• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.263-269
• /
• 2021

Purpose: There have been increasing concerns about serious traffic accidents on highways. The purpose of this study was to analyze factors affecting traffic accidents on highways and the severity of the resulting injuries. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at a regional trauma center. We reviewed 594 patients who had been in 114 traffic accidents on highways from January 2018 to June 2020. We collected demographic data, clinical data, accident-related factors, and meteorological data (weather and temperature). Results: Environmental risk factors were found to be significantly associated with the incidence of traffic accidents on highways. Injury severity and the death rate were higher in sedans than in any other type of vehicle. Tunnels were the most common location of accidents, accounting for 47 accidents (41.2%) and 269 injured patients (45.3%). The injury severity of individuals riding in the driver's seat (front seat) was high, regardless of vehicle type. Three meteorological risk factors were found to be significantly associated with traffic accidents: rainy roads (odds ratio [OR] 2.08; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.84-3.29; p=0.01), icy or snowy roads (OR 5.12; 95% CI 2.88-7.33; p<0.01), and foggy conditions (OR 2.94; 95% CI 2.15-4.03; p<0.05). Conclusions: The injury severity of patients was affected by seat position and type of vehicle, and the frequency of accident was affected by the location. The incidence of traffic accidents was strongly influenced by meteorological conditions (rain, snow/ice, and fog).

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.329-336
• /
• 2023

Purpose: In this study, we aimed to compare the characteristics of patients with trauma by age group in a single center in Korea to identify the clinical characteristics and analyze the risk factors affecting mortality. Methods: Patients aged ≥18 years who visited the Chungbuk National University Hospital Regional Trauma Center between January 2016 and December 2022 were included. The accident mechanism, severity of the injury, and outcomes were compared by classifying the patients into group A (18-64 years), group B (65-79 years), and group C (≥80 years). In addition, logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors affecting death. Results: The most common injury mechanism was traffic accidents in group A (40.9%) and slipping in group B (37.0%) and group C (56.2%). Although group A had the highest intensive care unit admission rate (38.0%), group C had the highest mortality rate (9.5%). In the regression analysis, 3 to 8 points on the Glasgow Coma Scale had the highest odds ratio for mortality, and red blood cell transfusion within 24 hours, intensive care unit admission, age, and Injury Severity Score were the predictors of death. Conclusions: For patients with trauma, the mechanism, injured body region, and severity of injury differed among the age groups. The high mortality rate of elderly patients suggests the need for different treatment approaches for trauma patients according to age. Identifying factors affecting clinical patterns and mortality according to age groups can help improve the prognosis of trauma patients in the future.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.67-73
• /
• 2024

Purpose: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is prevalent and is associated with protracted recovery and worse outcomes after injury. This study compared PTSD prevalence using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) with the prevalence of PTSD risk using the Injured Trauma Survivor Screen (ITSS). Methods: Adult trauma patients at a level I trauma center were screened with the PCL-5 (sample 1) at follow-up visits or using the ITSS as inpatients (sample 2). Results: Sample 1 (n=285) had significantly fewer patients with gunshot wounds than sample 2 (n=45) (8.1% vs. 22.2%, P=0.003), nonsignificantly fewer patients with a fall from a height (17.2% vs. 28.9%, P=0.06), and similar numbers of patients with motor vehicle collision (40.7% vs. 37.8%, P=0.07). Screening was performed at a mean of 154 days following injury for sample 1 versus 7.1 days in sample 2. The mean age of the patients in sample 1 was 45.4 years, and the mean age of those in sample 2 was 46.1 years. The two samples had similar proportions of female patients (38.2% vs. 40.0%, P=0.80). The positive screening rate was 18.9% in sample 1 and 40.0% in sample 2 (P=0.001). For specific mechanisms, the positive rates were as follows: motor vehicle collisions, 17.2% in sample 1 and 17.6% in sample 2 (P>0.999); fall from height, 12.2% in sample 1 and 30.8% in sample 2 (P=0.20); and gunshot wounds, 39.1% in sample 1 and 80.0% in sample 2 (P=0.06). Conclusions: The ITSS was obtained earlier than PCL-5 and may identify PTSD in more orthopedic trauma patients. Differences in the frequency of PTSD may also be related to the screening tool itself, or underlying patient risk factors, such as mechanism of injury, or mental or social health.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.39 no.4 s.261
• /
• pp.289-297
• /
• 2006

Background: Surgery for Stanford type A aortic dissection shows a high operative mortality rate and frequent postoperative brain injury. This study was designed to find out the risk factors leading to operative mortality and brain injury after surgical repair in patients with type A aortic dissection. Material and Method: One hundred and eleven patients with type A aortic dissection who underwent surgical repair between February, 1995 and January 2005 were reviewed retrospectively. There were 99 acute dissections and 12 chronic dissections. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to identify risk factors of operative mortality and brain injury. Resuit: Hospital mortality occurred in 6 patients (5.4%). Permanent neurologic deficit occurred in 8 patients (7.2%) and transient neurologic deficit in 4 (3.6%). Overall 1, 5, 7 year survival rate was 94.4, 86.3, and 81.5%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed 4 risk factors to be statistically significant as predictors of mortality: previous chronic type III dissection, emergency operation, intimal tear in aortic arch, and deep hypothemic circulatory arrest (DHCA) for more than 45 minutes. Multivariate analysis revealed previous chronic type III aortic dissection (odds ratio (OR) 52.2), and DHCA for more than 45 minutes (OR 12.0) as risk factors of operative mortality. Pathological obesity (OR 12.9) and total arch replacement (OR 8.5) were statistically significant risk factors of brain injury in multivariate analysis. Conclusion: The result of surgical repair for Stanford type A aortic dissection was good when we took into account the mortality rate, the incidence of neurologic injury, and the long-term survival rate. Surgery of type A aortic dissection in patients with a history of chronic type III dissection may increase the risk of operative mortality. Special care should be taken and efforts to reduce the hypothermic circulatory arrest time should alway: be kept in mind. Surgeons who are planning to operate on patients with pathological obesity, or total arch replacement should be seriously consider for there is a higher risk of brain injury.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.40-46
• /
• 2019

Purpose: We perform an analysis of infection risk factors for fracture patients and confirm that the risk factors reported in previous studies increase the risk of actual infection among fractured patients. In addition, injury severity score (ISS) which is used as an evaluation tool for morbidity of trauma patients, confirms whether there is a relationship with infection after orthopedic fracture surgery. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 1,818 patients who underwent fixation surgery at orthopedic trauma team, focused trauma center from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2017. Thirty-five patients were infected after fracture surgery. We analyzed age, sex, open fracture criteria based on Gustilo-Aderson classification 3b, anatomical location (upper extremity or lower extremity) of fracture, diabetes, smoking, ISS. Results: Of 1,818 patients, 35 (1.9%) were diagnosed with postoperative infection. Of the 35 infected patients, nine (25.7%) were female and five (14.0%) were upper extremity fractures. Three (8.6%) were diagnosed with diabetes and eight (22.8%) were smokers. Thirteen (37.1%) had ISS less than nine points and six (17.1%) had ISS 15 points or more. Of 1,818 patients, 80 had open fractures. Surgical site infection were diagnosed in 12 (15.0%) of 80. And nine of 12 were checked with Gustilo-Aderson classification 3b or more. Linear logistic regression analysis was performed using statistical analysis program Stata 15 (Stata Corporation, College Station, TX, USA). In addition, independent variables were logistic regression analyzed individually after Propensity scores matching. In all statistical analyzes, only open fracture was identified as a risk factor. Conclusions: The risk factors for infection in fracture patients were found to be significantly influenced by open fracture rather than the underlying disease or anatomical feature of the patient. In the case of ISS, it is considered that there is a limitation. It is necessary to develop a new scoring system that can appropriately approach the morbidity of fracture trauma patients.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.163-172
• /
• 2003

Background and Purpose. Physical therapists are at risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Little understand the characteristics of work in physical therapist or the effort they take to prevent injury. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of work in physical therapist and the efforts for prevent injury Subjects. Standardized questionnaire was administered to 103 physical therapist in Pusan association. Methods. An questionnaire was given to each subject. Questions investigated the characteristics of work in physical therapist, efforts and caring of injury prevention. Chi-square Test used to assess the association of general characteristics with the characteristics of work in physical therapist. AVONA and T-test used to assess the association of efforts of prevent injury in independent variable Results. Physical therapist was reported a higher prevalence of WMSDs in most body areas. These attributes sometimes resulted in behaviors that contributed to the development of their WMSDs.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.49 no.2
• /
• pp.131-133
• /
• 2011

We performed a percutaneous vertebroplasty at the compressed L2 vertebral body of a 73-year-old female using a left-sided unilateral extrapedicular approach. She complained severe radiating pain and a tingling sensation in her left leg two hours after the vertebroplasty. Spinal computed tomographic scan showed a large retroperitoneal hematoma, and a subsequent spinal angiography revealed a left L2 segmental artery injury. Bleeding was successfully controlled by endovascular embolization. Recently, extrapedicular approaches have been attempted, allowing for the avoidance of facet and pedicle injury with only a unilateral approach. With this approach, however, the needle punctures the vertebral body directly. Therefore, this procedure carries the potential risk of a spinal segmental artery.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.40-52
• /
• 2000

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevailing ergonomic conditions regarding low back injury in an assembly factory, In this study, analytic biomechanical model and NIOSH guidelines were applied to evaluate risk levels of low back injury for automobile assembly jobs. Total of 246 workers were analysed. There were 10 jobs with greater back compressive forces than 350kg at L5/S1. Also there were 44 jobs over Action Limit in terms of 1981 NIOSH guidelines. This could in part be explained by the ergonomic conditions of the companys analysed as not hazardous, with a relatively low duration of 'combined' extreme work posture. However, more ergonomic intervention could be done based on those results.

• Neonatal Medicine
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.161-167
• /
• 2010

Acute kidney injury (AKI), formerly referred to as acute renal failure (ARF) is defined as the sudden impairment of kidney function (estimated from the glomerular filtration rate [GFR]) that results in the lack of excretion of waste products. More than 30 definitions of AKI exist in the literature, most of which are based on serum creatinine. Lack of a uniform and multidimensional AKI definition has led to failure to recognize significant renal injury, delays in treatment, and inability to generalize single-study results. The RIFLE criteria were developed to standardize the diagnosis of ARF and in the process the term AKI has been proposed to encompass the entire spectrum of the syndrome from minor changes in renal function to requirement for renal replacement therapy. Large prospective studies are needed to test definitions and to better understand risk factors, incidence, independent outcomes, and mechanisms that lead to poor short- and long-term outcomes. Early biomarkers of AKI need to be explored in critically ill neonates.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.37 no.6
• /
• pp.331-335
• /
• 2020

A 13-year-old female Poodle presented with gallbladder rupture caused by a mucocele and hypoperfusion. The animal had a thermal burn injury caused by a forced-air warming device used for hypothermia during surgery. This could be attributed to two causes. First, the forced-air warming device was used with direct hosing, without attachment to an air blanket, and the heat was concentrated in a single area. Second, perioperative peripheral hypoperfusion hampered heat dissipation and increased the susceptibility to a burn injury. These findings suggest that an air blanket should be used with a forced-air warming device according to the manufacturer's instructions. Furthermore, patients with peripheral hypoperfusion are at a higher risk of burn injuries and require close monitoring.