For trauma patients with severe shock, massive fluid resuscitation is necessary. However, shock and a large amount of fluid can cause bowel and retroperitoneal edema, which sometimes leads to abdominal compartment syndrome in patients without abdomino-pelvic injury. If other emergent operations except intraabdomen are needed, a distended abdomen is likely to be recognized late, leading to multiple organ dysfunction. Herein, we report two cases of a 23-year-old woman who was in a car accident and a 53-year old man who was pressed on his leg by a pressing machine; severe brain swelling and popliteal vessel injury were diagnosed, respectively. They were both in severe shock and massive fluid resuscitation was required in the emergency department. Distended abdomen was recognized in both the female and male patients immediately after neurosurgical operation and immediately before orthopaedic operation in the operating room, respectively. Decompressive laparotomy revealed massive ascites with retroperitoneal edema.
Abdomen ; Ascites ; Brain Edema ; Edema ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Humans ; Intra-Abdominal Hypertension* ; Laparotomy ; Leg ; Male ; Operating Rooms* ; Resuscitation ; Shock ; Young Adult

Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is the most common pathology of the thoracic aorta. The incidence of TAA is increasing and the true incidence of TAA is likely to be higher than currently reported because of its inherently silent nature. TAAs are an increasingly recognized condition that is diagnosed incidentally on imaging studies performed to evaluate unrelated conditions because most patients with TAA have no symptoms. TAAs normally grow in an indolent manner, but can become rapidly lethal once dissection or rupture occurs. Indeed, aortic aneurysms (both abdominal and thoracic) represent the 15th leading cause of death in individuals older than 55 years, and the 19th leading cause of death in individuals of all ages in the United States. The etiologies underlying TAAs are diverse. Therefore, the evaluation and management of TAAs are complex. The present review summarizes the knowledge of the pathophysiology, natural history and diagnostic modalities, as well as current treatment strategies of TAA on the basis of current literature.
Aorta, Thoracic ; Aortic Aneurysm ; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic* ; Cause of Death ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Natural History ; Pathology ; Prognosis ; Rupture ; United States

PURPOSE: Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture resulting from blunt trauma is usually severe. However, it is often overlooked during initial evaluation because there are no characteristic signs and symptoms. Thus, this study aimed to determine the clinical characteristics of diaphragmatic rupture caused by blunt trauma and investigate the diagnostic usefulness of diaphragmatic height index (DHI) measured using chest radiographs. METHODS: The cohort comprised patients who were admitted due to diaphragmatic rupture from blunt trauma. Patients were divided into 2 groups; the control group comprised patients with blunt trauma who were matched for age, sex, and Injury Severity Score, while the DHI group comprised patients with diaphragmatic rupture from blunt trauma. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine the cutoff value of DHI for diaphragmatic injury. The sensitivity, specificity, predictability, accuracy, and likelihood ratio of the cutoff were then determined. RESULTS: A total of 60 patients were confirmed to have diaphragmatic rupture. The mean DHI in patients with diaphragmatic rupture on the right and left side were both significantly different compared to that in the control group. A DHI cutoff value of >1.31 showed 71% sensitivity and 87% specificity for diagnosing right diaphragmatic rupture, while a cutoff value of <0.43 showed 87% sensitivity and 76% specificity for diagnosing left diaphragmatic rupture. CONCLUSION: DHI can be useful in the diagnosis of diaphragmatic rupture. DHI as determined using chest radiographs in patients with blunt abdominal trauma, particularly in those ineligible for diagnostic work-up, may help in the diagnosis of diaphragmatic rupture.
Abdominal Injuries ; Cohort Studies ; Diagnosis ; Diaphragm ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Multiple Trauma ; Radiography, Thoracic ; ROC Curve ; Rupture ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum can cause pneumoperitoneum, which does not require surgery. There are unverified theories pertaining to how air passes through the diaphragm. We report a case of pneumoperitoneum caused by blunt chest injury that was successfully managed with conservative care. Although the pneumoperitoneum was caused by thoracic injury, we believe that the air did not pass through the diaphragm, but instead came from the abdominal wall, as in subcutaneous emphysema.
Abdominal Wall ; Diaphragm ; Mediastinal Emphysema ; Pneumoperitoneum* ; Pneumothorax ; Subcutaneous Emphysema* ; Thoracic Injuries* ; Thorax*

Purpose: Trauma increases the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in hospitalized patients. However, the risk and incidence of VTE in Korean trauma patients are limited. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the incidence and identify potential predictors of VTE occurrence in Korean trauma patients. Moreover, we assessed the validity of the Greenfield risk assessment profile (RAP) and the trauma embolic scoring system (TESS) in these patients. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study used the data of trauma patients who were admitted to a regional trauma center between 2010 and 2016 and were eligible for entry into the Korea Trauma Data Bank. Clinical data were collected from hospital medical records. The patient’s baseline characteristics and clinical data were compared between VTE and non-VTE groups. Results: We included 9472 patients. The overall VTE rate was 0.87% (n=82), with 56 (0.59%) events of deep vein thrombosis and 39 (0.41%) of pulmonary embolism. Multiple regression analysis revealed that variables, including VTE history, pelvic-bone fracture, ventilator use, and hospitalization period, were significant, potential predictors of VTE occurrence. This study showed that increased RAP and TESS scores were correlated with increased VTE rate, with rates of 1% and 1.5% for the RAP and TESS scores of 6, respectively. The optimal cut-off value for RAP and TESS scores was 6. Conclusion RAP and TESS, which are well-known diagnostic tools, demonstrated potentials in predicting the VTE occurrence in Korean trauma patients. Additionally, patients with pelvic-bone fractures and long-term ventilator treatment should be carefully examined for possible VTE.

Purpose: Trauma increases the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in hospitalized patients. However, the risk and incidence of VTE in Korean trauma patients are limited. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the incidence and identify potential predictors of VTE occurrence in Korean trauma patients. Moreover, we assessed the validity of the Greenfield risk assessment profile (RAP) and the trauma embolic scoring system (TESS) in these patients. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study used the data of trauma patients who were admitted to a regional trauma center between 2010 and 2016 and were eligible for entry into the Korea Trauma Data Bank. Clinical data were collected from hospital medical records. The patient’s baseline characteristics and clinical data were compared between VTE and non-VTE groups. Results: We included 9472 patients. The overall VTE rate was 0.87% (n=82), with 56 (0.59%) events of deep vein thrombosis and 39 (0.41%) of pulmonary embolism. Multiple regression analysis revealed that variables, including VTE history, pelvic-bone fracture, ventilator use, and hospitalization period, were significant, potential predictors of VTE occurrence. This study showed that increased RAP and TESS scores were correlated with increased VTE rate, with rates of 1% and 1.5% for the RAP and TESS scores of 6, respectively. The optimal cut-off value for RAP and TESS scores was 6. Conclusion RAP and TESS, which are well-known diagnostic tools, demonstrated potentials in predicting the VTE occurrence in Korean trauma patients. Additionally, patients with pelvic-bone fractures and long-term ventilator treatment should be carefully examined for possible VTE.

BACKGROUND: Injury severity scoring systems that quantify and predict trauma outcomes have not been established in Korea. This study was designed to determine the best system for use in the Korean trauma population. METHODS: We collected and analyzed the data from trauma patients admitted to our institution from January 2010 to December 2014. Injury Severity Score (ISS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS), and Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) were calculated based on the data from the enrolled patients. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for the prediction ability of each scoring system was obtained, and a pairwise comparison of ROC curves was performed. Additionally, the cut-off values were estimated to predict mortality, and the corresponding accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were obtained. RESULTS: A total of 7,120 trauma patients (6,668 blunt and 452 penetrating injuries) were enrolled in this study. The AUCs of ISS, RTS, and TRISS were 0.866, 0.894, and 0.942, respectively, and the prediction ability of the TRISS was significantly better than the others (p < 0.001, respectively). The cut-off value of the TRISS was 0.9082, with a sensitivity of 81.9% and specificity of 92.0%; mortality was predicted with an accuracy of 91.2%; its positive predictive value was the highest at 46.8%. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study were based on the data from one institution and suggest that the TRISS is the best prediction model of trauma outcomes in the current Korean population. Further study is needed with more data from multiple centers in Korea.
Area Under Curve ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Korea ; Mortality ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Trauma Centers

BACKGROUND: Pleural drainage following video-assisted thoracic surgery has traditionally been achieved with large- bore, semi-rigid chest tubes. Recent trends in thoracic surgery have been toward less invasive approaches for a variety of diseases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of drainage by means of small, soft, and flexible 14Fr Blake drains. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between December 2007 and March 2008, 14Fr silastic Blake drains were used for drainage of the pleural cavity in 37 patients who underwent a variety of video- assisted thoracic surgical procedures at our institution. RESULT: The average postoperative length of hospital stay was 3.26 days (range, 2~12 days), Blake drains were left in the pleural space for an average of 3.15 days (range, 1~7 days), and the average amount of drainage was 43.8 ml/day. The maximal amount of blood removed daily by a Brake drain was as much as 290 mL. There were no drain-related complications. Blake drains seemed to cause less pain while in place, and particularly at the time of removal. CONCLUSION: The use of a Blake drain following minor thoracic surgery appeared to be safe and effective in drainage of fluid or air in the pleural space, and were associated with minimal discomfort.
Catheters ; Chest Tubes ; Dimethylpolysiloxanes ; Drainage ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Length of Stay ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Pleural Cavity ; Thoracic Surgery ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thoracic Surgical Procedures

For trauma patients with severe shock, massive fluid resuscitation is necessary. However, shock and a large amount of fluid can cause bowel and retroperitoneal edema, which sometimes leads to abdominal compartment syndrome in patients without abdomino-pelvic injury. If other emergent operations except intraabdomen are needed, a distended abdomen is likely to be recognized late, leading to multiple organ dysfunction. Herein, we report two cases of a 23-year-old woman who was in a car accident and a 53-year old man who was pressed on his leg by a pressing machine; severe brain swelling and popliteal vessel injury were diagnosed, respectively. They were both in severe shock and massive fluid resuscitation was required in the emergency department. Distended abdomen was recognized in both the female and male patients immediately after neurosurgical operation and immediately before orthopaedic operation in the operating room, respectively. Decompressive laparotomy revealed massive ascites with retroperitoneal edema.
Abdomen ; Ascites ; Brain Edema ; Edema ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Humans ; Intra-Abdominal Hypertension ; Laparotomy ; Leg ; Male ; Operating Rooms ; Resuscitation ; Shock ; Young Adult

The correction of author order.
Adult* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mortality*