Most blunt trauma patients with OPTX can be carefully monitored without tube thoracostomy; however, OPTX progression and respiratory distress are independently associated with observation failure.

Acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome are clinical entities of multi-factorial origin frequently seen in traumatically injured patients requiring intensive care. We performed an unsystematic search using PubMed and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews up to January 2012. The purpose of this article is to review recent evidence for the pathophysiology and the management of acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome in the critically injured patient. Lung protective ventilation remains the most beneficial therapy. Future trials should compare intervention groups to controls receiving lung protective ventilation, and focus on relevant outcome measures such as duration of mechanical ventilation, length of intensive care unit stay, and mortality.

Therapeutic study, level V.

Diagnostic study, level III.

The definition of prehospital hypotension used for triage of injured patients to trauma centers should be redefined as PSBP < 110 mm Hg. The impact of this redefinition on trauma center resource utilization should be studied further.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching effects on healthcare systems and society with resultant impact on trauma systems worldwide. This study evaluates the impact the pandemic has had in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Region as compared with similar months in 2019.DesignA retrospective multicenter study of all adult trauma centers in the Washington, DC region was conducted using trauma registry data between January 1, 2019 and May 31, 2020. March 1, 2020 through May 31, 2020 was defined as COVID-19, and January 1, 2019 through February 28, 2020 was defined as pre-COVID-19. Variables examined include number of trauma contacts, trauma admissions, mechanism of injury, Injury Severity Score, trauma center location (urban vs. suburban), and patient demographics.ResultsThere was a 22.4% decrease in the overall incidence of trauma during COVID-19 compared with a 3.4% increase in trauma during pre-COVID-19. Blunt mechanism of injury decreased significantly during COVID-19 (77.4% vs. 84.9%, p<0.001). There was no change in the specific mechanisms of fall from standing, blunt assault, and motor vehicle crash. The proportion of trauma evaluations for penetrating trauma increased significantly during COVID-19 (22.6% vs. 15.1%, p<0.001). Firearm-related and stabbing injury mechanisms both increased significantly during COVID-19 (11.8% vs. 6.8%, p<0.001; 9.2%, 6.9%, p=0.002, respectively).Conclusions and relevanceThe overall incidence of trauma has decreased since the arrival of COVID-19. However, there has been a significant rise in penetrating trauma. Preparation for future pandemic response should include planning for an increase in trauma center resource utilization from penetrating trauma.Level of evidenceEpidemiological, level III.

IMPORTANCEPulmonary clots are seen frequently on chest computed tomography performed after trauma, but recent studies suggest that pulmonary thrombosis (PT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) after trauma are independent clinical events. OBJECTIVE To assess whether posttraumatic PT represents a distinct clinical entity associated with the nature of the injury, different from the traditional venous thromboembolic paradigm of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and PE.DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This prospective, observational, multicenter cohort study was conducted by the Consortium of Leaders in the Study of Traumatic Thromboembolism (CLOTT) study group. The study was conducted at 17 US level I trauma centers during a 2-year period (January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020. Consecutive patients 18 to 40 years of age admitted for a minimum of 48 hours with at least 1 previously defined trauma-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk factor were followed up until discharge or 30 days.EXPOSURES Investigational imaging, prophylactic measures used, and treatment of clots. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURESThe main outcomes of interest were the presence, timing, location, and treatment of any pulmonary clots, as well as the associated injury-related risk factors. Secondary outcomes included DVT. We regarded pulmonary clots with DVT as PE and those without DVT as de novo PT.RESULTS A total of 7880 patients (mean [SD] age, 29.1 [6.4] years; 5859 [74.4%] male) were studied, 277 with DVT (3.5%), 40 with PE (0.5%), and 117 with PT (1.5%). Shock on admission was present in only 460 patients (6.2%) who had no DVT, PT, or PE but was documented in 11 (27.5%) of those with PE and 30 (25.6%) in those with PT. Risk factors independently associated with PT but not DVT or PE included shock on admission (systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg) (odds ratio, 2.74; 95% CI, 1.72-4.39; P < .001) and major chest injury with Abbreviated Injury Score of 3 or higher (odds ratio, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.16-2.56; P = .007). Factors associated with the presence of PT on admission included major chest injury (14 patients [50.0%] with or without major chest injury with an Abbreviated Injury Score >3; P = .04) and major venous injury (23 [82.1%] without major venous injury and 5 [17.9%] with major venous injury; P = .02). No deaths were attributed to PT or PE.CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE To our knowledge, this CLOTT study is the largest prospective investigation in the world that focuses on posttraumatic PT. The study suggests that most pulmonary clots are not embolic but rather result from inflammation, endothelial injury, and the hypercoagulable state caused by the injury itself.

Objectives The mortality of patients with Clostridum Dificile Associated Disease (CDAD) requiring surgery continues to be very high. Loop ileostomy (LI) was introduced as an alternative procedure to total colectomy (TC) for CDAD by a single center study. To date, no reproducible results have been published. The objective of this study is to compare these two procedures in a multicentric approach to help the surgeon decide what procedure is best suited for the patient in need. Methods This was a retrospective multicenter study conducted under the sponsorship of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST). Demographics, medical history, clinical presentation, APACHE score, and outcomes were collected. We used the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) tool to store the data. Mann-Whitney (continuous data) and Fisher’s Exact (categorical data) were utilized to compare TC with LI. Logistic regression was performed to determine predictors of mortality. A propensity score analysis was done to control for potential confounders and determine adjusted mortality rates by procedure type. Results We collected data from 10 centers of patients that presented with CDAD requiring surgery between July 1of 2010 to July 30 of 2014. Two patients died during the surgical procedure leaving 98 individuals in the study. The overall mortality was 32% and 75% suffered postoperative complications. Median age was 64.5 years, 59% were male. Concerning preoperative patient conditions 54% were on pressors, 47% had renal failure, and 36% suffered respiratory failure. When comparing TC and LI, there was no statistical difference regarding these conditions. Univariate pre-procedure predictors of mortality were age, lactate, timing of operation, vasopressor use, and acute renal failure. There was no statistical difference between the APACHE score of patients undergoing either procedure (TC=22 vs LI= 16). Adjusted mortality (controlled for pre-procedure confounders) was significantly lower in the LI group (17.2% vs. 39.7%, p=0.002). Conclusions This is the first multicenter study comparing TC with LI for the treatment of CDAD. In this study LI carried less mortality than TC. In patients without contraindications, LI should be considered for the surgical treatment of CDAD. Level of evidence prognostic retrospective multi-centric level III