Emergency department predictors of tracheostomy in patients with isolated traumatic brain injury requiring emergency cranial decompression

2011 ◽  
Vol 115 (5) ◽  
pp. 1007-1012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Shahzad Shamim ◽  
Mohsin Qadeer ◽  
Ghulam Murtaza ◽  
S. Ather Enam ◽  
Najiha B. Farooqi

Object Patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) frequently require a tracheostomy for prolonged mechanical ventilation and/or pulmonary toilet. It is now proven that the earlier the procedure is done, the more beneficial it is to the patient. The present study was carried out to determine if the requirement of a tracheostomy can be predicted on arrival of a patient to the emergency department. The prediction can potentially aid in combining the procedure with cranial decompression. In this study, the authors' aim was to determine the emergency department predictors of tracheostomy in patients with isolated TBI requiring emergency cranial decompression. Methods The authors performed a retrospective chart review of all patients who underwent surgery for isolated TBI and required more than 4 days of mechanical ventilation. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used for predictive indicators. Results In patients with isolated severe TBI, a patient age of 31–50 years, the presence of preexisting medical comorbid conditions, a delay in emergency department arrival exceeding 1.5 hours, an abnormal pupil response on arrival, and a preoperative neurological worsening during hospital stay were independent predictors of the requirement for tracheostomy. These findings were validated in a small cohort of patients and were found to be significant. Conclusions Requirement of a tracheostomy can be predicted in patients with severe TBI on arrival to the emergency department. These results were validated in a small cohort of patients, and it was found that the positive predictive value of requirement of tracheostomy was directly proportional to the number of predictors present. Larger prospective studies with appropriate control groups are further recommended to validate the authors' findings.

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Halinder S. Mangat ◽  
Xian Wu ◽  
Linda M. Gerber ◽  
Hamisi K. Shabani ◽  
Albert Lazaro ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVEGiven the high burden of neurotrauma in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), in this observational study, the authors evaluated the treatment and outcomes of patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) accessing care at the national neurosurgical institute in Tanzania.METHODSA neurotrauma registry was established at Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute, Dar-es-Salaam, and patients with severe TBI admitted within 24 hours of injury were included. Detailed emergency department and subsequent medical and surgical management of patients was recorded. Two-week mortality was measured and compared with estimates of predicted mortality computed with admission clinical variables using the Corticoid Randomisation After Significant Head Injury (CRASH) core model.RESULTSIn total, 462 patients (mean age 33.9 years) with severe TBI were enrolled over 4.5 years; 89% of patients were male. The mean time to arrival to the hospital after injury was 8 hours; 48.7% of patients had advanced airway management in the emergency department, 55% underwent cranial CT scanning, and 19.9% underwent surgical intervention. Tiered medical therapies for intracranial hypertension were used in less than 50% of patients. The observed 2-week mortality was 67%, which was 24% higher than expected based on the CRASH core model.CONCLUSIONSThe 2-week mortality from severe TBI at a tertiary referral center in Tanzania was 67%, which was significantly higher than the predicted estimates. The higher mortality was related to gaps in the continuum of care of patients with severe TBI, including cardiorespiratory monitoring, resuscitation, neuroimaging, and surgical rates, along with lower rates of utilization of available medical therapies. In ongoing work, the authors are attempting to identify reasons associated with the gaps in care to implement programmatic improvements. Capacity building by twinning provides an avenue for acquiring data to accurately estimate local needs and direct programmatic education and interventions to reduce excess in-hospital mortality from TBI.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanae Hosomi ◽  
Tomotaka Sobue ◽  
Tetsuhisa Kitamura ◽  
Atsushi Hirayama ◽  
Hiroshi Ogura ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Pharmacological elevation of blood pressure is frequently incorporated in severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) management algorithms. However, there is limited evidence on prevalent clinical practices regarding resuscitation for severe TBI using vasopressors. We conducted a nationwide retrospective cohort study to determine the association between the use of vasopressors and mortality following discharge from hospital in patients with severe TBI, and to determine whether the use of vasopressors affects emergency department mortality or the occurrence of cognitive dysfunction.Methods: Data were collected between January 2004 and December 2018 by the Japanese Trauma Data Bank, which includes data from 272 emergency hospitals in Japan. Adults aged ≥ 16 years with severe TBI, without other major injuries, were examined. A severe TBI was defined based on the Abbreviated Injury Scale code and a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3–8 on admission. Multivariable and propensity score matching analyses were performed. Statistical significance was assessed using a 95% CI.Results: In total, 10,284 patients were eligible for analysis, with 650 patients (6.32%) included in the vasopressor group and 9,634 patients (93.68%) included in the non-vasopressor group. The proportion of deaths on hospital discharge was higher in the vasopressor group than in the non-vasopressor group (81.69% [531/650] vs. 40.21% [3,874/9,634]). This finding was confirmed by multivariable logistic regression analysis (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 5.71; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.56–7.16). Regarding propensity score-matched patients, the proportion of deaths on hospital discharge remained higher in the vasopressor group than in the non-vasopressor group (81.66% [530/649] vs. 50.69% [329/649]) (OR, 4.33; 95% CI: 3.37–5.57). The vasopressor group had a higher emergency department mortality rate than the non-vasopressor group (8.01% [52/649] vs. 2.77% [18/649]) (OR, 3.05; 95% CI: 1.77–5.28). There was no reduction in complications of cognitive disorders in the vasopressor group (5.39% [35/649] vs. 5.55% [36/649]) (OR, 0.97; 95% CI: 0.60–1.57).Conclusions: In this population, the use of vasopressors for severe TBI was associated with higher mortality on hospital discharge. Our results suggest that vasopressors should be avoided in most cases of severe TBI.


2020 ◽  
pp. 088506662097200
Author(s):  
Jordan M. Komisarow ◽  
Fangyu Chen ◽  
Monica S. Vavilala ◽  
Daniel Laskowitz ◽  
Michael L. James ◽  
...  

Patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are at risk for extra-cranial complications, such as the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We conducted an analysis of risk factors, mortality, and healthcare utilization associated with ARDS following isolated severe TBI. The National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) dataset files from 2007-2014 were used to identify adult patients who suffered isolated [other body region-specific Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) < 3] severe TBI [admission total Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) from 3 to 8 and head region-specific AIS >3]. In-hospital mortality was compared between patients who developed ARDS and those who did not. Utilization of healthcare resources (ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, and frequency of tracheostomy and gastrostomy tube placement) was also examined. This retrospective cohort study included 38,213 patients with an overall ARDS occurrence of 7.5%. Younger age, admission tachycardia, pre-existing vascular and respiratory diseases, and pneumonia were associated with the development of ARDS. Compared to patients without ARDS, patients that developed ARDS experienced increased in-hospital mortality (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.26), length of stay (p = <0.001), duration of mechanical ventilation (p = < 0.001), and placement of tracheostomy (OR 2.70, 95% CI 2.34-3.13) and gastrostomy (OR 2.42, 95% CI 2.06-2.84). After isolated severe TBI, ARDS is associated with increased mortality and healthcare utilization. Future studies should focus on both prevention and management strategies specific to TBI-associated ARDS.


2018 ◽  
Vol 129 (6) ◽  
pp. 1588-1597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harri Isokuortti ◽  
Grant L. Iverson ◽  
Noah D. Silverberg ◽  
Anneli Kataja ◽  
Antti Brander ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVEThe incidence of intracranial abnormalities after mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) varies widely across studies. This study describes the characteristics of intracranial abnormalities (acute/preexisting) in a large representative sample of head-injured patients who underwent CT imaging in an emergency department.METHODSCT scans were systematically analyzed/coded in the TBI Common Data Elements framework. Logistic regression modeling was used to quantify risk factors for traumatic intracranial abnormalities in patients with mild TBIs. This cohort included all patients who were treated at the emergency department of the Tampere University Hospital (between 2010 and 2012) and who had undergone head CT imaging after suffering a suspected TBI (n = 3023), including 2766 with mild TBI and a reference group with moderate to severe TBI.RESULTSThe most common traumatic lesions seen on CT scans obtained in patients with mild TBIs and those with moderate to severe TBIs were subdural hematomas, subarachnoid hemorrhages, and contusions. Every sixth patient (16.1%) with mild TBI had an intracranial lesion compared with 5 of 6 patients (85.6%) in the group with moderate to severe TBI. The distribution of different types of acute traumatic lesions was similar among mild and moderate/severe TBI groups. Preexisting brain lesions were a more common CT finding among patients with mild TBIs than those with moderate to severe TBIs. Having a past traumatic lesion was associated with increased risk for an acute traumatic lesion but neurodegenerative and ischemic lesions were not. A lower Glasgow Coma Scale score, male sex, older age, falls, and chronic alcohol abuse were associated with higher risk of acute intracranial lesion in patients with mild TBI.CONCLUSIONSThese findings underscore the heterogeneity of neuropathology associated with the mild TBI classification. Preexisting brain lesions are common in patients with mild TBI, and the incidence of preexisting lesions increases with age. Acute traumatic lesions are fairly common in patients with mild TBI; every sixth patient had a positive CT scan. Older adults (especially men) who fall represent a susceptible group for acute CT-positive TBI.


2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 752-758 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Li ◽  
Ying Zhang ◽  
Kang-Song Wu ◽  
Ying-Hong Hu

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of continuous propofol sedation plus prolonged mechanical ventilation on adrenal insufficiency (AI) in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Eighty-five adult patients diagnosed with moderate TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score 9–13) from October 2011 to October 2012 were included in this prospective study. The patients comprised three groups: no mechanical ventilation and sedation (n=27), mechanical ventilation alone (n=24) and mechanical ventilation plus sedation (n=34). The low-dose short Synacthen test was performed at 8:00 on the first, third, and fifth days after TBI. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors affecting the use of mechanical ventilation and sedation, and the incidence of AI. On the fifth day after injury, the mean baseline cortisol and simulated cortisol levels were significantly lower in the mechanical ventilation plus sedation group compared with the other two groups. Multivariate regression analysis showed that the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) score was independently associated with treatment with mechanical ventilation and sedation compared to mechanical ventilation alone. Furthermore, hypoxemia on admission and shock were associated with the development of AI. The findings showed that sedation is associated with an increased incidence of AI. Patients with TBI who are treated with continuous sedation should be monitored for AI carefully.


2010 ◽  
Vol 76 (10) ◽  
pp. 1108-1111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo F. Alban ◽  
Cherisse Berry ◽  
Eric Ley ◽  
James Mirocha ◽  
Daniel R. Margulies ◽  
...  

Increasing evidence indicates insurance status plays a role in the outcome of trauma patients; however its role on outcomes after traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains unclear. A retrospective review was queried within the National Trauma Data Bank. Moderate to severe TBI insured patients were compared with their uninsured counterparts with respect to demographics, Injury Severity Score, Glasgow Coma Scale score, and outcome. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent risk factors for mortality. Of 52,344 moderate to severe TBI patients, 41,711 (79.7%) were insured. Compared with the uninsured, insured TBI patients were older (46.1 ± 22.4 vs 37.3 ± 16.3 years, P < 0.0001), more severely injured (ISS > 16: 78.4% vs 74.4%, P < 0.0001), had longer intensive care unit length of stay (6.0 ± 9.4 vs 5.1 ± 7.6, P < 0.0001) and had higher mortality (9.3% vs 8.0%, P < 0.0001). However, when controlling for confounding variables, the presence of insurance had a significant protective effect on mortality (adjusted odds ratio 0.89; 95% confidence interval: 0.82-0.97, P = 0.007). This effect was most noticeable in patients with head abbreviated injury score = 5 (adjusted odds ratio 0.7; 95% confidence interval: 0.6-0.8, P < 0.0001), indicating insured severe TBI patients have improved outcomes compared with their uninsured counterparts. There is no clear explanation for this finding however the role of insurance in outcomes after trauma remains a topic for further investigation.


2011 ◽  
Vol 64 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 403-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vesna Marjanovic ◽  
Vesna Novak ◽  
Ljubinka Velickovic ◽  
Goran Marjanovic

Introduction. Patients with severe traumatic brain injury are at a risk of developing ventilator-associated pneumonia. The aim of this study was to describe the incidence, etiology, risk factors for development of ventilator- associated pneumonia and outcome in patients with severe traumatic brain injury. Material and Methods. A retrospective study was done in 72 patients with severe traumatic brain injury, who required mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours. Results. Ventilator-associated pneumonia was found in 31 of 72 (43.06%) patients with severe traumatic brain injury. The risk factors for ventilator-associated pneumonia were: prolonged mechanical ventilation (12.42 vs 4.34 days, p<0.001), longer stay at intensive care unit (17 vs 5 days, p<0.001) and chest injury (51.61 vs 19.51%, p< 0.009) compared to patients without ventilator-associated pneumonia.. The mortality rate in the patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia was higher (38.71 vs 21.95%, p= 0.12). Conclusion. The development of ventilator-associated pneumonia in patients with severe traumatic brain injury led to the increased morbidity due to the prolonged mechanical ventilation, longer stay at intensive care unit and chest injury, but had no effect on mortality.


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