• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.124-128
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• 2016

Purpose: Computed tomography (CT) with intravenous (IV) contrast is an important step in the evaluation of trauma patients; however, the risk factors for contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in these patients remain unclear. This study determined the rate of CIN in trauma patients at a regional trauma center in Korea and identified the risk factors for developing CIN. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 138 patients for the patient demographics, creatinine levels, and vital signs. CIN was defined as an increase in creatinine by 0.5 mg/dL from admission after undergoing CT with IV contrast. Results: Of the patients, 7.2% developed CIN during their admission after receiving IV contrast for CT. In the multivariate analysis, only the creatinine level at presentation (Adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 5.944; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.486-23.733; p=0.012) and an injury severity score (ISS) greater than 22 (aOR, 1.096; 95% CI, 1.021-1.176; p=0.011) were independently associated with the risk of CIN. Conclusion: CIN is uncommon in trauma patients following CT with IV contrast. The creatinine level at presentation and ISS were independent risk factors for developing CIN in trauma patients.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.116-123
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• 2016

Purpose: To develop an inclusive and sustainable trauma system as the assessment of burden of injuries is very much important. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the estimates and characteristics of abdominal traumatic injuries. Methods: The data were extracted from the National Emergency Department Information System. Based on Korean Standard Classification for Disease 6th version, which is the Korean version of International Classification of Disease 10th revision, abdominal injuries were identified and abdominal surgeries were evaluated with electronic data interchange codes. Demographic factors, numbers of surgeries and clinical outcomes were also investigated. Results: From 2011 to 2014, about 24,696 patients with abdominal trauma were admitted to the hospitals annually in South Korea. The number of patients who were admitted to regional and local emergency medical centers was 8,622 (34.91%) and 15,564(63.02%), respectively. Based on National Emergency Department Information System, liver was identified as the most commonly injured abdominal solid organ (39.50%, 9,754/24,696, followed by spleen (17.57%, 4,338/24,696) and kidney (12.94%, 3,195/24,696). Conclusion: This study shows that the demand for abdominal trauma care is considerable in South Korea and most of the patients with abdominal trauma were admitted to regional or local emergency centers. The results of this study can be used as good source of information for staffs to ensure proper delivery of abdominal trauma care in trauma centers nationally.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.129-133
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the surgical outcome of duodenal injuries and to analyze the risk factors related to the leakage after surgical treatment. Methods: A retrospective review of 31 patients with duodenal injuries who managed by surgical treatment was conducted from December 2000 to May 2014. The demographic characteristics, injury mechanism, site of duodenal injury, association of intraabdominal organ injuries, injury severity score (ISS), abdominal abbreviated injury scale (AIS), injury-operation time lag, surgical treatment methods, complications, and mortality were reviewed. Results: Duodenal injury was more common in male. Twenty four (77.4%) patients were injured by blunt trauma. The most common injury site was in the second portion of the duodenum (n=19, 58.6%). Fourteen patients (45.2%) had other associated intraabdominal organ injuries. The mean ISS is $13.6{\pm}9.6$. The mean AIS is $8.9{\pm}6.5$. Eighteen patients (58.1%) were treated by primary closure. The remaining 13 patients underwent various operations, including exploratory laparotomy (n=4), pancreaticoduodenectomy (n=3), pyloric exclusion (n=3), Resection with end-to-end anastomosis (n=2), and duodenojejunostomy (n=1). Most common postoperative complications were intraabdominal abscess (n=9) and renal failure (n=9). Mortality rate was 9.7%. Conclusion: ISS, AIS>10, operative time, pancreaticoduodenectomy, sepsis, and renal failure are significant predictors of a postoperative leak after duodenal injury. Careful management is needed to prevent a potential leak in patient with these findings.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.104-107
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• 2015

Purpose: Nitric oxide (NO) is a vasodilator and inhaled NO (iNO) is used in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) to improve alveolocapillary gas exchange. The mechanism to improve oxygenation is likely to redistribute blood flow from unventilated areas to ventilated areas. Though improvement of oxygenation, iNO therapy has not been shown to improve mortality and considered as only rescue therapy in severe hypoxemia. We conducted the study to investigate an efficacy of iNO in trauma patients with severe hypoxemia. Methods: We reviewed the trauma patients who underwent iNO therapy retrospectively from 2010 to 2014. Degree of hypoxemia was represented as $PaO_2/FiO_2$ ratio (PFR) and the severity of patient was represented with sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score. Patients were divided into the survivor group and non-survivor group according to the 28-day mortality. Results: A total of 20 patients were enrolled. The mortality of 28-day was 40%. There were no significant differences between survivor and non-survivor group in age, sex, severity of injury, PFR and SOFA score. There was significant difference in initiation time of iNO after injury (p=0.047). Maximum combinations of sensitivity and specificity for timing of iNO therapy were observed using cut-off of 3-day after injury with a sensitivity of 88% and specificity of 75%. Conclusion: Though iNO therapy does not influence the mortality, iNO therapy may decrease the mortality caused by respiratory failure in the early phase of trauma.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.108-114
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• 2015

Purpose: To improve outcome of severe trauma patient, the shortening of transport time is needed. Although helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) is still a subject of debate, it must also be considered for trauma system. The aim of this study is to assess whether transport method (HEMS versus ground EMS) is associated with outcome among inter-hospital transport. Methods: All trauma patients transported to regional emergency center by either HEMS or ground EMS from September 2011 to September 2014. We have classified patients according to two groups by transport method. Age younger than 15 years and self-discharged patients were excluded. Results: A total of 427 patients were available for analysis during this period. 60 patients were transported by HEMS and 367 patients were transported by ground EMS. HEMS group had higher mortality than ground EMS group (23.3% vs 3.5%; p<0.001), and included more patients with excess mortality ratio adjusted injury severity score (EMR-ISS) above 25 (91.7% vs 48.8%; p<0.001). In the multivariable regression analysis, HEMS was not associated with improved outcome compared with ground EMS, but only EMR-ISS was associated with a mortality of patients (odds ratio, 1.06; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.09). Conclusion: In this study, helicopter emergency medical services transport was not associated with a decreased of mortality among the trauma patients who inter-hospital transported to the regional emergency center.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.98-103
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• 2015

Purpose: To compare injury sustained and severity of child occupant according to the types of safety restraint systems in motor vehicle crashes. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study. The study subjects were child occupants under the age of 8 years who visited a local emergency center following a motor vehicle crash from 2010 to 2014. According to safety restraint: child restraint systems (CRS), belted, and unbelted, we compared injuries sustained and injury severity using the maximal Abbreviated Injury Scale (MAIS) and Injury Severity Score (ISS), and analyzed the characteristics of severe injuries (AIS2+). Results: Among 241 subjects, 9.1% were restrained in CRS, 14.5% were only belted, and 76.3% was unbelted at the time of the crashes. Fourteen had severe injuries (AIS2+), all of whom didn't be restrained by CRS. Injuries in face and neck were the highest in unbelted group, and MAIS and ISS were the lowest in CRS group. Conclusion: Among safety restraint systems for child occupant in motor vehicle crashes, the CRS have the preventive effect of face and neck injuries, and are the most effective safety restraint systems.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.91-97
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• 2015

Purpose: Occult hip fracture is not evident on radiographs and the diagnosis is often missed or delayed. This study was undertaken in order to identify the clinical characteristics and complications of patients with a delayed diagnosis of an occult hip fracture. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with occult hip fracture who had normal findings on initial radiographs, the diagnosis was made on additional studies between August 2006 and February 2012. Patients who were diagnosed as having occult hip fractures at the first visit were categorized as non-delayed group and those who were not diagnosed at the first visit were categorized as delayed group. Results: Non-delayed group included 43 patients (86%). In the remaining 7 patients (delayed group), the diagnosis was delayed by a mean of 9.6 days (range 3~19 days). Patients who were diagnosed with an occult fracture on the initial visit presented later than those with a delayed diagnosis (41/43 .vs. 3/7, p=0.002). Other clinical features were no difference between the two groups. Patients in the delayed diagnosis group were more likely to have fracture displacement (4/7 .vs. 0/43)15patients in non-delayed group (34.9%) needed operative treatment, whereas all delayed patients (100%) needed operative treatment. Conclusion: A delayed diagnosis of occult hip fractures was associated with increased rate of displacement and operation. In patients suspected of having occult hip fractures, additional studies should be recommended.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.14-21
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to analyze the results of the combined and posterior approaches for treating thoracolumbar and lumbar burst fractures and to find an adequate method of treatment. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the cases of 46 patients with unstable thoracolumbar and lumbar burst fractures who had been surgically treated. All cases were divided into two groups based on the operation method used. Eleven patients had undergone the combined approach, while 35 patients had undergone the posterior approach. Radiological and clinical evaluations were performed before surgery, after surgery, and at the final follow-up. Results: The stenotic ratios of the area occupied by the retropulsed bony fragments to the estimated area of the original spinal canal were 68.2% and 45.6% for the combined and the posterior approaches, respectively. No significant differences in the neurological improvement or the corrected state of the sagittal index were noted, but the patients who had been treated with the combined approach group had better results than those who had been treated with the posterior approach group in terms of correction and maintenance of the sagittal index. The average kyphosis corrections at the final follow-up were 15.3 degrees for the patients in the combined approach group and 10.0 degrees for those in the posterior approach group. Surgical time and estimated blood loss were all significantly higher for patients in the combined approach group. Conclusion: The combined and the posterior approaches showed similar results in the improvements of the neurologic state and the corrected state of the sagittal index. However, use of the combined approach is recommended for patients with severe kyphosis and with severe canal encroachment.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.170-176
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• 2015

Purpose: The aims of this study were to discuss treatment and prevention under the age of 18 to identify the characteristics of the electrical burn patients. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 97 patients with under age 18 of electric burn who were treated in emergency department of quarterly over 10,000 targets within the desired hospital for evaluation of electrical injuries between January 1, 2009 and December, 2013. We investigated age, gender, injury mechanism, season, degree of burn, surface of burn, complication, blood test, and voltage, kind of current. Results: Of the patients, 50 (50.5%) patients were in the first degree burn and 47 (49.5%) patients were in second degree burn. 68 (70.1%) patients had electric burn at home. 75 (85.2%) of 88 patients had normal sinus rhythm and other 13 people showed a RBBB, VPC, sinus bradycardia, sinus tachycardia. 41 (42.3) of 97 patients were in infants and 26 (26.8%) patients were in adolescence. Conclusion: The results of this study emphasize the need for prevention of electricity at home for childhood and education of the adolescence.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.211-214
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• 2015

The primary and secondary survey was designed to identify all of a patient's injuries and prioritize their management. However 15 to 22.3% of patient with missed injuries had clinically significant missed injuries. To reduce missed injury, special attention should be focused on patients with severe anatomical injury or obtunded. Victims of blunt trauma commonly had multiple system involvement. Some reports indicate that inexperience, breakdown of estalished protocol, clinical error, and restriction of imaging studies may be responsible for presence of missed injury. The best way of reducing clinical significant of missed injuries was repeated clinical assessment. Here we report a case of severe blunt hepatic injury patient and pericardial injury that was missed in primary and secondary survey. After damage control surgery of hepatic injury, she remained hemodynamically unstable. Further investigation found cardiac tamponade during intensive care. This was managed by pericardial window operation through previous abdominal incision and abdominal wound closure was performed.