Traumatic spinal injuries are associated with a high risk of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to investigate which variables best predict adverse outcomes in patients who had surgery for isolated traumatic spinal injury without spinal cord injury.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents aged 10 years to 17 years. The aim of this study was to examine a nationwide database to identify prevalence, injury patterns, outcomes, and disparities in the receipt of mental health care (MHC) in adolescents presenting following an attempted suicide at US trauma centers (TCs).

The open abdomen (OA) technique is nowadays a worldwide strategy both for trauma and emergency general surgery. Despite the attempt at conducting prospective studies, a high level of evidence is far from established. The aim of this study was to investigate if we overused this strategy and if it improved the postoperative course of our patients.

The extended focused assessment with sonography in trauma (eFAST) examination includes additional thoracic views beyond the standard focused assessment with sonography in trauma examination. Its validation has predominantly been conducted in blunt trauma cases. Our aim was to evaluate the eFAST examination in a targeted population with penetrating thoracic trauma.

Bleeding is the leading cause of preventable death in trauma. Early identification of hemorrhage improves patient outcomes. Current triage tools for predicting hemorrhage rely on transfusion receipt as a surrogate outcome, indicating that blood was needed. This outcome does not account for misclassification of patients who receive prompt hemorrhage control procedure (HCP) without transfusion, patients who die before transfusion receipt, or those who receive unnecessary transfusion. Objective criteria that do not rely on transfusion receipt alone are needed to more accurately determine actionable hemorrhage and the appropriateness of transfusions in pediatric trauma patients.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients on antiplatelet therapy face higher mortality because of impaired platelet function, which may be treated by platelet transfusion. The value of testing platelet function in this cohort remains controversial. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between platelet function assays and outcomes in TBI patients on antiplatelet therapy receiving platelet transfusions. We hypothesized that the magnitude of change in platelet assay performance following a transfusion would predict meaningful clinical outcomes.

In-house call (IHC) has previously been shown to result in increased burnout in acute care surgeons (ACSs). There is wide variation, however, in the implementation and culture of work surrounding IHC across trauma centers and within the demographics of practicing ACSs. We hypothesized that local work practices and culture surrounding IHC as well as sex of ACSs would impact burnout.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is common after major injury. This elevated VTE risk likely continues beyond hospital discharge, but a lack of postdischarge surveillance limits our understanding of this complication and opportunities for improving outcomes. We aimed to characterize the incidence and risk factors of trauma patients who developed a VTE in the first year after discharge from their index hospital admission.

Hemorrhage remains one of the leading causes of death from traumatic injury in both the civilian and military populations. Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is a minimally invasive technique that can be used to treat hemorrhage in the critically ill. An alternative to maximally invasive methods such as resuscitative thoracotomy, REBOA is a temporizing measure to prevent exsanguination and allow for transition to definitive hemorrhage control. It is easily deployed by trained users and does not require surgical expertise to place. Its use has increased over the past decade with a growing body of literature that suggests it improves outcomes in select hemorrhagic trauma patients compared with patients who do not receive REBOA. REBOA has also been used for select nontraumatic cases. Judicious patient selection, knowing the technical aspects of placing REBOA, and clarity regarding its indications are key to maximize its efficacy as a mitigatory tool in hemorrhagic shock. This "What You Need To Know" review presents current evidence regarding use of REBOA for the acute care surgeon.

Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) is a rare radiographic finding that can range from being a benign process to needing emergency surgery. Sufficiently powered studies are lacking, and recommendations for management remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify key predictors of pathologic PI using physical examination, laboratory, and radiographic findings.

Clinical prediction models can enhance timely clinical decision-making when appropriately developed and integrated within clinical workflows. A risk prediction model is typically a regression equation that uses patient risk factor data to estimate the probability of the presence of disease (diagnostic) or its future occurrence (prognostic). Risk prediction models are widely studied in the surgical literature and commonly developed using logistic regression. For a risk prediction model to be useful, it must balance statistical performance and clinical usefulness. This article provides a brief overview of the various methodologic issues to consider when developing or validating a risk prediction model and common pitfalls.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia occurs in 20% to 25% of intubated trauma patients, and early effective antibiotic treatment decreases morbidity and mortality. We sought to determine the sensitivity and specificity of multiplex polymerase chain reaction amplification of bacterial DNA (Biofire FilmArray Pneumonia Panel [BFPP]) obtained during fiberoptic bronchoscopy in predicting the causative bacteria the day of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL).

Trauma and hemorrhagic shock lead to microcirculatory disturbances related to endothelial injury and endothelial glycocalyx (EG) degradation. Improved outcomes following trauma and hemorrhagic shock have been linked to protection of the EG layer, which is a topic of increasing investigation. Early tranexamic acid (TXA) administration following trauma and hemorrhagic shock improves outcomes in clinic studies. Recent translational studies have also shown that early TXA administration protects the EG following shock insults; the impact on blood-endothelial cell interactions is unknown. Platelet adherence to vascular endothelium may contribute to microcirculatory disturbances; the effects of TXA on this phenomenon are uncertain. Microfluidic devices have been used to study the behavior of endothelial cells and platelets under flow conditions. We hypothesize that the protective effect of TXA against EG degradation would prevent shock-induced platelet adhesion to the microvasculature. This was studied in a microfluidic cell culture model under a controlled microenvironment.

Trauma-informed care (TIC) is a framework designed to understand and address the impacts of trauma, ensuring physical, psychological, and emotional safety for all involved. It seeks to prevent retraumatization and promote a sense of control and empowerment across diverse populations.

Optimizing the physiology of organ donors is a critical component of preserving the option for organ donation and addressing the shortage of organs available for transplantation. In this article, we review common physiologic alterations seen in organ donors with a focus on brain-dead organ donors. These physiologic alterations and recommended interventions to optimize the physiology of the brain-dead organ donor are discussed by organ system, providing a framework for trauma surgeons and intensivists involved in the care of organ donors.

Older adults who survive injury frequently experience functional decline, and interventions preventing this decline are needed. We therefore evaluated the association between early primary care physician (PCP) follow-up and nursing home admission or death among injured older adults.

Air medical transport (AMT) offers a survival advantage to trauma patients for several reasons, including time-savings over ground transport. Triage guidelines suggest AMT use when there are significant time-savings, but how much time needs to be saved to confer a benefit is unclear. Our objective was to define the time-savings threshold for which AMT has a survival benefit over ground transport.

Increased time to surgery is a well-established risk factor for complication and mortality among patients undergoing hip fracture fixation. However, few studies have been completed evaluating the association between time to surgery and complication rates in patients undergoing operative fixation of pelvic ring injuries.

Rib fractures remain a significant source of trauma admissions. In 2020, the Pennsylvania Trauma System Foundation standards changed to allow patients with more than three rib fractures to be admitted to level IV centers. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes of patients with more than three uncomplicated rib fractures admitted to level IV trauma centers.