MANAGING MASS CASUALTIES IN LIMITED RESOURCE SETTING: A COMPARISON BETWEEN A PERIPHERAL HOSPITAL AND FORWARD TREATMENT CENTER

Objective: To share our experience of handling mass casualties at remote locations with an aim to help formulate a policy regarding future training of doctors. Study Design: Case series. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital Thal Pakistan, from Jan 2016 to Sep 2018, including three months in Forward Treatment Center in operational areas. Methodology: The injuries due to war trauma were included in our study. Resource management and changes made to accommodate the influx of mass trauma that required damage control surgery were described. Results: A total of 16 casualties from two mass casualty incidents at two medical centers were included in our study. There was no difference in triage class (p=0.96). Splinter injury limbs were most common injury. One patient required damage control surgery done at Combined Miliary Hospital with most requiring hemostasis prior to transport (8 at Combined Military Hospital versus 3 at Forward Treatment center), p=0.346. Conclusion: Most of mass casualties at our hospital were minor injuries requiring immediate first aid. In addition, the damage control resuscitation and surgery done at these remote locations may have helped prevent mortality and morbidity in the more severely injured.

Rotational Stability of Proximally Unlocked Retrograde Femoral Nail In Damage Control Surgery – Biomechanical Study

BACKGROUND: This biomechanical study was performed to look into the rotational stability of retrograde femoral intramedullary nail when it is used without proximal locking as a damage control device for management of femoral shaft fractures in emergency situations. This study compares this technique with the accepted methods for femoral shaft fixations in damage control surgeries. An alternative technique of using lateral compression screw to provide additional rotational stability is described.METHODS: Experiments were divided into four different sets. Distally locked retrograde nail was passed across the fracture without any proximal fixation in set 1, a compression screw passed from lateral cortex in set 2, a proximal locking screw fixation in set 3. In set 4, Saw bone was fixed with external fixator.The lateral compression screw group was further sub divided into three subgroups based on the amount of torque applied manually.The torsion test was applied to create an rotational displacement of 10 degrees and the maximum load required to create the rotational displacement was noted.RESULTS: Application of a compression screw improved the rotational stability significantly in comparison to no proximal locking. In the subgroup III of lateral compression screw application, the rotational stability was found to be equivalent to stability achieved with Nail with proximal locking and was found to be greater in comparison to external fixator application.CONCLUSION: This study shows that the addition of a lateral compression screw significantly improves rotational stability and has the potential to be used in emergency lifesaving procedures.

RESULTS OF SURGICAL TREATMENT OF FIRE WOUNDS OF COLON

The aim of the study. Evaluate the results of surgical treatment of wounded with gunshot wounds of the colon. Materials and methods of research. A retrospective analysis of the results of surgical treatment of 32 wounded with gunshot wounds of the colon, who were treated in the Central Medical Center and area of responsibility (II–IV level of medical care) from 2014 to 2017. Damage to the right half of the colon was observed in 12 wounded (37.4 %), the left half — in 17 (53.2 %), the rectum — in 3 (9.4 %). A differentiated approach to surgical treatment of colon injuries of different localization is applied. Results and discussion. The method of multi-stage surgical treatment “Damage Control Surgery” was used in 12.5 % of patients. The most common complications of the injury were adhesive intestinal obstruction in 6.3 % of cases, the formation of intestinal abscesses — in 6.3 %, the development of post-traumatic pneumonia in 25 % of patients. Conclusions. If the tactics of “Damage Control Surgery” are followed, it is possible to improve the results of surgical treatment of colon injuries in severe and extremely severe patients.

Isolated duodenal ischemia of unknown etiology: a case report

Background Acute abdomen is among the most common presentations observed in clinical practice. The present study describes a patient with isolated duodenal ischemia as an extremely rare etiology of acute abdomen. Case presentation A 79-year-old male with acute abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting presented to the emergency department of our hospital. He was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome 7 years ago, for which he took thalidomide and erythropoietin as the main medications. The prominent findings of the physical examination were hypotension, tachycardia, fever, mild hypoxemia, and epigastric and right upper quadrant tenderness of the abdomen. Except for mildly increased creatinine and lipase, other laboratory findings were in concordance with myelodysplastic syndrome. Due to the patient’s oliguria, the computed tomography (CT) scan was performed without contrast, which, together with the ultrasonography, raised the clinical impression of acute pancreatitis. The patient’s hypotension was refractive to supportive treatment, resulting in progressive deterioration of the clinical condition. A later contrast-enhanced CT scan suggested microvascular ischemia of the duodenum. An emergent Whipple’s procedure was planned initially, which was later switched to a damage control surgery due to the patient’s cardiac arrest during the surgery. Despite all the supportive therapy provided at the intensive care unit, the patient expired of a cardiac arrest which occurred two hours after the termination of the surgery. Conclusions The high rate of mortality in duodenal necrosis necessitates emergent diagnosis and proper management. When other common etiologies are ruled out, clinicians should consider duodenal pathology as a potential cause of acute abdomen.

Discussion on the Key Factors for the Treatment of Extremely High-risk Abdominal Trauma Patients With Partial Full-thickness Abdominal Wall Defects

BackgroundPatients with extremely high-risk abdominal trauma and full-thickness necrosis and defects of the partial abdominal wall are clinically rare, and the treatments for these patients are very difficult and complex . In this study, we will explore the key factors for successful treatment of these patients . MethodsThree patients with extremely high-risk abdominal trauma and partial full-thickness abdominal wall defects were involved in this retrospective study, and one representative case was emphatically reviewed. According to the theory of damage control surgery,the consultation and coordinated treatment of multidisciplinary team(MDT) were involved firstly, then, stepped multiple operations,such as partial perforated small bowel resection, full-thickness abdominal wall defects repair, vacuum sealing drainage (VSD), and wounds skin grafts, were performed, meanwhile, systemic life resuscitation was strengthened. ResultsTwo patients were cured and discharged after 3 and 9 operations respectively. One patient suffered 2 operations and eventually died of lung infection and respiratory failure. ConclusionThe determination and responsibility of surgeons, rational use of damage control theory and multidisciplinary cooperation should be the keys for successful treatment.