and frequently occurring problem among the trauma population. Subgroup analyses showed that there is a substantial heterogeneity among patients with rib fractures with considerable differences regarding the epidemiology, in-hospital outcomes, and 30-day mortality

A Proposal for an Intermediate Care Unit-Quality Measurement Framework

Rationale, Aims, and Objectives. The Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU) is a hospital unit which is logistically situated between the hospital ward and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). There is debate regarding the value of the IMCU. Understanding its value is compromised by the lack of adequate quality indicators. Therefore, this study identifies currently used IMCU indicators and evaluates their usefulness. Methods. Through a systematic literature search, currently used quality indicators were identified and evaluated for their importance using a proposed IMCU-specific quality measurement framework. Results. From 4034 titles and abstracts, 168 articles were selected for full-text review. Of these, 22 articles were included, which reported IMCU quality at the level of the IMCU (n = 12), the ICU (n = 5), both IMCU and ICU (n = 3) or hospital level (n = 2). At the IMCU, the IMCU mortality (n = 16), discharge-to-ICU rate (n = 7), in-hospital IMCU mortality (n = 7), and length of stay (n = 6) were most frequently reported. Three studies compared the effect of different structures of the IMCU on its utilization or hospital outcome. Conclusions. Current focus in IMCU quality research is towards measuring quality at the IMCU itself. Since the influence of the structure of IMCUs on its utilization and its effects on hospital outcome are only rarely investigated, attention should shift towards these important issues in further research. The proposed IMCU quality measurement framework can thereby serve as a helpful tool

The isolated posterior malleolar fracture and syndesmotic instability : A case report and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION: Ankle fractures are among the most common type of fractures in the lower extremity. A posterior malleolar fracture is frequently part of a more complex ankle fracture and only in rare cases it occurs as isolated injury. Posterior malleolar fractures often occur with associated injuries, such as a Maisonneuve fracture or with bi- or trimalleolar ligamentous injuries. Knowledge about these associated injuries is essential to prevent missed diagnoses. The aim of this article is to describe the isolated posterior malleolar fracture, the possible associated injuries, the diagnostic work-up and therapeutic consequences. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We present a case of a 26-year-old male patient who sustained an isolated posterior malleolar fracture with 4.5 years follow-up. DISCUSSION: Isolated fractures of the posterior malleolus are uncommon injuries. Diagnosis, treatment and outcome can seldom be extracted from large series. However, several cases have been described in literature, which we have summarized. CONCLUSION: This case report and literature review shows that isolated posterior malleolar fractures might occur as part of a more complex ankle injury, in combination with a fracture of the lower leg or after high energy trauma. Physicians should be aware of these associated injuries. Diagnostic work-up should include X-rays of the knee and lower leg and a CT scan of the ankle. If diagnosed and treated properly, isolated posterior malleolar fractures have a good long-term functional outcome

A Proposal for an Intermediate Care Unit-Quality Measurement Framework

Rationale, Aims, and Objectives. The Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU) is a hospital unit which is logistically situated between the hospital ward and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). There is debate regarding the value of the IMCU. Understanding its value is compromised by the lack of adequate quality indicators. Therefore, this study identifies currently used IMCU indicators and evaluates their usefulness. Methods. Through a systematic literature search, currently used quality indicators were identified and evaluated for their importance using a proposed IMCU-specific quality measurement framework. Results. From 4034 titles and abstracts, 168 articles were selected for full-text review. Of these, 22 articles were included, which reported IMCU quality at the level of the IMCU (n = 12), the ICU (n = 5), both IMCU and ICU (n = 3) or hospital level (n = 2). At the IMCU, the IMCU mortality (n = 16), discharge-to-ICU rate (n = 7), in-hospital IMCU mortality (n = 7), and length of stay (n = 6) were most frequently reported. Three studies compared the effect of different structures of the IMCU on its utilization or hospital outcome. Conclusions. Current focus in IMCU quality research is towards measuring quality at the IMCU itself. Since the influence of the structure of IMCUs on its utilization and its effects on hospital outcome are only rarely investigated, attention should shift towards these important issues in further research. The proposed IMCU quality measurement framework can thereby serve as a helpful tool

Epidemiology and outcomes of traumatic chest injuries in children:a nationwide study in the Netherlands

Thoracic injuries are infrequent among children, but still represent one of the leading causes of pediatric mortality. Studies on pediatric chest trauma are dated, and little is known of outcomes in different age categories. This study aims to provide an overview of the incidence, injury patterns, and in-hospital outcomes of children with chest injuries. A nationwide retrospective cohort study was performed on children with chest injuries, using data from the Dutch Trauma Registry. All patients admitted to a Dutch hospital between January 2015 and December 2019, with an abbreviated injury scale score of the thorax between 2 and 6, or at least one rib fracture, were included. Incidence rates of chest injuries were calculated with demographic data from the Dutch Population Register. Injury patterns and in-hospital outcomes were assessed in children in four different age groups. A total of 66,751 children were admitted to a hospital in the Netherlands after a trauma between January 2015 and December 2019, of whom 733 (1.1%) sustained chest injuries accounting for an incidence rate of 4.9 per 100,000 person-years. The median age was 10.9 (interquartile range (IQR) 5.7–14.2) years and 62.6% were male. In a quarter of all children, the mechanisms were not further specified or unknown. Most prevalent injuries were lung contusions (40.5%) and rib fractures (27.6%). The median hospital length of stay was 3 (IQR 2–8) days, with 43.4% being admitted to the intensive care unit. The 30-day mortality rate was 6.8%. Conclusion: Pediatric chest trauma still results in substantial adverse outcomes, such as disability and mortality. Lung contusions may be inflicted without fracturing the ribs. This contrasting injury pattern compared to adults underlines the importance of evaluating children with chest injuries with additional caution.What is Known:• Chest injuries are rare among children, but represent one of the leading causes of pediatric mortality.• Children show distinct injury patterns in which pulmonary contusions are more prevalent than rib fractures.What is New:• The proportion of chest injuries among pediatric trauma patients is currently lower than reported in previous literature, but still leads to substantial adverse outcomes, such as disabilities and death.• The incidence of rib fractures gradually increases with age and in particular around puberty when ossification of the ribs becomes completed. The incidence of rib fractures among infants is remarkably high, which is strongly suggestive for nonaccidental trauma.</p