An Analysis of Aetiology, Pattern and Outcome of Head Injury in Trauma Patients

Background: Head injury is considered as a major health problem in developed and developing nations. Analysis of etiology, patterns, and outcome of head injury in trauma patient is essential for understanding and planning for better management. Materials and Methods: The prospective observational study carried out among patients who presented with head injury at the tertiary care hospital, Mumbai from July 2015 to July 2017. Demographic details recorded were age, sex, blood pressure on arrival, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, the interval between injury and admission, associated injury, co-morbidities, hospital stay, and outcome. Results: The age group at which maximum patients of head injury were admitted was 18-29 years (31%) followed by 40-49 years (21%). Eighty one percent patients were males and 19% patients were females, the male to female ratio being 4:1. Road traffic accidents (36% cases) were the commonest cause leading to acute head injury followed by accidental fall (21% cases). 47% patients presented with mild head injury according to GCS. Conclusion: Head injuries mainly caused by vehicular accidents and affect mainly the young men. Road traffic accidents were the commonest mode of head injury, but railway accident had the worst outcome in our study. Factors associated with outcome were Pre-hospital delay, GCS on arrival, Blood pressure on arrival, Associated injury, Need for ventilator support, CT scan findings.

Protective Effects of Lactobacillus plantarum Lac16 on Clostridium perfringens Infection-Associated Injury in IPEC-J2 Cells

Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) causes intestinal injury through overgrowth and the secretion of multiple toxins, leading to diarrhea and necrotic enteritis in animals, including pigs, chickens, and sheep. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) Lac16 on C. perfringens infection-associated injury in intestinal porcine epithelial cell line (IPEC-J2). The results showed that L. plantarum Lac16 significantly inhibited the growth of C. perfringens, which was accompanied by a decrease in pH levels. In addition, L. plantarum Lac16 significantly elevated the mRNA expression levels of host defense peptides (HDPs) in IPEC-J2 cells, decreased the adhesion of C. perfringens to IPEC-J2 cells, and attenuated C. perfringens-induced cellular cytotoxicity and intestinal barrier damage. Furthermore, L. plantarum Lac16 significantly suppressed C. perfringens-induced gene expressions of proinflammatory cytokines and pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) in IPEC-J2 cells. Moreover, L. plantarum Lac16 preincubation effectively inhibited the phosphorylation of p65 caused by C. perfringens infection. Collectively, probiotic L. plantarum Lac16 exerts protective effects against C. perfringens infection-associated injury in IPEC-J2 cells.

Histopathologic Features of Antibody Mediated Rejection: The Banff Classification and Beyond

Antibody mediated rejection (ABMR) in the kidney can show a wide range of clinical presentations and histopathologic patterns. The Banff 2019 classification currently recognizes four diagnostic categories: 1. Active ABMR, 2. Chronic active ABMR, 3. Chronic (inactive) ABMR, and 4. C4d staining without evidence of rejection. This categorization is limited in that it does not adequately represent the spectrum of antibody associated injury in allograft, it is based on biopsy findings without incorporating clinical features (e.g., time post-transplant, de novo versus preformed DSA, protocol versus indication biopsy, complement inhibitor drugs), the scoring is not adequately reproducible, and the terminology is confusing. These limitations are particularly relevant in patients undergoing desensitization or positive crossmatch kidney transplantation. In this article, I discuss Banff criteria for these ABMR categories, with a focus on patients with pre-transplant DSA, and offer a framework for considering the continuum of allograft injury associated with donor specific antibody in these patients.

Minimizing Ischemia Reperfusion Injury in Xenotransplantation

The recent dramatic advances in preventing “initial xenograft dysfunction” in pig-to-non-human primate heart transplantation achieved by minimizing ischemia suggests that ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) plays an important role in cardiac xenotransplantation. Here we review the molecular, cellular, and immune mechanisms that characterize IRI and associated “primary graft dysfunction” in allotransplantation and consider how they correspond with “xeno-associated” injury mechanisms. Based on this analysis, we describe potential genetic modifications as well as novel technical strategies that may minimize IRI for heart and other organ xenografts and which could facilitate safe and effective clinical xenotransplantation.

Heart injury in COVID-19: immediate and long-term follow-up

The article presents a review of bibliographic data on risk factors and mechanisms of the damage to the heart tissues in a new coronavirus infection. The direct viral-associated injury, as well as the influence of the components of the cytokine storm are analyzed. Myocarditis, cardiac arrhythmias are considered. In addition, the first results of long-term follow-up observations of patients who underwent COVID-19 were summarized, and the change in arterial stiffness was assessed.

Outcome of External Fixator Management of Gustilo Anderson Type III Tibial Fractures in Lagos University Teaching Hospital

Type III open tibial fracture is the commonest type of open tibia fracture. The aim of this study was to determine the outcome of Gustilo-Anderson type III open tibial fracture managed with external fixator. Patients that presented with Gustilo-Anderson type III open tibial fractures were recruited. Patients with bone pathology, prior debridement and concomitant spinal cord injury were excluded. Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained. A structured proforma was used to collect the participant’s socio-demographic data, time of injury, fracture location, interval and number of debridement, need for skin graft or flap, duration of hospital stay, outcome of treatment, complications and events at follow-up. Wound biopsy was taken and processed for microscopy, culture, and sensitivity. Delayed union was diagnosed when the fracture united between 4-6 months. Non-union was defined as a varus or valgus angulation of >5 degrees or anterior or posterior angulation of >10 degrees. Patients were followed up for 6 months. Chi square was used to determine association between categorical variables. SPSS 20 was used for analysis. Significance was p value <0.05. Of 35 patients, males were 22 (62.9%) while females were 13 (37.1%) and mean age was 38 years. Average interval between injury and presentation was 14.5 hours. Fourteen (40%) patients had type IIIA, 18 (51.4%) patients had type IIIB while 3 (8.6%) patients had type IIIC. Mean time to fixation was 59.2 hours. Wound infection, malunion, delayed union, pin loosening and compartment syndrome were found in 42.9%, 21.3%, 21.3%, 11.5% and 1.6% respectively. Infection rate was significantly positively correlated with grade of fracture (p=0.04) and time to debridement (p=0.018). A significant association between the mechanism of injury and associated injury (p=0.027) but not mechanism of injury and grade of type III fracture (p=0.292). Significant difference between the duration of hospital stays and categories of type III fractures (p = 0.026) but not associated injury (p=0.403). No significant difference in location of fracture and time of union (p=0.723). Type III fractures managed with external fixator is associated with some complications among which infection is the commonest and delay in treatment is associated with higher risk. Post-debridement microscopy and culture is a better predictor of wound infection.

Associated injury complicated by pediatric lower limb shaft fractures and clinical efficacy of flexible stainless-steel intramedullary nailing in children less than 15 years old

Although pediatric lower limb shaft fractures are common, little is known about associated injuries. The purpose of this study was to examine associated injuries complicated by pediatric lower limb shaft fractures and the efficacy of surgical treatment using a flexible stainless-steel intramedullary Ender nail in children less than 15 years old. This is a retrospective review of 29 children younger than 15 years old who were diagnosed with femoral or tibial shaft fractures and treated using Ender nails from 2005 to 2016. Baseline data, etiology, associated injuries, fracture site and patterns, operative and post-operative assessment were evaluated. The average age of the patients was 9.0 years, and mean follow-up was 18.2 months. Eleven patients (79%) had associated injury. At the final follow up, six patients (43%) sustained complications associated with the insertion area of the nail. There was no evidence of deep infection or nonunion at either fracture site. The clinical results were excellent in 10 (67%) fractures, and good in 5 (33%) fractures, based on the modified Flynn criteria. Almost all patients with a femoral fracture had an associated injury including abdominal visceral injury, cerebral contusion or other fractures. This study indicated good clinical and functional outcomes. On the other hand, the minor complications rate was high. Nevertheless, elastic stable intramedullary nailing recently has become available in Japan, and a prospective and comparative study is needed.

Hemodynamic Instability of the Closed Fractures Femur in Children

Background: This is a prospective Study to assess the occurrence of hypovolemic shock in children with traumatic isolated closed fractures femur. This is common in children and adolescent as result of trivial to high energy trauma. Methods: A prospective descriptive study was performed on children with traumatic femoral fractures from the 20th of September 2015 to the 15th August 2018. Selection of 100 patients presented with isolated closed fracture femur in children, were admitted to the Sul. Emergency Hospital. Reason was to correct the old criteria of blood transfusion immediately, without suitable indication of replacement with real blood requirements. Depend on the children clinical parameters rather than on hemoglobin or hematocrit concentration; pulse rate. Systolic blood pressure, respiratory rate, Skin capillary refill time, and the mental status. Excluded open fractures and bilateral fracture femur in children, also excluded any fracture associated with trauma to the body organ as associated injury. Results: There was no evidence of hemodynamic instability in the 100 patients of these type fractures, selection inclusion criteria of the study when compared with internationally accepted normal vital sign parameters. No any patients in the study had hemoglobin less than 8.5 g/dl, the vital sign between these groups were similar, 2-6% incidence with hemodynamic instability has found among multiple injured children with femoral fractures, has excluded from the study. Conclusions: No evidence of hemodynamic instability was found in children with traumatic isolated femoral fractures bone. The Hemoglobin and hematocrit ratios early were non dependable, later on not significantly decreased or change to abnormal rate. Depending on vital signs parameters in the femur bone fractures patients after exclusion of bilateral fractures femur, and associated injury or patients with compound fractures, we confirmed that isolated closed femoral fractures are hemodynamically stable.