Association between the time to definitive care and trauma patient outcomes: every minute in the golden hour matters

Clinical outcomes of the implementation of acute care surgery system in South Korea: a multi-centre, retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

In emergency general surgery (EGS), rapid judgement and prompt emergency surgery play a significant role in determining the patient's prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate whether implementing the acute care surgery (ACS) system in Korea has improved the clinical outcomes of patients.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study was conducted at three tertiary hospitals in Korea. The study included patients aged 18-99 years who required EGS due to acute abdomen or abdominal trauma. A window period of 4 months was set after the implementation of the ACS system, and the clinical outcomes before and after the implementation were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 2146 patients were enrolled in the study, with 1008 in the pre-ACS group and 1138 in the post-ACS group. After propensity score matching, 901 patients were selected in the pre-ACS group and 906 patients were selected in the post-ACS group. The time from emergency room admission to operating room transfer was reduced in the post-ACS group, with a mean of 452.2 ± 347.0 min compared to 522.1 ± 416.5 min in the pre ACS group (P = 0.001). Moreover, the complication rates were reduced in the post-ACS group (38.3% vs. 31.3%, P = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

The implementation of the ACS system can lead to faster surgical decision-making and the prompt execution of emergency surgery for patients, thereby reducing postoperative complications.

Peri-operative strategy in resuscitation of unstable injured surgical patients: a primer

BACKGROUND

Trauma remains a leading cause of death, both for individuals under 40 in North America, and globally, where it contributes to ~10% of deaths annually. Thoughtful, timely, balanced resuscitation, especially in the peri-operative period for unstable injured surgical patients, is vital for optimizing outcomes. The advanced trauma life support protocol plays a pivotal role in early evaluation and management, emphasizing hemorrhage control and resuscitation strategies.

OBJECTIVE

This narrative review provides a structured, evidence-based framework aimed at enhancing the educational experience of surgical trainees. It outlines key principles in peri-operative trauma resuscitation, emphasizing timely intervention, goal-directed fluid therapy, and damage control surgery (DCS) to improve patient outcomes.

METHODS

A comprehensive Scale for Quality Assessment of Narrative Review Articles -guideline compliant literature search was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar for English-language articles published between January 2000 and February 2024. The search included relevant medical subject headings terms. Additional studies were identified from reference lists. Extracted data were reviewed and organized using thematic analysis, focusing on historical perspectives, evidence-based practices, and the concept of DCS.

RESULTS

Key findings from the 55 relevant studies selected underscore the importance of balanced fluid and blood product administration, the use of permissive hypotension in hemorrhagic shock, and the application of DCS principles. This review highlights educational strategies that foster a deeper understanding of trauma resuscitation practices, offering practical insights through case studies and technological innovations.

CONCLUSION

This review serves as an educational resource for surgical trainees, equipping them with a robust understanding of evidence-based trauma resuscitation. By integrating historical context, modern practices, and emerging technologies, the review aims to enhance both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary for managing unstable trauma patients. Emphasis is placed on interdisciplinary teamwork, continuous education, and personalized resuscitation strategies to improve clinical outcomes.

Retrospective analysis of trauma patients transported by dispatch monitored type B ambulances to Dhulikhel Hospital, Kavre, Nepal, 2019-2023

BACKGROUND

Timely emergency medical services (EMS) are particularly important among trauma patients, as inefficient EMS systems can result in potentially avoidable death before reaching a hospital. The Dhulikhel Hospital Dispatch Center coordinates and monitors a growing network of ambulances, including seven Type B ambulances staffed with a trained prehospital care provider and medical equipment. This study evaluates the prehospital care and outcomes of trauma patients transported by Type B ambulances to Dhulikhel Hospital's Emergency Department, as monitored by the Dispatch Center.

METHODS

Data were collected via a retrospective chart review of Dispatch Center records, including patient demographics, injury mechanisms, prehospital care, and outcomes. Patients were included if they experienced physical trauma and were transported by a Type B ambulance to Dhulikhel Hospital's Emergency Department between 2019 and 2023.

RESULTS

Between 2019 and 2023, 224 trauma patients were transported to the hospital and received prehospital care services from Type B ambulances monitored by the Dispatch Center. Most patients were male (59%), and nearly half were aged 18-44 (49%). The median total transport time for Dhulikhel Hospital-owned Type B ambulances was 40 min. Type B ambulances reached patients across 24 municipalities (88% in Kavrepalanchowk and Sindupalchowk districts). Falls (55%) and road traffic accidents (30%) were the most common injury mechanisms, followed by physical assault (7%). Falls were significantly associated with female, pediatric, and geriatric patients (p < 0.05), while road traffic accidents predominated among males, particularly in adults aged 25-34 years (p < 0.05). Approximately one-third of patients admitted to the hospital after evaluation in the emergency department experienced multiple injuries, and the most prevalent diagnosis of admitted cases were extremity fractures (52%).

CONCLUSION

Trauma cases accounted for 15% (227/1541) of all patients who received transport and prehospital care services from a Type B ambulance monitored by the Dispatch Center between 2019 and 2023. This study demonstrates the critical role of Type B ambulances and an integrated dispatch center in advancing timely and efficient prehospital care for trauma patients in Nepal.

[Blood transfusion at the stages of evacuation of the wounded in military conflicts of the XIX century]

During the 19th century, the scope of blood transfusion was significantly expanded. Along with obstetric practice, hemotransfusion has been actively used in the fight against acute blood loss in combat and traumatic injuries. New broad opportunities for the development of the method were obtained during numerous military campaigns of the XIX century, accompanied by an increase in the destructive power of firearms and the number of wounded who died from acute massive bleeding on the battlefield. The article examines how high hopes for the introduction of blood transfusion among the means of helping the wounded were replaced by a complete rejection of its use outside inpatient medical institutions.

Using trauma video review to search for the Goldilocks pre-activation time

Objectives

We sought to determine the optimal time to pre-activation for trauma team activation that resulted in maximum team efficiency, measured by the time to complete critical actions (TCCAs) during resuscitation. We hypothesized that there exists a time window for trauma team pre-activation that minimizes TCCA.

Methods

This is an exploratory retrospective analysis of video-reviewed traumas at a level 1 trauma center from January 1, 2018 to 28 February, 2022 that received the highest trauma team activation and had a pre-arrival notification. A total of 11 TCCA categories were calculated using video timestamps. To compare TCCAs from different categories, normalized TCCAs (nTCCAs) were calculated by dividing each TCCA by the median time of its category. Pre-activation times were categorized into three groups: long pre-activation (≥8 min), mid pre-activation (≥4 and ≤7 min), and short pre-activation (≥0 and ≤4).

Results

There were 466 video-recorded level 1 trauma activations, which resulted in 2334 TCCAs. Of the 466 activations, 152 occured on the patient's arrival (0 min pre-activation). The majority (425) of patients had a pre-activation time of <7 min. Pre-activation of 4-6 min resulted in all but blood transfusion TCCAs being <15 min. Furthermore, mid pre-activation category corresponded to the most efficient trauma teams, with nTCCAs significantly shorter (median=0.75 (IQR 0.3-1.3)) than long (median=1 (IQR 0.6-2)) or short activation groups (median=1 (IQR 0.6-1.6)). A greater proportion of nTCCAs were shorter than their category median in the mid pre-activation category compared with long and short categories (59.1% vs 48.3% and 40%, respectively; p<0.01).

Conclusions

In this exploratory study, a pre-activation time of 4-7 min is associated with the best team efficiency as measured by TCCAs during trauma team activations. This timeframe may be an optimal window for trauma team activations but needs prospective and external validation.

Level of evidence

Level 4 retrospective exploratory study.

PREDICTION OF TIME TO HEMODYNAMIC STABILIZATION OF UNSTABLE INJURED PATIENT ENCOUNTERS USING ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD DATA

ABSTRACT

Background : This study sought to predict time to patient hemodynamic stabilization during trauma resuscitations of hypotensive patient encounters using electronic medical record (EMR) data. Methods: This observational cohort study leveraged EMR data from a nine-hospital academic system composed of Level I, Level II, and nontrauma centers. Injured, hemodynamically unstable (initial systolic blood pressure, <90 mm Hg) emergency encounters from 2015 to 2020 were identified. Stabilization was defined as documented subsequent systolic blood pressure of >90 mm Hg. We predicted time to stabilization testing random forests, gradient boosting, and ensembles using patient, injury, treatment, EPIC Trauma Narrator, and hospital features from the first 4 hours of care. Results: Of 177,127 encounters, 1,347 (0.8%) arrived hemodynamically unstable; 168 (12.5%) presented to Level I trauma centers, 853 (63.3%) to Level II, and 326 (24.2%) to nontrauma centers. Of those, 747 (55.5%) were stabilized with a median of 50 min (interquartile range, 21-101 min). Stabilization was documented in 94.6% of unstable patient encounters at Level I, 57.6% at Level II, and 29.8% at nontrauma centers ( P < 0.001). Time to stabilization was predicted with a C-index of 0.80. The most predictive features were EPIC Trauma Narrator measures, documented patient arrival, provider examination, and disposition decision. In-hospital mortality was highest at Level I, 3.0% vs. 1.2% at Level II, and 0.3% at nontrauma centers ( P < 0.001). Importantly, nontrauma centers had the highest retriage rate to another acute care hospital (12.0%) compared to Level II centers (4.0%, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Time to stabilization of unstable injured patients can be predicted with EMR data.

Combined effect of intermittent hemostasis and a modified external hemorrhage control device in a lethal swine model

Background

Non-compressible torso hemorrhage (NCTH) presents the ultimate challenge in pre-hospital care. While external hemorrhage control devices (EHCDs) such as the Abdominal Aortic and Junctional Tourniquet (AAJT) and SAM Junctional Tourniquet (SJT) have been invented, the current design and application strategy requires further improvement. Therefore, researchers devised a novel apparatus named Modified EHCD (M-EHCD) and implemented intermittent hemostasis (IH) as a preventive measure against ischemia-reperfusion injury. The objective of this study was to ascertain the combined effect of M-EHCD and IH on the hemostatic effect of NCTH.

Methods

Eighteen swine were randomized to M-EHCD, AAJT or SJT. The NCTH model was established by inducing Class Ⅲ hemorrhagic shock and performing a hemi-transection of common femoral artery (CFA). EHCDs were rapidly fastened since the onset of free bleeding (T0min). The IH strategy was implemented by fully releasing M-EHCD at T40min, T70min and T100min, respectively, whereas AAJT and SJT maintained continuous hemostasis (CH) until T120min. All groups underwent CFA bridging at T110min, and EHCDs were removed at T120min. Reperfusion lasted for 60 min, after which euthanasia was performed. Hemodynamics, intra-vesical pressure (IVP), and blood samples were collected periodically. Histological examinations were also conducted.

Results

M-EHCD demonstrated the fastest application time (M-EHCD: 26.38 ± 6.32s vs. SJT: 30.84 ± 5.62s vs. AAJT: 54.28 ± 5.45s, P < 0.001) and reduced free blood loss (M-EHCD: 17.77 ± 9.85g vs. SJT: 51.80 ± 33.70g vs. AAJT: 115.20 ± 61.36g, P = 0.011) compared to SJT and AAJT. M-EHCD exhibited inhibitory effects on heart rate (M-EHCD: 91.83 ± 31.61bpm vs. AAJT: 129.00 ± 32.32bpm vs. SJT: 135.17 ± 21.24bpm, P = 0.041) and shock index. The device's external pressure was lowest in M-EHCD and highest in SJT (P = 0.001). The resultant increase in IVP were still the lowest in M-EHCD (M-EHCD: -0.07 ± 0.45 mmHg vs. AAJT: 27.04 ± 5.03 mmHg vs. SJT: 5.58 ± 2.55 mmHg, P < 0.001). Furthermore, M-EHCD caused the least colonic injury (M-EHCD: 1.17 ± 0.41 vs. AAJT: 2.17 ± 0.41 vs. SJT: 2.17 ± 0.41, P = 0.001). The removal of M-EHCD showed the slightest impact on pH (P < 0.001), while AAJT group was more susceptible to the lethal triad based on the arterial lactate and thrombelastogram results.

Conclusions

M-EHCD + IH protected the organs and reduced the risk of the lethal triad by decreasing disruptions to IVP, hemodynamics, acid-base equilibrium and coagulation. M-EHCD + IH was superior to the hemostatic safety and efficacy of AAJT/SJT + CH.

When Every Minute Counts: REBOA Before Surgery Is Independently Associated With a 15-Minute Delay in Time to Definitive Hemorrhage Control

INTRODUCTION

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is a temporizing hemorrhage control intervention, but its inevitable effect on time to operating room (OR) has not been assessed. The aim of our study is to assess the impact of undergoing REBOA before surgery (RBS) on time to definitive hemorrhage control surgery.

METHODS

In this retrospective analysis of 2017-2021 ACS-TQIP database, all adult (≥18 years) patients who underwent emergency hemorrhage control laparotomy (≤4 hours of admission) and received early blood products (≤4 hours) were included, and patients with severe head injury (Head-abbreviated injury score > 2) were excluded. Patients were stratified into those who did (RBS) vs those who did not undergo REBOA before surgery (No-RBS). Primary outcome was time to laparotomy. Secondary outcomes were complications and mortality. Multivariable linear and binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the independent associations between RBS and outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 32,683 patients who underwent emergency laparotomy were identified (RBS: 342; No-RBS: 32,341). The mean age was 39 (16) years, 78% were male, mean SBP was 107 (34) mmHg, and the median injury severity score was 21 [14-29]. The median time to emergency hemorrhage control surgery was 50 [32-85] minutes. Overall complication rate was 16% and mortality was 19%. On univariate analysis, RBS group had longer time to surgery (RBS 56 [41-89] vs No-RBS 50 [32-85] minutes, P < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, RBS was independently associated with a longer time to hemorrhage control surgery (β + 14.5 [95%CI 7.8-21.3], P < 0.001), higher odds of complications (aOR = 1.72, 95%CI = 1.27-2.34, P < 0.001), and mortality (aOR = 3.42, 95%CI = 2.57-4.55, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

REBOA is independently associated with longer time to OR for hemorrhaging trauma patients with an average delay of 15 minutes. Further research evaluating center-specific REBOA volume and utilization practices, and other pertinent system factors, may help improve both time to REBOA as well as time to definitive hemorrhage control across US trauma centers.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

STUDY TYPE

Epidemiologic.

Should We Keep or Transfer Our Severely Injured Geriatric Patients to Higher Levels of Care?

INTRODUCTION

Interfacility transfer to higher levels of care is becoming increasingly common. This study aims to evaluate the association between transfer to higher levels of care and prolonged transfer times with outcomes of severely injured geriatric trauma patients compared to those who are managed definitively at lower-level trauma centers.

METHODS

Severely injured (Injury Severity Score >15) geriatric (≥60 y) trauma patients in the 2017-2018 American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program database managing at an American College of Surgeons/State Level III trauma center or transferring to a level I or II trauma center were included. Outcome measures were 24-h and in-hospital mortality and major complications.

RESULTS

Forty thousand seven hundred nineteen patients were identified. Mean age was 75 ± 8 y, 54% were male, 98% had a blunt mechanism of injury, and the median Injury Severity Score was 17 [16-21]. Median transfer time was 112 [79-154] min, and the most common transport mode was ground ambulance (82.3%). Transfer to higher levels of care within 90 min was associated with lower 24-h mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.493, P < 0.001) and similar odds of in-hospital mortality as those managed at level III centers. However, every 30-min delay in transfer time beyond 90 min was progressively associated with increased odds of 24-h (aOR: 1.058, P < 0.001) and in-hospital (aOR: 1.114, P < 0.001) mortality and major complications (aOR: 1.127, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Every 30-min delay in interfacility transfer time beyond 90 min is associated with 6% and 11% higher risk-adjusted odds of 24-h and in-hospital mortality, respectively. Estimated interfacility transfer time should be considered while deciding about transferring severely injured geriatric trauma patients to a higher level of care.

Association between Time to Emergent Surgery and Outcomes in Trauma Patients: A 10-Year Multicenter Study

Background: Research on the impact of reduced time to emergent surgery in trauma patients has yielded inconsistent results. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between waiting emergent surgery time (WEST) and outcomes in trauma patients. Methods: This retrospective, multicenter study used data from the Tzu Chi Hospital trauma database. The primary clinical outcomes were in-hospital mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and prolonged hospital length of stay (LOS) of ≥30 days. Results: A total of 15,164 patients were analyzed. The median WEST was 444 min, with an interquartile range (IQR) of 248-848 min for all patients. Patients who died in the hospital had a shorter median WEST than did those who survived (240 vs. 446 min, p < 0.001). Among the trauma patients with a WEST of <2 h, the median time was 79 min (IQR = 50-100 min). No significant difference in WEST was observed between the survival and mortality groups for patients with a WEST of <120 min (median WEST: 85 vs. 78 min, p < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that WEST was not associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.17-6.35 for 30 min ≤ WEST < 60 min; aOR = 1.12, 95% CI = 0.22-5.70 for 60 min ≤ WEST < 90 min; and aOR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.13-2.74 for WEST ≥ 90 min). Conclusions: Our findings do not support the "golden hour" concept because no association was identified between the time to definitive care and in-hospital mortality, ICU admission, and prolonged hospital stay of ≥30 days.

What trauma patients need: the European dilemma

There is a need for implementation and maturation of an inclusive trauma system in every country in Europe, with patient centered care by dedicated surgeons. This process should be initiated by physicians and medical societies, based on the best available evidence, and supported and subsequently funded by the government and healthcare authorities. A systematic approach to organizing all aspects of trauma will result in health gain in terms of quality of care provided, higher survival rates, better functional outcomes and quality of life. In addition, it will provide reliable data for both research, quality improvement and prevention programs. Severely injured patients need surgeons with broad technical and non-technical competencies to provide holistic, inclusive and compassionate care. Here we describe the philosophy of the surgical approach and define the necessary skills for trauma, both surgical and other, to improve outcome of severely injured patients. As surgery is an essential part of trauma care, surgeons play an important role for the optimal treatment of trauma patients throughout and after their hospital stay, including the intensive care unit (ICU). However, in most European countries, it might not be obvious to either the general public, patients or even the physicians that the surgeon must assume this responsibility in the ICU to optimize outcomes. The aim of this paper is to define key elements in terms of trauma systems, trauma-specific surgical skills and active critical care involvement, to organize and optimize trauma care in Europe.

The effect of a clock's presence on trauma resuscitation times in a Dutch level-1 trauma center: a pre-post cohort analysis

PURPOSE

Interventions performed within the first hour after trauma increase survival rates. Literature showed that measuring times can optimize the trauma resuscitation process as time awareness potentially reduces acute care time. This study examined the effect of a digital clock placement on trauma resuscitation times in an academic level-1 trauma center.

METHODS

A prospective observational pre-post cohort analysis was conducted for six months before and after implementing a visible clock in the trauma resuscitation room, indicating the time passed since starting the in-hospital resuscitation process. Trauma patients (age ≥ 16) presented during weekdays between 9.00 AM and 9.00 PM were included. Time until diagnostics (X-Ray, FAST, or CT scan), time until therapeutic intervention, and total resuscitation time were measured manually with a stopwatch by a researcher in the trauma resuscitation room. Patient characteristics and information regarding trauma- and injury type were collected. Times before and after clock implementation were compared.

RESULTS

In total, 100 patients were included, 50 patients in each cohort. The median total resuscitation time (including CT scan) was 40.3 min (IQR 23.3) in the cohort without a clock compared to 44.3 (IQR 26.1) minutes in the cohort with a clock. The mean time until the first diagnostic and until the CT scan was 8.3 min (SD 3.1) and 25.5 min (SD 7.1) without a clock compared to 8.6 min (SD 6.5) and 26.6 min (SD 11.5) with a clock. Severely injured patients (Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥ 16) showed a median resuscitation time in the cohort without a clock (n = 9) of 54.6 min (IQR 50.5) compared to 46.0 min (IQR 21.6) in the cohort with a clock (n = 8).

CONCLUSION

This study found no significant reduction in trauma resuscitation time after clock placement. Nonetheless, the data represent a heterogeneous population, not excluding specific patient categories for whom literature has shown that a short time is essential, such as severely injured patients, might benefit from the presence of a trauma clock. Future research is recommended into resuscitation times of specific patient categories and practices to investigate time awareness.

Torso hemorrhage: noncompressible? never say never

Since limb bleeding has been well managed by extremity tourniquets, the management of exsanguinating torso hemorrhage (TH) has become a hot issue both in military and civilian medicine. Conventional hemostatic techniques are ineffective for managing traumatic bleeding of organs and vessels within the torso due to the anatomical features. The designation of noncompressible torso hemorrhage (NCTH) marks a significant step in investigating the injury mechanisms and developing effective methods for bleeding control. Special tourniquets such as abdominal aortic and junctional tourniquet and SAM junctional tourniquet designed for NCTH have been approved by FDA for clinical use. Combat ready clamp and junctional emergency treatment tool also exhibit potential for external NCTH control. In addition, resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) further provides an endovascular solution to alleviate the challenges of NCTH treatment. Notably, NCTH cognitive surveys have revealed that medical staff have deficiencies in understanding relevant concepts and treatment abilities. The stereotypical interpretation of NCTH naming, particularly the term noncompressible, is the root cause of this issue. This review discusses the dynamic relationship between TH and NCTH by tracing the development of external NCTH control techniques. The authors propose to further subdivide the existing NCTH into compressible torso hemorrhage and NCTH' (noncompressible but REBOA controllable) based on whether hemostasis is available via external compression. Finally, due to the irreplaceability of special tourniquets during the prehospital stage, the authors emphasize the importance of a package program to improve the efficacy and safety of external NCTH control. This program includes the promotion of tourniquet redesign and hemostatic strategies, personnel reeducation, and complications prevention.

Efficacy of direct-to-operating room trauma resuscitation: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Hemorrhage control is a time-critical task, and recent studies have demonstrated that a shorter time to definitive care is positively associated with patient survival and functional outcomes. The concept of direct transport to the operating room was proposed in the 1960s to reduce treatment time. Some trauma centers have developed protocols for direct-to-operating room resuscitation (DOR) programs. Moreover, few studies have reported the clinical outcomes of DOR in patients with trauma; however, their clinical effect in improving the efficiency and quality of care remains unclear. In this systematic review, we aimed to consolidate all published studies reporting the effect of DOR on severe trauma and evaluate its utility.

METHODS

The PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched from inception to April 2023, to identify all articles published in English that reported the effect of direct-to-operating room trauma resuscitation for severe trauma. The articles were reviewed as references of interest.

RESULTS

We reviewed six studies reporting the clinical effect of operating room trauma resuscitation. A total of 3232 patients were identified. Five studies compared the actual mortality with the predicted mortality using the trauma score and injury severity score, while one study compared mortality using propensity matching. Four studies reported that the actual survival rate for overall injuries was better than the predicted survival rate, whereas two studies reported no difference. Some studies performed subgroup analyses. Two studies showed that the survival rate for penetrating injuries was better than the predicted survival rate, and one showed that the survival rate for blunt injuries was better than the predicted survival rate. Five studies reported the time to surgical intervention, which was within 30 min. Two studies time-compared surgical intervention, which was shorter in patients who underwent DOR.

CONCLUSION

Implementing DOR is likely to have a beneficial effect on mortality and can facilitate rapid intervention in patients with severe shock. Future studies, possibly clinical trials, are needed to ensure a proper comparison of the efficiency.

Clinical application of a body area network-based smart bracelet for pre-hospital trauma care

Objective

This study aims to explore the efficiency and effectiveness of a body area network-based smart bracelet for trauma care prior to hospitalization.

Methods

To test the efficacy of the bracelet, an observational cohort study was conducted on the clinical data of 140 trauma patients pre-admission to the hospital. This study was divided into an experimental group receiving smart bracelets and a control group receiving conventional treatment. Both groups were randomized using a random number table. The primary variables of this study were as follows: time to first administration of life-saving intervention, time to first administration of blood transfusion, time to first administration of hemostatic drugs, and mortality rates within 24 h and 28 days post-admission to the hospital. The secondary outcomes included the amount of time before trauma team activation and the overall length of patient stay in the emergency room.

Results

The measurement results for both the emergency smart bracelet as well as traditional equipment showed high levels of consistency and accuracy. In terms of pre-hospital emergency life-saving intervention, there was no significant statistical difference in the mortality rates between both groups within 224 h post-admission to the hospital or after 28-days of treatment in the emergency department. Furthermore, the treatment efficiency for the group of patients wearing smart bracelets was significantly better than that of the control group with regard to both the primary and secondary outcomes of this study. These results indicate that this smart bracelet has the potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of trauma care and treatment.

Conclusion

A body area network-based smart bracelet combined with remote 5G technology can assist the administration of emergency care to trauma patients prior to hospital admission, shorten the timeframe in which life-saving interventions are initiated, and allow for a quick trauma team response as well as increased efficiency upon administration of emergency care.

Impact of Trauma Resuscitation Emergency Care Nurse Deployment in Trauma Activations in a Rural Trauma Center

BACKGROUND

Although the role of a dedicated trauma nurse has been implemented in an urban setting, it has not been studied in the rural trauma setting. We instituted a trauma resuscitation emergency care (TREC) nurse role to respond to trauma activations at our rural trauma center.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to determine the impact of TREC nurse deployment on the timeliness of resuscitation interventions in trauma activations.

METHODS

This pre- and postintervention study at a rural Level I trauma center compared the time to resuscitation interventions before (August 2018 to July 2019) and after (August 2019 to July 2020) deploying TREC nurses to trauma activations.

RESULTS

A total of 2,593 participants were studied, of which 1,153 (44%) were in the pre-TREC group and 1,440 (56%) in the post-TREC group. After TREC deployment, the median (interquartile range [IQR]) emergency department times within the first hour decreased from 45 (31.23-53) to 35 (16-51) min ( p = .013). The median (IQR) time to the operating room within the first hour decreased from 46 (37-52) to 29 (12-46) min ( p = .001), and within the first 2 hr, decreased from 59 (43.8-86) to 48 (23-72) min ( p = .014).

CONCLUSION

Our study found that TREC nurse deployment improved resuscitation intervention timeliness during the first 2 hr (early phase) of trauma activations.

Discriminant ability of the shock index, modified shock index, and reverse shock index multiplied by the Glasgow coma scale on mortality in adult trauma patients: a PATOS retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The shock index (SI) predicts short-term mortality in trauma patients. Other shock indices have been developed to improve discriminant accuracy. The authors examined the discriminant ability of the SI, modified SI (MSI), and reverse SI multiplied by the Glasgow Coma Scale (rSIG) on short-term mortality and functional outcomes.

METHODS

The authors evaluated a cohort of adult trauma patients transported to emergency departments. The first vital signs were used to calculate the SI, MSI, and rSIG. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves and test results were used to compare the discriminant performance of the indices on short-term mortality and poor functional outcomes. A subgroup analysis of geriatric patients with traumatic brain injury, penetrating injury, and nonpenetrating injury was performed.

RESULTS

A total of 105 641 patients (49±20 years, 62% male) met the inclusion criteria. The rSIG had the highest areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for short-term mortality (0.800, CI: 0.791-0.809) and poor functional outcome (0.596, CI: 0.590-0.602). The cutoff for rSIG was 18 for short-term mortality and poor functional outcomes with sensitivities of 0.668 and 0.371 and specificities of 0.805 and 0.813, respectively. The positive predictive values were 9.57% and 22.31%, and the negative predictive values were 98.74% and 89.97%. rSIG also had better discriminant ability in geriatrics, traumatic brain injury, and nonpenetrating injury.

CONCLUSION

The rSIG with a cutoff of 18 was accurate for short-term mortality in Asian adult trauma patients. Moreover, rSIG discriminates poor functional outcomes better than the commonly used SI and MSI.

Effect of Air Transport Delay on Mortality in Critical Illness: A Population-Based Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

For critically ill patients in remote areas, we assessed the association of transport delay via fixed wing air ambulance on 30-day mortality, excluding interhospital transports.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort analysis of all such adult transports in Manitoba, Canada, over 5.4 years. Causal mediation analysis was used, with the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II Acute Physiology Score at the destination intensive care unit as the mediator. The covariates were age, sex, comorbidities, socioeconomic status, and physiologic variables from the sending site.

RESULTS

The primary cohort was composed of 554 patients; 113 (20.4%) died within 30 days. The total transport delay (mean ± standard deviation) was 5.1 ± 1.7 hours. Compared with no delay, the average 5-hour transport delay was associated with an odds ratio for mortality of 1.34 with a 95% confidence interval from 40% lower to 270% higher, with 60% of the influence of total travel time attributable to worsening of patients' acute physiologic status during the delay in intensive care unit admission due to transport.

CONCLUSIONS

Although these findings provide insufficient evidence for an effect of fixed wing air transport delay on mortality among critically ill patients, they underscore the need for additional and larger studies on this topic.

The impact of holiday season and weekend effect on traumatic injury mortality: Evidence from a 10-year analysis

OBJECTIVES

Trauma is one of the leading causes of death and its incidence increases annually. The "weekend effect" and "holiday season effect" on traumatic injury mortality remain controversial, whereby traumatic injury patients admitted during weekends and/or holiday season have a higher risk of in-hospital death. The present study is aimed to explore the association between "weekend effect" and "holiday season effect" and mortality in traumatic injury population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective descriptive study included patients from the Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital Trauma Database between January 2009 and June 2019. The exclusion criterion was age of < 20 years. The primary outcome was the in-hospital mortality rate. The secondary outcomes included intensive care unit (ICU) admission, ICU re-admission, length of stay (LOS) in the ICU, ICU admission duration ≥ 14 days, total hospital LOS, total hospital LOS ≥ 14 days, need for surgery, and re-operation rate.

RESULTS

In this study, 11,946 patients were included in the analysis, and 8143 (68.2%) patients were admitted on weekdays, 3050 (25.5%) on weekends, and 753 (6.3%) on holidays. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that the admission day was not associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality. In other clinical outcome analyses, we found no significant increase in the risk of in-hospital mortality, ICU admission, ICU LOS ≥ 14 days, or total LOS ≥ 14 days in the weekend and holiday season groups. The subgroup analysis showed that the association between holiday season admission and in-hospital mortality was noted only in the elderly and shock condition populations. The holiday season duration did not differ in terms of in-hospital mortality. Longer holiday season duration was also not associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality, ICU LOS ≥14 days, and total LOS ≥14 days.

CONCLUSION

In this study, we did not find any evidence that weekend and holiday season admissions in the traumatic injury population were associated with an increased risk of mortality. In other clinical outcome analyses, there was no significant increase in the risk of in-hospital mortality, ICU admission, ICU LOS ≥ 14 days, or total LOS ≥ 14 days in the weekend and holiday season groups.

In-person radiologist to review the trauma panscan: a high-fidelity simulation training program for radiology trainees at an academic level 1 trauma center

BACKGROUND

Radiology trainees were uncomfortable going to the CT scanner to review trauma panscans and interacting with trauma surgeons.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to determine if radiology residents can be trained to accurately identify injuries requiring immediate surgical attention at the CT scanner.

METHODS

A high-fidelity simulation model was created to provide an immersive training experience. Between February 2015 and April 2017, 62 class 1 trauma panscans were read at the CT scanner by 11 PGY-3 radiology residents. Findings made at the scanner were compared to resident preliminary and attending radiology reports and correlated with clinical outcomes. Timestamps were recorded and analyzed. Surveys were administered to assess the impact of training on radiology residents' self-confidence and to assess trauma surgeons' preference for radiology at the scanner. Significance level was set at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

The mean time to provide results at the CT scanner was 11.1 min. Mean time for the preliminary report for CT head and cervical spine was 24.4 ± 9.8 min, and for the CT chest, abdomen, and pelvis was 16.3 ± 6.9 min. 53 traumatic findings on 62 panscans were identified at the scanner and confirmed at preliminary and final reports, for a concordance rate of 85%, compared to 72% for the control group. Radiology residents agreed or strongly agreed the training prepared them for trauma panscan reporting. Trauma surgeons shifted in favor of radiology presence at the scanner.

CONCLUSION

Radiology residents can be trained to accurately and rapidly identify injuries requiring immediate surgical attention at the CT scanner.

CLINICAL IMPACT

These findings support the value-added of an in-person radiologist at the CT scanner for whole-body trauma panscans to facilitate timely detection of life-threatening injuries and improve professional relations between radiologists and trauma surgeons.

PREHOSPITAL SHOCK INDEX MULTIPLIED BY AVPU SCALE AS A PREDICTOR OF CLINICAL OUTCOMES IN TRAUMATIC INJURY

Objectives: Many prehospital trauma triage scores have been proposed, but none has emerged as a criterion standard. Therefore, a rapid and accurate tool is necessary for field triage. The shock index (SI) multiplied by the AVPU (Alert, responds to Voice, responds to Pain, Unresponsive) score (SIAVPU) reflected the hemodynamic and neurological conditions through a combination of the SI and AVPU. This study aimed to investigate the prediction performance of SI multiplied by the AVPU and to compare the prediction performance of other prehospital trauma triage scores in a population with traumatic injury. Patients and Methods: This study included 6,156 patients with trauma injury from the Taipei Tzu Chi trauma database. We investigated the accuracy of four scoring systems in predicting mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and prolonged hospital stay (defined as a duration of hospitalization >14 days). In the subgroup analysis, we also analyzed the effects of age, injury mechanism and severity, underlying diseases, and traumatic brain injury. Results: The predictive accuracy of SIAVPU for mortality, ICU admission, and prolonged hospital stay was significantly higher than that of SI, modified SI, and SI multiplied by age in the traumatic injury population, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.738 for mortality, 0.641 for ICU admission, and 0.606 for prolonged hospital stay. In the subgroup analysis, the prediction accuracy of mortality, ICU admission, and prolonged hospital stay of SIAVPU was also better in patients with younger age, older age, major trauma (Injury Severity Score ≥16), motor vehicle collisions, fall injury, healthy, cardiovascular disease, mixed traumatic brain injury, and isolated traumatic brain injury. The best cutoff levels of SIAVPU score to predict mortality, ICU admission, and total length of stay ≥14 days in trauma injury patients were 0.90, 0.82, and 0.80, with accuracies of 88.56%, 79.84%, and 78.62%, respectively. Conclusions: In conclusion, SIAVPU is a rapid and accurate field triage score with better prediction accuracy for mortality, ICU admission, and prolonged hospital stay than SI, modified SI, and SI multiplied by age in patients with trauma. Patients with SIAVPU ≥0.9 should be considered for the highest-level trauma center available within the geographic constraints of regional trauma systems.

A multicenter cohort study on the association between prehospital immobilization and functional outcome of patients following spinal injury in Asia

Prehospital spinal immobilization is a widely used procedure in the emergency medical service (EMS) system worldwide, while the incidence of patients with spinal injury (SI) is relatively low, and unnecessary prehospital spinal immobilization is associated with patient complications. This study aimed to determine the association between prehospital spine immobilization and favorable functional outcomes at hospital discharge among trauma patients with SI. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Pan-Asia Trauma Outcomes Study (PATOS) registry data from January 1, 2016, to November 30, 2018. A total of 759 patients with SI were enrolled from 43,752 trauma patients in the PATOS registry during the study period. The subjects had a median age of 58 years (Q1-Q3, 41-72), and 438 (57.7%) patients had prehospital spine immobilization. Overall, prehospital spinal immobilization was not associated with favorable functional outcomes at discharge in multivariable logistic regression (aOR 1.06; 95% CI 0.62-1.81, p = 0.826). However, in the subgroup of cervical SI, prehospital spinal immobilization was associated with favorable functional outcomes at discharge (aOR 3.14; 95% CI 1.04-9.50; p = 0.043). Therefore, we suggest that paramedics should be more careful when determining the presence of a cervical SI and should apply full spine immobilization if possible.