• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.80-86
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• 2017

Purpose: To analyze the data of patients who suffered trauma in a cultivator accident and visited the trauma center in rural Gyeongbuk Province. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and Korean Trauma Data Bank data of 120 patients who suffered cultivator-related traumas and visited the rural regional trauma center in Gyeongbuk Province from January to December 2015. Results: The age of the patients ranged from 35 to 96 years (mean, 70 years). Ninety-one (75.8%) patients were men, and twenty-nine (24.2%) were women. Most of the patients were in their 70s (46 men [50.5%] and 13 women [44.8%]). In total, 113 patients (94.1%) arrived at the regional trauma center by ground transport and 7 (5.9%) arrived by air transport. Ninety-eight patients (81.7%) were transported to the regional trauma center directly from the scene of the accident, and twenty-two (18.3%) were transferred from another medical institute. The mean time from the accident to arrival at the emergency department was 139 minutes, and only 46 patients (38.3%) arrived within 1 hour. Twelve (10.0%) patients died, including two deaths on arrival and two post- cardiopulmonary resuscitation deaths in the emergency department. All deaths were of male cultivator operators. The causes of death were shock (hypovolemic, traumatic, or septic), subdural hematoma (open), hemothorax, rhabdomyolysis, and pneumonia. Conclusions: As the government - led regional trauma center project is on process, it would be clinically important to summarize the initial outcome of cultivator injuries, which are characteristically found more in regional trauma centers in the rural area, and have high mortality. Based on this study, in the future, it will be necessary to follow up and analyze more number of patients and to construct accurate database about trauma cases related to cultivator in Gyeongbuk region.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.204-207
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• 2014

Non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) encompasses all forms of mesenteric ischemia with patent mesenteric arteries. NOMI is commonly caused by decreased cardiac output resulting in hypoperfusion of peripheral mesenteric arteries. We report a case of NOMI secondary to hemorrhagic shock and rhabdomyolysis due to trauma. A 42-year-old man presented to our trauma center following a pedestrian trauma. On arrival, he was drowsy and in a state of hemorrhagic shock. He was found to have multiple fractures, both lung contusion and urethral rupture. An initial physical examination and abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan revealed no evidence of intra-abdominal injury. High doses of catecholamine were administered for initial 3 days due to unstable vital sign. On day 25 of hospitalization, follow-up abdominal CT scan demonstrated that short segment of small bowel loop was dilated and bowel wall was not enhanced. During exploratory laparotomy, necrosis of the terminal ileum with intact mesentery was detected and ileocecectomy was performed. His postoperative course was uneventful and is under rehabilitation.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제36권3호
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• pp.180-186
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to report the treatment results of patients with traumatic cardiac tamponade after the opening of Jeju Regional Trauma Center. Methods: We analyzed the treatment outcomes of patients with traumatic cardiac tamponade who were treated at Jeju Regional Trauma Center from January 2018 to August 2022. Results: Seven patients with traumatic cardiac tamponade were treated. The male to female ratio was 1.33:1 (four male and three female patients) and the average age was 60.3±7.2 years. The mechanism of injury was blunt trauma in six cases and penetrating injury in one case. Upon arrival at the emergency department, pericardiostomy was performed in four cases, and an emergency operation was performed in six cases. Pericardiostomy alone was performed in one patient, who had cardiac tamponade due to extrapericardial suprahepatic inferior vena cava rupture. The causes of cardiac tamponade were right atrium appendage rupture in one case, right ventricle rupture in one case, inferior vena cava rupture in two cases, right atrium and left atrium rupture in one case, both atria and left ventricle rupture in one case, and intercostal artery rupture in one case. In three cases, intraoperative cardiopulmonary bypass was required. Two of the seven patients died (mortality rate, 28.5%). Conclusions: Relatively favorable treatment results were observed for traumatic cardiac tamponade patients after Jeju Regional Trauma Center was established.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.101-105
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• 2007

Purpose: This study aimed to find any difference in the clinical or the anatomical findings of vertebral artery dissection (VAD) between the trauma and the non-trauma groups. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data and radiologic images of VAD patients. We compared data on symptoms, neurologic deficit, National institutes of health stroke scale (NIHSS) at admission, Rankin score (RS) at admission and discharge, and radiological findings including anatomical features, between the trauma and the non-trauma groups. Results: From January 1997 to May 2006, 42 patients were enrolled and 13 patients (31%) had a history of earlier trauma. Focal neurologic deficit (trauma group 11/13 vs. non-trauma group 11/29), cerebral stroke (10/13 vs. 9/29), and extradural lesions of dissection (6/13 vs. 3/28) were more common in the trauma group than non-trauma group (p=0.007, p=0.017, p=0.018, respectively) and NIHSS at admission and discharge were significantly higher (p=0.012, p=0.001, respectively). Dissecting aneurysms were less frequent in the trauma group (2/13 vs. 19/29, p=0.006). Subarachnoid hemorrhage and unfavorable prognostic value (Rankin score at discharge ${\geq}$ 2) showed no differences between the groups (p=0.540, p=0.267, respectively). Conclusion: In VAD patients after trauma, focal neurologic deficit due to ischemic stroke and a steno-occlusive pattern are more frequent than they are in non-trauma patients. The location of dissection was most frequent at the extradural vertebral artery in the trauma group. NIHSS was higher in the trauma groups but the incidence of an unfavorable prognostic value (RS ${\geq}$ 2) was not significantly different between the groups.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.254-259
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• 2009

Purpose: Pelvic trauma is a serious skeletal injury with high mortality. Especially in cases of severe injury trauma, treatment outcomes depend on early diagnosis and intervention. We expect trauma surgeon to play an important role in the management of severe multiple trauma patients. Methods: A retrospective study was performed on pelvic trauma patients with hemodynamic instability between March 2005 and September 2009. We divided the time period into period I (March 2005~Feburary 2009) and period II (March 2009~September 2009). The trauma surgeon and team started to work from period II. Data were collected regarding demographic characteristics, mechanism of injury, type of pelvic fracture, ISS(injury severity score), treatment modality, transfusion requirement, time to definitive treatment, and mortality. Results: During period I, among 7 hemodynamically unstable patients, 4(57.1%) patients died. However during Period II, only one of 6(16.6%) patients died. The demographic data and injury scores showed no differences between the two time periods, but the time to definitive treatment was very short with trauma team intervention(14.4 hrs vs. 3.9 hrs). Also, the amount of transfusion was less(41.1 U vs. 13.9 U). With arterial embolization, early pelvic external fixation led to less transfusion and made patients more stable. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the importance of the trauma surgeon and the trauma team in cases of hemodynamically unstable pelvic trauma. Even with the same facility and resources, an active trauma team approach can increase the survival of severely injured multiple trauma patients.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제66권1호
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• pp.63-71
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• 2023

Objective : Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most common injuries in patients with multiple trauma, and it associates with high post-traumatic mortality and morbidity. A trauma center was established to provide optimal treatment for patients with severe trauma. This study aimed to compare the treatment outcomes of patients with severe TBI between non-trauma and trauma centers based on data from the Korean Neuro-Trauma Data Bank System (KNTDBS). Methods : From January 2018 to June 2021, 1122 patients were enrolled in the KNTDBS study. Among them, 253 patients from non-traumatic centers and 253 from trauma centers were matched using propensity score analysis. We evaluated baseline characteristics, the time required from injury to hospital arrival, surgery-related factors, neuromonitoring, and outcomes. Results : The time from injury to hospital arrival was shorter in the non-trauma centers (110.2 vs. 176.1 minutes, p=0.012). The operation time was shorter in the trauma centers (156.7 vs. 128.1 minutes, p=0.003). Neuromonitoring was performed in nine patients (3.6%) in the non-trauma centers and 67 patients (26.5%) in the trauma centers (p<0.001). Mortality rates were lower in trauma centers than in non-trauma centers (58.5% vs. 47.0%, p=0.014). The average Glasgow coma scale (GCS) at discharge was higher in the trauma centers (4.3 vs. 5.7, p=0.011). For the Glasgow outcome scale-extended (GOSE) at discharge, the favorable outcome (GOSE 5-8) was 17.4% in the non-trauma centers and 27.3% in the trauma centers (p=0.014). Conclusion : This study showed lower mortality rates, higher GCS scores at discharge, and higher rates of favorable outcomes in trauma centers than in non-trauma centers. The regional trauma medical system seems to have a positive impact in treating patients with severe TBI.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.192-196
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• 2017

Purpose: Blunt injury accounts for 80-95% of renal injury trauma in the United States. The majority of blunt renal injuries are low grade and 80-85% of these injuries can be managed conservatively. However, there is a debate on the management of patients with high-grade renal injury. We reviewed our experience of renal trauma at our trauma center to assess management strategy for high-grade blunt renal injury. Methods: We reviewed blunt renal injury cases admitted at a single trauma center between August 2007 and December 2015. Computed tomography (CT) scan was used to diagnose renal injuries and high-grade (according to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma [AAST] organ injury scale III-V) renal injury patients were included in the analysis. Results: During the eight-year study period, there were 62 AAST grade III-V patients. 5 cases underwent nephrectomy and 57 underwent non-operative management (NOM). There was no difference in outcome between the operative group and the NOM group. In the NOM group, 24 cases underwent angioembolization with a 91% success rate. The Incidence of urological complications correlated with increasing grade. Conclusions: Conservative management of high-grade blunt renal injury was considered preferable to operative management, with an increased renal salvage rate. However, high-grade injuries have higher complication rates, and therefore, close observation is recommended after conservative management.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.6-11
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• 2017

Purpose: The establishment of the trauma system has changed the quality of trauma care in many countries. As one of the first designated level I trauma centers in Korea, we hypothesized that there were changes in laparotomy patterns and subsequent survival rates after the center was established. Methods: This was a 5-year retrospective study of all severe hemoperitoneum patients who were transfused with more than 10 units of packed red blood cells (RBCs) within 24 h of hospitalization. Variables related to trauma were collected throughout the study period, and the patients admitted before (period 1) and after (period 2) the establishment of a trauma center were compared. Results: Forty-five patients were managed from January 2009 to March 2015. The baseline patient characteristics of the two groups, including age, Injury Severity Score, blood pressure, and hemoglobin levels, were similar. The time to the operating room (OR) was $144.3{\pm}51.5$ min (period 1) and $79.9{\pm}44.1$ min (period 2) (p<0.0001). Damage control surgery (DCS) was performed in 17% of patients during period 1 and in 73% during period 2. The number of actual survivors (n=10) was higher than expected (n=8) in period 2. Conclusion: This is the first study analyzing the impact of a trauma center on the management of specific injuries, such as severe hemoperitoneum, in patients in Korea. During the study, the time to OR was shortened and DCS was used to a greater extent as a surgical procedure.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.34-37
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• 2018

Upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is an unusual condition compared to lower extremity DVT, and it represents about 10% of all DVTs. We report a case of upper extremity DVT after clavicle fracture and immobilization.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.206-211
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• 2017

Aortic dissection caused by blunt trauma is a rare injury that can be complicated by malperfusion syndrome resulting from obstruction of branch vessels of the aorta. Here, we present a case of traumatic type B aortic dissection with right renal and small bowel ischemia, successfully managed by endovascular fenestration.