• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.87-90
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• 2017

Purpose: Nowadays, Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) is widely used for its benefits, low post-operative pain, excellent anesthetic result and complete visualization of intrathoracic organs. Despite of these advantages, VATS has not yet been widely used in trauma patients. In this study, we aimed to investigate the usefulness of VATS in the chest trauma area. Methods: From January 2016 to December 2016, 203 patients underwent surgical treatment for chest trauma. Their medical records were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Eleven patients underwent thoracic surgery by VATS. Six patients were unstable vital sign in the emergency room. Two patients underwent emergency surgery and the rest patients underwent planned surgery. The common surgeries were VATS hematoma evacuation and wedge resection. There was no conversion to thoracotomy. The surgery proceeded without any problems for all patients. Conclusions: VATS would be an effective diagnostic and therapeutic modality in chest trauma patients. It can be applied to retained hemothorax, persistent pneumothorax, suspicious diaphragm injury and even coagulation of bleeder.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.91-97
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• 2017

Purpose: Purpose: The prognostic factors of non-operative management (NOM) in high-grade spleen injuries have been extensively studied, but factors that would help treatment decisions are lacking. We compared the characteristics of the patients to identify the factors affecting treatment choices. Methods: This is a review of 207 blunt spleen injury patients from January 2004 to December 2013. We compared clinical features and mortality between surgery and NOM, and used multivariate regression analysis to find the factor most strongly associated with prognosis. Results: Of the 207 patients, 107 had high-grade spleen injury patents (grade III or above). Of these, 42 patients underwent surgery and 65 patients underwent NOM. The mortality was 7% following surgery, 3% with NOM. The amount of packed red blood cells transfused in the first 24 hours and spleen injury grade were associated with management type, and mortality was highly associated with activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and spleen injury grade. Conclusions: The grade of spleen injury was associated with management and mortality, so correctly assessing the spleen injury grade is important.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.107-111
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• 2017

The fat embolism syndrome (FES) represents a condition, usually with traumatic etiology, which may pose challenges to diagnosis while its treatment usually requires supportive measures in the intensive care units (ICUs). The clinical criteria, including respiratory and cerebral dysfunction and a petechial rash, along with imaging studies help in diagnosis. Here we present three case reports of young male who developed FES and were admitted to our ICUs after long bones fractures emerging after vehicle crashes and we briefly review FES literature. All patients' treatment was directed towards: 1) the restoration of circulating volume with fresh blood and/or plasma; 2) the correction of acidosis; and 3) immobilization of the affected part. All patients recovered and were released to the orthopedic wards. The incidence of cases of patients with FES admitted in our ICUs records a significant decrease. This may be explained in terms effective infrastructure reforms in Greece which brought about significant improvement in early prevention and management.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2017

Purpose: Nefopam is a centrally acting non-narcotic analgesic that has mostly been used for postoperative pain. We examined the efficacy of nefopam analgesia (alone and in combination with ketorolac) for trauma patients in the emergency department. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review to select trauma patients who received nefopam at the emergency department of Korea University Medical Center Guro Hospital between January 2012 and December 2012. Patients younger than 15 years were excluded. The primary outcome measure was change of pain score (numeric rating scale) from baseline (before medication) to 30 min after medication. The secondary outcome measure was requirement for additional analgesia (pethidine). Results: Records of 1465 trauma patients who received analgesics in the emergency department from January 2012 to December 2012 were examined. Patients were classified into five groups according to initial analgesic: nefopam (n=112), ketorolac (n=867), pethidine (n=365), nefopam+ketorolac (92), and nefopam+pethidine (22). There were no significant differences in pain score reductions among the five groups. Twenty-two patients in the nefopam group, 141 in the ketorolac group, and 29 in the nefopam+ketorolac group required rescue analgesia with pethidine; these rates were not significantly different. Conclusion: The efficacy of nefopam analgesia for trauma patients in the emergency department is comparable to that of more commonly used agents, including ketorolac and pethidine.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.12-15
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• 2017

A 58-year-old male visited our emergency room for multiple traumas from explosion. On initial evaluation, hemopneumoperitoneum with liver laceration (grade 4) and colon perforation was identified. Hemopericardium with cardiac tamponade was also identified. Shrapnel was detected in the right ventricle. Damage control surgery was planned due to condition of hypotension. In operation room, control over bleeding was achieved after sternotomy, pericardiotomy, and laparotomy. Massive transfusion was done during operation. After gauze packing, operation was terminated with temporary closure (TC). Sanguineous fluid was drained profusely. Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy was confirmed through laboratory findings. No extravasation was discovered at hepatic angiogram. On re-operation, there was no active bleeding but oozing from sternotomy site was identified. Bone bleeding was impossible to control. Finally, reoperation was ended after gauze packing and TC all over again. The patient could survive for only a day after re-operation.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.179-185
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• 2017

Purpose: Rib fracture is the most common complication of blunt thoracic trauma. We investigated the effect of rib fracture on pulmonary function in the conservatively treated patients. Methods: From January 2000 to February 2017, we reviewed the records of 72 patients with rib fracture and pulmonary function tests were performed. According to the number of rib fractures, patients were classified into two groups: less than six fractured ribs (group A) and more than six fractured ribs (group B). The groups were compared concerning demographics, underlying diseases, associated thoracic injuries, surgery, mechanical ventilator times, days spent in the intensive care unit and pulmonary function test. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the demographic data between the two groups. Mean hospitalization was 13.5 days in group A and 27.0 days in group B (p<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the pulmonary function test. Conclusions: We conclude that pulmonary function is restored by conservative treatment in patients with rib fractures even if the number of rib fractures increases. In patients with multiple rib fractures, studies comparing open rib fixation and conservative treatment of long term pulmonary function are required.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.242-246
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• 2017

Traumatic abdominal vessel injury is rare, but difficult to manage. Approaching the injured vessel and controlling the bleeding is very hard. We experienced the right iliac artery transection managed by iliofemoral bypass grafting using temporary balloon occlusion. Proximal occlusion of an iliac artery with a temporary balloon cab be an option or bridge technique for a definite operation in case of iliac artery rupture. So, we present our case.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.216-219
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• 2017

Laparoscopy has been one of the most effective modalities in various surgical situations, although its use in trauma patients has some limitations. The benefits of laparoscopy include cost-effectiveness, shorter length of hospital stay, and less postoperative pain. This report describes diagnostic laparoscopy and laparoscopic diverting sigmoid loop colostomy in penetrating extraperitoneal rectal injury. A 41-year-old male presented with perineal pain following penetrating trauma caused by a tree limb. Computed tomography showed air density in the perirectal space and retroperitoneum. As his vital signs were stable, we performed diagnostic laparoscopy and confirmed no intraperitoneal perforation. Therefore, laparoscopic diverting sigmoid loop colostomy was performed. He was discharged without any complications despite underlying hepatitis C-related cirrhosis. Colostomy closure was performed 3 months later.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.120-125
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• 2017

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify clinical outcome and characteristics of trauma patients via emergency medical services (EMS). Methods: Medical records of the trauma patients visiting the emergency department were retrospectively collected and analyzed from January 2015 to June 2016 in the single institution. Of 529 registered patients, 371 patients were transported by - were enrolled. The parameters including age, gender, injury mechanism, Glasgow coma scale on arrival, presence of shock (systemic blood pressure <90 mmHg) on arrival, time to arrival from accident to emergency room (ER), need for emergency procedures such as operation or angioembolization, need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission, injury severity score (ISS), the trauma and injury severity score, revised trauma score (RTS), length of stay, and mortality rate were collected. The SAS version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA) was used for the data analysis. Results: Arrival time from the field to the ER was significantly shorter in EMS group. However, overall outcomes including mortalities, length of stay in the ICU and hospital were same between both groups. Age, ISS, RTS, and injury mechanisms were significantly different in both groups. ISS, RTS, and age showed significant influence on mortality statistically (p<0.05). Conclusions: The time to arrival of EMS was fast but had no effect on length of hospital stay, mortality rate. Further research that incorporates pre-hospital factors influence clinical outcomes should be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of such a system in trauma care of Korea.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.4
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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.