The aim of this study was to identify factors that predict morbidity and mortality in patients with traumatic pancreatic injuries. A retrospective review was performed on 75 consecutive patients with traumatic pancreatic injuries admitted to the Emergency Medical Center at Masan Samsung Hospital and subsequently underwent laparotomy during the period January 2000 to December 2005. Overall mortality and morbidity rates were 13.3% and 49.3%, respectively. A multivariate regression analysis revealed that greater than 12 blood transfusions and an initial base deficit of less than -11 mM/L were the most important predictors of mortality (p<0.05). On the other hand, the most important predictors of morbidity were surgical complexity and an initial base deficit of less than -5.8 mM/L (p<0.01). These data suggests that early efforts to prevent shock and rapidly control of bleeding are most likely to improve the outcome in patients with traumatic pancreatic injuries. The severity of pancreatic injury per se influenced only morbidity.
Adult ; Blood Transfusion ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pancreas/*injuries/surgery ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Wounds and Injuries/mortality

A clinical observation was made on twenty cases of retropubic prostatectomy from June, 30 1978 to June 30, 1981. The results were summerized as follows. 1. The mean operation time was 92 minutes in retropubic prostatectomy. 2. The mean amount of blood transfusion was 1.2 pint. Transfusion was done in 75% of retropubic prostatectomy. 3. The mean duration of the urethral catheter indwelling was 8.85 days. 4. The mean duration of hospitalization was 9.6 days. 5. The weight of adenomatous tissue enucleated ranged from 20 to 52gm. 6. Postoperative complications were urinary infections in 12 cases, temporary incontinence in 5 cases, urethral strictures, wound abscesses and pyrexia. The mortality rate was 0%.
Abscess ; Blood Transfusion ; Fever ; Hospitalization ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications ; Prostatectomy* ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Urethral Stricture ; Urinary Catheters ; Wounds and Injuries

A clinical observation was made on 23 patients with tuberculous non-functioning kidneys who underwent nephrectomy during the period from February 1986 to June 1992. We reviewed these cases according to primary nephrectomy on tuberculous non-functioning kidneys. The following results were obtained. In pathologic findings of the 27 cases in which tuberculous non-functioning kidneys were suspected, 4 cases were no evidence of tuberculosis. Those were xanthoeranulomatous pyelonephritis (2 cases) and chronic pyelonephritis with hydronephrosis (2 cases). Coexisting renal cell carcinoma was found in 1 case. 4 cases (17.1%) were hypertensive at the time of presentation and 3 cases or them had a decrease in blood pressure after nephrectomy. No perioperative mortality occurred and perioperative complications (sinus arrhydrmia, wound infection, wound dehisdence, ileus) were in 4 cases (17.4 %). There was no evidence of recurrence during follow-u periods. (Follow-up mean periods: 18.5 months) Thus, it is concluded that primary nephrectomy is an important adjunct in the comprehensive management of the unilateral, tuberculous non-functioning kidneys, for accurate diagnosis, removal of infection source, early control and prevention of presenting symptoms.
Blood Pressure ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Kidney* ; Mortality ; Nephrectomy* ; Pyelonephritis ; Recurrence ; Tuberculosis ; Wound Infection ; Wounds and Injuries

Ionized hypocalcemia is a common finding in critically ill patients, but the relationship between ionized hypocalcemia and mortality risk in trauma patients has not been well established. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of initial ionized calcium (iCa) in predicting mortality in the trauma population, and evaluate its superiority over the three other triage tools: base deficit, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) score, and triage-revised trauma score (t-RTS). A proand retrospective study was performed on 255 consecutive trauma patients admitted to our Emergency Medical Center from January to December, 2005, who underwent arterial blood gas analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed iCa (< or =0.88 mM/L), low Glasgow coma scale score, and a large transfusion amount to be significant risk factors associated with mortality (p<0.05). The sensitivities of iCa, base deficit, SIRS score, and t-RTS were 82.9%, 76.4%, 67.1%, and 74.5%, and their specificities were 41.0%, 64.1%, 64.1%, and 87.2%, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis determined the areas under the curves of these parameters to be 0.607+/-0.062, 0.736+/-0.056, 0.694+/-0.059, and 0.875 +/-0.043, respectively (95% confidence interval). Although initial iCa (< or =0.88 mM/L) was confirmed as a significant risk factor associated with mortality, it exhibited a poorer discriminative power for mortality prediction than other predictors, especially t-RTS.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Area Under Curve ; Calcium/*blood ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Retrospective Studies ; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome/blood/mortality ; *Triage ; Wounds and Injuries/*blood/mortality

PURPOSE: To compare short-term clinical outcome of laparoscopic primary closure and open primary closure for the treatment of perforated peptic ulcers. METHODS: A prospective non-randomized study was perfor med for patients with perforated peptic ulcer at the Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital between Janunary 1999 and August 2001. Fifteen patients (Group L) underwent a laparoscopic primary closure by a modified Graham's method. The control group (Group O) was comprised of twenty patients who underwent a conventional open primary closure by a modified Graham's method. Statistical comparisons were made by a two-tailed Student's t-test. RESULTS: The group L and O were comparable for age, weight, preoperative leucocyte count, Blood urea nitrogen creatinine, and associated medical illness. Significant differences (P<0.05) were present between the groups with regard to the mean operative time (118.7 vs 80.8 minutes) and time to nonfebrile conversion following the operations (postoperative 2.2 days vs. postoperative 3.1 days). There were no differences in blood loss, frequencies of pain control, recovery of bowel movement, and postoperative hospital stay. Complications were seen in 1 of the cases in group L (pleural effusion), and 2 in group O (upper gastrointestinal bleeding, wound dehiscence). There was one case of mortality, due to septic shock, in group O. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic primary repair could be a safe and feasible technique for the treatment of peptic ulcer perforations with a cosmetic advantage and faster recovery.
Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Mortality ; Operative Time ; Peptic Ulcer Perforation ; Peptic Ulcer* ; Prospective Studies ; Shock, Septic ; Wounds and Injuries

BACKGROUND: The current study assessed a recently developed resuscitation protocol for bleeding trauma patients called the Targeted Transfusion Protocol (TTP) and compared its results with those of the standard Massive Transfusion Protocol (MTP). METHODS: Per capita utilization of blood products such as packed red blood cells (RBCs), fresh frozen plasma (FFP), and platelet concentrates was compared along with mortality rates during two 6-month periods, one in 2011 (when the standard MTP was followed) and another in 2014 (when the TTP was used). In the TTP, patients were categorized into three groups based on the presence of head injuries, long bone fractures, or penetrating injuries involving the trunk, extremities, or neck who were resuscitated according to separate algorithms. All cases had experienced motor vehicle accidents and had injury severity scores over 16. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were observed between the study groups at hospital admission. Per capita utilization of RBC (4.76 ± 0.92 vs. 3.37 ± 0.55; P = 0.037), FFP (3.71 ± 1.00 vs. 2.40 ± 0.52; P = 0.025), and platelet concentrate (1.18 ± 0.30 vs. 0.55 ± 0.18; P = 0.006) blood products were significantly lower in the TTP epoch. Mortality rates were similar between the two study periods (P = 0.74). CONCLUSIONS: Introduction of the TTP reduced the requirements for RBCs, FFP, and platelet concentrates in severely injured trauma patients.
Blood Platelets ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Erythrocytes ; Extremities ; Fractures, Bone ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Mortality ; Motor Vehicles ; Neck ; Plasma ; Resuscitation ; Wounds and Injuries

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the mortality rate in patients with severe trauma and the risk factors for trauma mortality based on 3 years' data in a regional trauma center in Korea. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of severe trauma patients admitted to Ajou University Hospital with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) > 15 between January 2010 and December 2012. Pearson chi-square tests and Student t-tests were conducted to examine the differences between the survived and deceased groups. To identify factors associated with mortality after severe trauma, multivariate logistic regression was performed. RESULTS: There were 915 (743 survived and 172 deceased) enrolled patients with overall mortality of 18.8%. Age, blunt trauma, systolic blood pressure (SBP) at admission, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) at admission, head or neck Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score, and ISS were significantly different between the groups. Age by point increase (odds ratio [OR], 1.016; P = 0.001), SBP < or = 90 mmHg (OR, 2.570; P < 0.001), GCS score < or = 8 (OR, 6.229; P < 0.001), head or neck AIS score > or = 4 (OR, 1.912; P = 0.003), and ISS by point increase (OR, 1.042; P < 0.001) were significant risk factors. CONCLUSION: In severe trauma patients, age, initial SBP, GCS score, head or neck AIS score, and ISS were associated with mortality.
Abbreviated Injury Scale ; Blood Pressure ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Head ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Medical Records ; Mortality* ; Neck ; Risk Factors* ; Trauma Centers ; Wounds and Injuries

OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether emergency department (ED) crowding influences the timing of the initial assessment and treatment in severe trauma patients, as well as their mortality rates. METHODS: This retrospective, observational study was conducted between January 2015 and October 2016, and included adult severe trauma patients who presented to the ED. The emergency department occupancy rate (EDOR) was used to measure ED crowding. The patients were divided into four groups using the EDOR quartile. The timeliness of the initial assessment and treatment in the four groups as well as the mortality rates were compared. RESULTS: This study investigated 307 patients. The timing of the first computed tomography (CT) and laboratory test order, CT and laboratory test result acquisition, first transfusion, and patient transfer from the ED to the operating room were similar in the four groups. Multivariable logistic regression analysis did not show a significant difference in mortality between the groups. CONCLUSION: ED crowding was not associated with delays in the initial assessment and treatment of severe trauma patients, or in their mortality rates.
Adult ; Blood Transfusion ; Crowding* ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mortality* ; Observational Study ; Operating Rooms ; Patient Transfer ; Retrospective Studies ; Weights and Measures ; Wounds and Injuries

A new blood bank system was established in our trauma bay, which allowed immediate utilization of uncross-matched type O packed red blood cells (UORBCs). We investigated the efficacy of UORBC compared to that of the ABO type-specific packed red blood cells (ABO RBCs) from before the bank was installed. From March 2016 to February 2017, data from trauma patients who received UORBCs in the trauma bay were compared with those of trauma patients who received ABO RBCs from January 2013 to December 2015. Propensity matching was used to overcome retrospective bias. The primary outcome was 24-hour mortality, while the secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS). Data from 252 patients were reviewed and UORBCs were administered to 64 patients. The time to transfusion from emergency room admission was shorter in the UORBC group (11 [7–16] minutes vs. 44 [29–72] minutes, P < 0.001). After propensity matching, 47 patients were included in each group. The 24-hour mortality (4 [8.5%] vs. 9 [13.8%], P = 0.135), in-hospital mortality (14 [29.8%] vs. 18 [38.3%], P = 0.384), and ICU LOS (9 [4–19] days vs. 5 [0–19] days, P = 0.155) did not differ significantly between groups. The utilization of UORBCs resulted in a faster transfusion but did not significantly improve the clinical outcomes in traumatic shock patients in this study. However, the tendency for lower mortality in the UORBC group suggested the need for a large study.
Bays ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Blood Banks ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Erythrocyte Transfusion* ; Erythrocytes* ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Length of Stay ; Mortality ; Propensity Score* ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock* ; Shock, Traumatic ; Trauma Centers ; Wounds and Injuries

Some polymers and bioactive compounds derived from Styela clava tunic (SCT) have been reported as traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammation, oxidative stress and surgical wounds although there is little scientific evidence of their liver and kidney toxicity. To investigate the toxicity of ethanol extracts of SCT (EtSCT) in the liver and kidney of ICR mice, alterations in related markers including body weight, organ weight, urine composition, liver pathology and kidney pathology were analyzed following oral administration of 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight/day of EtSCT for 14 days. EtSCT showed a high level of free radical scavenging activity for DPPH (93.1%) and NO (16.2%) as well as the presence of 14.8 mg/mL of flavonoids and 36.2 mg/mL of phenolics, while EtSCT treated groups did not show any significant alterations in the body and organ weight, clinical phenotypes, urine parameters or mice mortality when compared with the vehicle treated group. In addition, constant levels of serum biochemical markers including alanine phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (CRE) were maintained. Moreover, no specific histopathological features induced by most toxic compounds were observed in liver and kidney sections stained with hematoxilin and eosin. Therefore, the present results indicate that EtSCT with strong antioxidant activity cannot induce any specific toxicity in liver and kidney organs of ICR at doses of 100 mg/kg body weight/day.
Administration, Oral ; Alanine ; Alanine Transaminase ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Biomarkers ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Body Weight ; Creatinine ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Ethanol ; Flavonoids ; Inflammation ; Kidney ; Liver ; Medicine, Traditional ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR* ; Mortality ; Organ Size ; Oxidative Stress ; Pathology ; Phenol ; Phenotype ; Polymers ; Wounds and Injuries