Role of Diagnostic Laparoscopy in Penetrating Abdominal Trauma

Background and Objective: Trauma remains the major cause of mortality and disability among young people across the world with penetrating trauma being a very common cause. Traditionally, penetrating abdominal trauma was managed with exploration. But now with the advent of minimally access surgery and advancements in laparoscopic expertise, more patients can be managed with minimally invasive methods. This approach can save many unnecessary laparotomies and large midline incisions. The role of laparoscopy in blunt abdominal trauma is well established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of diagnostic laparoscopy in penetrating abdominal injuries. Methods: All the penetrating abdominal trauma patients presenting to the emergency department of Rawal Medical and Dental hospital from January 2019 till December 2020 for a period of 2years (a total of 102 patients) and who were hemodynamically stable, between the ages of 20 to 50 years of either gender were included in the study. All these patients had equivocal abdominal findings with no signs to suggest serious intraabdominal injury. These patients were prepared as standard for general anesthesia and diagnostic laparoscopy was performed. A predesigned performa was used for entering the patients’ details and operative findings. All patients gave written informed consent in urdu. Main outcome measures were the conversion rate, missed injuries leading to reexploration. Results: 85%of the patients were males with only 15% females. Mean age of the population was 38.7 years .Conversion to open was required in only 6.12 % of the cases .Laparoscopy alone was sufficient for all other patients. In about 36% of the patients no intraabdominal injury was found. In rest 58% patients the surgeons were able to repair the injuries laparoscopically.18 patients had minor liver injury,10 patients had minor hemoperitoneum<100 ml without any significant injury and 2 patients had single small bowel perforation which was repaired laparoscopically and cavity was irrigated. No patient had post operative complications of peritonitis due to missed injury or bleeding leading to re exploration. Conclusion: Laparoscopy is a very effective procedure to deal with penetrating abdominal trauma patients who are stable and with equivocal abdominal findings without increasing risk of missed injury with minimal rates of conversion to open laparotomy if patients are selected vigilantly. Keywords: Penetrating, Diagnostic Laparoscopy, Abdominal Trauma

Predictors of blunt diaphragm injury in Australia

Introduction Blunt diaphragm injury (BDI) is an uncommon, potentially fatal consequence of blunt torso injury. While associations between BDI and other factors such as mechanism of injury or other injuries have been described elsewhere, little recent research has been done in Australia into BDI. The aims of this study were to determine the incidence rate of BDI in our centre, identify how it was diagnosed, determine rates of missed injury and identify predictive factors for BDI. The hypothesis was that patients with BDI would significantly differ to those without BDI. Methods All major trauma patients with blunt torso injuries at our Level 1 major trauma service from 2010 to 2018 were included. Data for patient demographics, other injuries, diagnosis and treatment of BDI were extracted. Patients with BDI were compared with patients without BDI in order to identify differences that could be used to predict BDI in future patients. Results Of 5190 patients with a blunt torso injury, 51 (0.98%) had a BDI at a mean age of 53 ± 19.6 years, and median Injury Severity Score (ISS) of 27(IQR 21–38.5) compared with 5139 patients with a mean age of 48.2 ± 20.7 years and median ISS of 21.9(IQR 14–26) who did not have a BDI. The diagnosis of BDI was made at CT ( n = 35), surgery ( n = 14) or autopsy ( n = 2). Blunt diaphragm injury was missed on index imaging for 11 of 43 patients (25.6%). On multivariate analysis, each point increase in ISS (OR 1.03, p = 0.02); rib fractures (OR 4.65, p = 0.004); splenic injury (OR 2.60, p = 0.004); and liver injury (OR 2.78, p = 0.003) were independently associated with BDI. Conclusion Injury Severity Score, rib fractures and solid abdominal organ injury increase the likelihood of BDI. In patients with these injuries, BDI should be considered even in the presence of normal CT findings.

Isolated Volar Distal Radioulnar Joint Dislocation, a Very Rare and Easily Missed Injury.

Background: Isolated distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) dislocations without associated fracture are very rare entities. A few mechanisms of injury were reported in the literature with dorsal(posterior) dislocation being more common than the volar (palmar, anterior) dislocation. Case report: A 26-year-old male, manual laborer presented to our emergency department (ED) 24 hours post-self-inflected injury with right wrist pain, deformity, and decreased range of motion (ROM). The physical examination showed bruising over the dorsal ulnar side of the wrist, loss of the ulnar styloid bony prominence, abnormal volar fullness of the wrist, and gutter deformity on the dorsal aspect of the distal forearm and wrist. The diagnosis was confirmed by comparative radiographs which were followed by closed reduction and immobilization in the below-elbow cast in pronation for 4 weeks. Conclusion: Timely accurate diagnosis and conservative treatment with favorable outcome necessitate a proper history on the mechanism of injury with a thorough physical examination, accurate radiographic positioning, and true lateral view.

553 Quality Improvement: The Implementation of Routine Tertiary Trauma Survey in all Trauma Patients Aged Over 60 Years in a Busy District General Hospital

Introduction Missed injury (MI) in trauma-patients is a widely reported phenomenon, with rates varying from 1.9-39%. Methods exist to reduce the incidence of MI’s such as the tertiary-trauma-survey (TTS). Robust primary and secondary surveys should indeed identify all injuries and facilitate management. However, for trauma patients, there remains an unwanted prevalence of MI. We hypothesized the addition of TTS may reduce the incidence of MI in a District General Hospital (DGH) and reduce associated morbidity and mortality; in particular in those aged &gt;60. Method Patient notes for 18 consecutive trauma admissions in those &gt;60 years were audited for admission demographics, timing and outcome of primary, secondary, and tertiary surveys, and occult injury. The TTS bundle was subsequently implemented in all trauma inpatients &gt;60. Results In the primary round, 11% (n = 2) had evidence of TTS within 36hr of admission, reflective of exceeding the TARN criterion. TTS is now being utilised and we expect to see &gt;98% compliance. Conclusions TTS is now incorporated as routine patient care for all trauma admissions &gt;60. Compliance will be re-audited; aiming to reduce the opportunity for missed injury morbidity.

The Efficacy and Safety of Laparoscopy for Blunt Abdominal Trauma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The efficacy and safety of laparoscopy for blunt trauma remain controversial. This systemic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the usefulness of laparoscopy in blunt trauma. The PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched up to 23 February 2021. Meta-analyses were performed using odds ratios (ORs), standardized mean differences (SMDs), and overall proportions. Overall, 19 studies with a total of 1520 patients were included. All patients were hemodynamically stable. In the laparoscopy group, meta-analysis showed lesser blood loss (SMD −0.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.51 to −0.05, I2 = 62%) and shorter hospital stay (SMD −0.67, 95% CI −0.90 to −0.43, I2 = 47%) compared with the laparotomy group. Pooled prevalence of missed injury (0.003 (95% CI 0 to 0.023), I2 = 0%), nontherapeutic laparotomy (0.004 (95% CI 0.001 to 0.026), I2 = 0%), and mortality (0.021 (95% CI 0.010 to 0.043), I2 = 0%) were very low in blunt trauma. In subgroup analysis, recently published studies (2011–present) showed lesser conversion rate (0.115 (95% CI 0.067 to 0.190) vs. 0.391 (95% CI 0.247 to 0.556), test for subgroup difference: p < 0.01). This meta-analysis suggests that laparoscopy is a safe and feasible option in hemodynamic stable patients with blunt abdominal trauma.

Role of Minimally Invasive Surgery in Management of Penetrating Abdominal Trauma in Children

Introduction Traditionally, exploratory laparotomy was used to treat penetrating abdominal trauma (PAT). At present, minimally invasive surgery (for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes) has developed and represents a rapidly evolving modality for dealing with PAT in stable children. In this article, we aim to present our experience, evaluate the effectiveness, and report the results of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for PAT in stable pediatric patients. Materials and Methods This prospective study involved 117 hemodynamically stable pediatric cases of PAT (caused by gunshots, stab, and accidental stab), admitted, and managed according to the severity of injury. The information recorded for analysis included demographic data, the anatomical location of injury, the initial vital data and scoring systems, the organs affected, the procedures done, operative time, need for conversion to laparoscopic-assisted approach, length of hospital stay, complications, missed injury, and mortality rate. Results Among 117 pediatric patients with PAT, 15 cases were treated conservatively and 102 cases were managed by MIS. They were 70 males and 47 females with a mean age of 7.3 ± 0.6 years (range = 1–14 years). They included 48 cases of gunshot injury, 33 cases of abdominal stab, and 36 cases of accidental stab. Laparoscopy was diagnostic (DL) in 33.3% (n = 34) and therapeutic (TL) in 66.7% (n = 68) of cases. Of the 68 TL cases, we completely managed 59 cases (86.8%) by laparoscopy, while 9 cases (13.2%) were converted to limited laparotomy. The mean operative time was 17 ± 1 minutes (range = 12–25 minutes) for DL, 85 ± 9 minutes (range = 41–143 minutes) for complete TL cases, and 89 ± 3 minutes (range = 47–149 minutes) for laparoscopic-assisted procedures. For DL cases, the mean length of hospital stay was 2 ± 0.4 days, while for complete TL cases, it was 5.4 ± 0.83 days, and for laparoscopic-assisted cases, it was 5.8 ± 0.37 days. Postoperative complications occurred in eight cases (7.84%), with five cases (4.9%) required reintervention. No missed injury or mortality was recorded in the study. The patients were followed up for a median period of 52 months. Conclusion For management of PAT in children, MIS has 100% accuracy in defining the injured organs with zero percent missed injuries.

Missed orthopaedic injuries in adult trauma patients at a major trauma centre

IntroductionDespite advances in trauma care, missed injury remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in trauma worldwide. In England, few have published their missed injury rates and there are no recent data for London. In 2010 London trauma networks were restructured and the impact on missed injury rates is not known. This study aimed to determine the incidence of missed orthopaedic injury for adult trauma patients at St George’s Hospital, London, and to analyse missed injuries and comment on risk factors.MethodTrauma patients were recorded prospectively at the daily trauma meeting from July to September 2012. The researcher attended clinical activities and reviewed the patient notes and radiology reports daily whilst each patient was an inpatient until discharge. Missed injuries were defined as fractures or dislocations discovered more than 12 h after arrival in the emergency department. The notes for missed injury patients were reviewed again at six months. Missed injury details were recorded/analysed.ResultsThree hundred and forty three adult trauma patients were referred to trauma and orthopaedics in the three-month study period; 5 (1.5%) had a missed injury and 148 (43.1%) had an ISS&gt;15. All missed injuries occurred in these major trauma patients, giving an incidence of 5/148 (3.4%). Four were extremity injuries and one was cervical. All missed injury patients had a GCS of 15/15, were admitted outside normal working hours, were direct admissions and had whole-body CT.ConclusionsAt 3.4% our missed injury incidence is comparable to those published from similar major trauma centres. This provides recent London data following the restructuring of trauma networks.