"Thunderstruck": Penetrating thoracic injury from lightning strike

Lightning strike victims are rarely presented at an emergency department. Burns are often the primary focus. This case report describes the improvised explosive device like-injury to the thorax due to lightning strike and its treatment, which has not been described prior in (kerauno)medicine. Penetrating injury due to blast from lightning strike is extremely rare. These shrapnel injuries should however be rule

"The Practical Perforator Flap": the sural artery flap for lower extremity soft tissue reconstruction in wounds of war

Background: Sural artery perforator flaps have been described for use as both local flaps and in free tissue transfer. We present the use of this flap for compound soft tissue defects of the lower limb in civilian casualties of armed conflict in Afghanistan. Methods/results: Detailed description of the management of blast and high-velocity projectile wounds of the lower extremity with the use of local sural perforator flaps and a review of literature. Conclusions: Sural artery perforator flaps may be harvested to cover complex lower limb defects. The use of this technique is not limited

Prevalence and mortality of abdominal compartment syndrome in severely injured patients: A systematic review

BACKGROUND Abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) in severely injured patients is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Many efforts have been made to improve outcome of patients with ACS. A treatment algorithm for ACS patients was introduced on January 1, 2005 by the World Society of the Abdominal Compartment Syndrome. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and mortality rate of ACS among severely injured patients before and after January 1, 2005 using a systematic literature review. METHOD Databases of Embase, Medline (OvidSP), Web of Science, CINAHL, CENTRAL, PubMed publisher, and Google Scholar were searched for terms related to severely injured patients and ACS. Original studies reporting ACS in trauma patients were considered eligible. Data on study design, population, definitions

A systematic review on intra-abdominal pressure in severely burned patients

Objective Intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) and abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) are complications that may occur in severely burned patients. Evidenced based medicine for these patients is in its early development. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of literature regarding IAH and ACS in severely burned patients. Methods A systematic search was performed in Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and CINAHL on October 1, 2012. These databases were searched on 'burn', 'intra-abdominal hypertension', 'abdominal compartment syndrome', synonyms and abbreviations. Studies reporting original data on mortality, abdominal decompression or abdominal pressure related complications were included. Results Fifty publications met the criteria, reporting 1616 patients. The prevalence of ACS and IAH in severely burned patients is 4.1-16.6% and 64.7-74.5%, respectively. The mean mortality rate for ACS in burn patients is 74.8%. The use of plasma and hypertonic lactated resuscitation may prevent IAH or ACS. Despite colloids decrease resuscitation volume needs, no benefit in preventing IAH was proven. Escharotomy, peritoneal catheter drainage, and decompression laparotomy are effective intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) diminishing treatments in burn patients. Markers for IAP-related organ damage might be superior to IAP measurement itself. Conclusion ACS and IAH are frequently seen devastating complications in already severely injured burn patients. Prevention is challenging but can be achieved by improving fluid resuscitation strategies. Surgical decompression measures are effective and often unavoidable. Timing is essential since decompression should prevent progression to ACS rather than limit its effects. Prognosis of ACS remains poor, but options for care improvement are available in literature

Treatment of rectal war wounds

Treatment strategies for penetrating rectal injuries (PRI) in civilian settings are still not uniformly agreed, in part since high-energy transfer PRI, such as is frequently seen in military settings, are not taken into account. Here, we describe three cases of PRI, treated in a deployed combat environment, and outline the management strategies successfully employed. We also discuss the literature regarding PRI management. Whe

Identifying patients at risk for high-grade intra-abdominal hypertension following trauma laparotomy

Background: Abdominal Compartment Syndrome (ACS) is an uncommon but deleterious complication after trauma laparotomy. Early recognition of patients at risk of developing ACS is crucial for their outcome. The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics of patients who developed high-grade intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) (i.e., grade III or IV; intra-abdominal pressure, IAP >20. mmHg) following an injury-related laparotomy versus those who did not (i.e., IAP ≤20. mmHg). Methods: A retrospective analysis of consecutive trauma patients admitted to a level 1 trauma centre in Australia between January 1, 1995 and January 31, 2010 was performed. A comparison was made between characteristics of patients who developed high-grade IAH following trauma laparotomy versus those who did not. Results: A total of 567 patients (median age 31 years) were included in this study. Of these patients 10.2% (58/567) developed high-grade IAH of which 51.7% (30/58) developed ACS. Patients with high-grade IAH were older (p <. 0.001), had a higher Injury Severity Score (p <. 0.001), larger base deficit (p <. 0.001) and lower temperature at admission (p = 0.011). In the first 24. h of admission, patients with high-grade IAH received larger volumes of crystalloids (p <. 0.001), larger volumes of colloids (p <. 0.001) and more units of packed red blood cells (p <. 0.001). Following surgery prolonged prothrombin (p <. 0.001) and partial thromboplastin times (p <. 0.001) were seen. The patients with high-grade IAH suffered higher mortality rates (25.9% (15/58) vs. 12.2% (62/509); p = 0.012). Conclusion: Of all patients who underwent a trauma laparotomy, 10.2% developed high-grade IAH, which increases the risk of mortality. Patients with acidosis, coagulopathy, and hypothermia were especially at risk. In these patients, the abdomen should be left open until adequate resuscitation has been achieved, allowing for definitive surgery. Level of evidence: This is a level III retrospective study

For debate: Advanced bleeding control potentially saves lives in armed forces and should be considered

Introduction: Advanced bleeding control options for truncal and junctional haemorrhage including resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) have been used in managing catastrophic bleeding. The primary aim is to report on potential indications for advanced bleeding control in combat casualties during the Dutch deployment in Uruzgan, Afghanis

Intestinal fatty acid binding protein as a marker for intra-abdominal pressure-related complications in patients admitted to the intensive care unit

Background: Intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) and abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) have detrimental effects on all organ systems and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients admitted to an intensive care unit. Intra-bladder measurement of the intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) is currently the gold standard. However, IAH is not always indicative of intestinal ischemia, which is an early and rapidly developing complication. Sensitive biomarkers for intestinal ischemia are needed to be able to intervene before damage becomes irreversible. Gut wall integrity loss, including epithelial cell disruption and tight junctions breakdown, is an early event in intestinal damage. Intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Protein (I-FABP) is excreted in urine and blood specifically from damaged intestinal epithelial cells. Claudin-3 is a specific protein which is excreted in urine following disruption of intercellular tight junctions. This study aims to investigate if I-FABP and Claudin-3 can be used as a diagnostic tool for identifying patients at risk for IAP-related complications. Methods/Design: In a multicenter, prospective cohort study 200 adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit with at least two risk factors for IAH as defined by the World Society of the Abdominal Compartment Syndrome (WSACS) will b

Management of penetrating injuries of the upper extremities

Background: Routine surgical exploration after penetrating upper extremity trauma (PUET) to exclude arterial injury leads to a large number of negative explorations and iatrogenic injuries. Selective non-operative mana