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Introduction: Predicting which patients with acute circulatory failure will respond to the fluid by an increase in cardiac output is a daily challenge. End-expiratory occlusion test (EEOT) and mini-fluid challenge (MFC) can be used for assessing fluid responsiveness in patients with spontaneous breathing activity, cardiac arrhythmias, low-tidal volume and/or low lung compliance. Methods: The objective of the study is to evaluate the value of EEOT and MFC-induced rise in left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) velocity time integral (VTI) in predicting fluid responsiveness in acute circulatory failure in comparison to the passive leg-raising (PLR) test. Hundred critically ill ventilated and sedated patients with acute circulatory failure were studied. LVOT VTI was measured by transthoracic echocardiography before and after EEOT (interrupting the ventilator at end-expiration over 15 s), and before and after MFC (100 ml of Ringer lactate was infused over 1 min). The variation of LVOT VTI after EEOT and the MFC was calculated from the baseline. Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC) curve of LVOT VTI after EEOT and MFC to predict fluid responsiveness were determined. Results: After PLR, stroke volume (SV) increased by ≥12% in 49 patients, who were defined as responders and 34 patients in whom the increase in SV <12% were defined as nonresponders. A cutoff of 9.1% Change in VTI after MFC (ΔVTIMFC) predicted fluid responsiveness with an AUROC of 0.96 (P < 0.001) with sensitivity and specificity of 91.5% and 88.9%, respectively. Change in VTI after EEOT (ΔVTIEEOT) >4.3% predicted fluid responsiveness with sensitivity and specificity 89.4% and 88.9%, respectively, with an AUROC of 0.97 (P < 0.001), but in 17 patients, EEOT was not possible because triggering of the ventilator by the patient's inspiratory effort. Conclusion: In conclusion, in mechanically ventilated patients with acute circulatory failure Δ VTIMFC and Δ VTI EEOT accurately predicts fluid responsiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trauma to the adrenal glands is very rare. The variation in clinical manifestations is marked and markers for its diagnosis being limited, makes it tough to be diagnosed. Computed tomography remains the gold standard for detecting this injury. Prompt recognition and the potential for mortality with adrenal insufficiency can provide the best guidance for the treatment and care of the severely injured. We present a case of a 33-year-old trauma patient who was not responding to the management of his shock. He was finally found to have a right adrenal haemorrhage leading to adrenal crisis. The patient was resuscitated in the Emergency Department but succumbed 10 days post admission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What's New in Emergencies, Trauma, and Shock - camel, cattle, borewell, or sewer injuries: Time for public health contextualization of injury prevention Public health on this planet seems to have evolved primarily through observation and the answers to most of our public health concerns have largely been dealt with using the principle of trial and error. While the use of helmets among camel workers is one such intervention, others such as injuries among sewer workers or injuries in open borewells, might just need a change of thought process. [Extracted from the article]

Trauma is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with road traffic collisions, suicides, and homicides accounting for the majority of injury-related deaths. Since trauma mainly affects young age groups, it is recognized as a serious social and economic threat, as annually, almost 16,000 posttrauma individuals are expected to lose their lives and many more to end up disabled. The purpose of this research is to summarize current knowledge on factors predicting outcome – specifically mortality risk – in severely injured patients. Development of this review was mainly based on the systematic search of PubMed medical library, Cochrane database, and advanced trauma life support Guiding Manuals. The research was based on publications between 1994 and 2016. Although hypovolemic, obstructive, cardiogenic, and septic shock can all be seen in multi-trauma patients, hemorrhage-induced shock is by far the most common cause of shock. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on factors predicting outcome – more specifically mortality risk – in severely injured patients. The main mortality-predicting factors in trauma patients are those associated with basic human physiology and tissue perfusion status, coagulation adequacy, and resuscitation requirements. On the contrary, advanced age and the presence of comorbidities predispose patients to a poor outcome because of the loss of physiological reserves. Trauma resuscitation teams considering mortality prediction factors can not only guide resuscitation but also identify patients with high mortality risk who were previously considered less severely injured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and Aims: The evolving influence of social media in trauma, acute, and critical care surgery (TACCS) cannot be ignored. We sought to investigate the extent and patterns of use of social networks by major regional, national and international TACCS societies. Materials and Methods: The two leading social networking sites, Facebook (FB) and Twitter (TW), were thoroughly examined for the presence of official accounts for each of the major TACCS societies. An official FB or TW account was defined as one which has a blue verified badge and/or is linked the society's official website. For societies with confirmed official accounts, the extent and patterns of use of the two platforms were systematically examined over a 2-week period through: (1) manual inspection of the societies' FB and TW pages, (2) the SQLite database containing downloaded samples of posts, and (3) the TW analytics database, symplur.com. Standardized social media metrics were calculated for each society. Posted content was categorized as being: (1) society news updates, (2) event announcements, or (3) general medical information. Results: From a total of 64 TACCS societies, only 27 (42%) had FB and/or TW accounts. Ten out of the 12 American societies had accounts compared to 13/39 of European, 2/9 of Australasian, and 0/2 of international societies. For the societies with social media presence, the mean numbers of monthly tweets and FB posts per society were 22 and 8, respectively. We summarize the FB and TW activity of the studied TACCS societies. Most tweets/posts were society news updates and event announcements intended to the society's constituents not the general public. A text cloud was constructed to summarize the major featured topics. Conclusion: Less than half of the TACCS societies are currently using social media; those that do are arguably underutilizing its potential. Non-American societies in particular lag behind in their use of social networking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shock is one of the most challenging life-threatening conditions with high mortality and morbidity; the outcomes are highly dependent on the early detection and management of the condition. Septic shock is the most common type of shock in the Intensive Care Unit. While not as common as other subsets of shock, obstructive shock is a significant subtype due to well defined mechanical and pathological causes, including tension pneumothorax, massive pulmonary embolism, and cardiac tamponade. We are presenting a patient with obstructive shock due to inferior vena cava obstruction secondary to extensive deep venous thrombosis. Chance of survival from obstructive shock in our patient was small; however, there was complete and immediate recovery after treatment of the obstruction on recognizing the affected vessels. This case alerts the practicing intensivist and the emergency medicine physician to consider occlusion of the great vessels other than the pulmonary artery or aorta as causes of obstructive shock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective legislation against violence and a better health budget will help hospitals cope with the unprecedented surge of patients at the ED. Attendants accompanying critically ill patients, with no previous ED experience, unmarried, in the middle age group, female gender, first-degree relatives, perceiving long waiting time, and dissatisfied with treatment were at significant risk of developing high stress. The emergency department (ED) is synonymous with chaos, confusion, and unrest. [Extracted from the article]

Specialized trauma teams have been shown to improve outcomes in critically injured patients. At our institution, an the American College of Surgeons Committee on trauma level I Trauma center, the trauma team activation (TTA) criteria includes both physiologic and anatomic criteria, but any attending physician can activate the trauma team at their discretion outside criteria. As a result, the trauma team has been activated for noninjured patients meeting physiologic criteria secondary to nontraumatic hemorrhage. We present two cases in which the trauma team was activated for noninjured patients in hemorrhagic shock. The utilization of the TTA protocol and subsequent management by the trauma team are reviewed as we believe these were critical factors in the successful recovery of both patients. Beyond the primary improved survival outcomes of severely injured patients, trauma center designation has a "halo effect" that encompasses patients with nontraumatic hemorrhage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A shift of approach from 'clinics trying to fit physiology' to the one of 'physiology to clinics', with interpretation of the clinical phenomena from their physiological bases to the tip of the clinical iceberg, and a management exclusively based on modulation of physiology, is finally surging as the safest and most efficacious philosophy in hemorrhagic shock. ATLS® classification and recommendations on hemorrhagic shock are not helpful because antiphysiological and potentially misleading. Hemorrhagic shock needs to be reclassified in the direction of usefulness and timing of intervention: in particular its assessment and management need to be tailored to physiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shock as reaction to life-threatening condition needs to be reclassified in a timely and more scientific synopsis. It is not possible or beneficial any longer to avoid a holistic approach in critical illness. Semantics of critical illness has often been unfriendly in the literature and a simplification with the elimination of conceptual pleonasms and misnomers under the exclusive light of physiology and physiopathology would be advantageous. Speaking one language to describe the same phenomenon worldwide is essential for understanding; moreover, it increases focus on characterization and significance of the phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clinical aspects of shock syndromes are described from their inception as compensated physiology to a stage of decompensation. The clinical significance of hypotension, fluid-responsive and non fluid-responsive hypotension, is discussed. Untimely or inadequate treatment leads to persistent subclinical shock despite adjustments of the macrohemodynamic variables, which evolves in a second hit of physiological deterioration if not aggressively managed. Irreversible shock ensues as consequence of direct hit or as result of inadequate or delayed treatment and is characterized by drug-resistant hypotension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bedside emergency ultrasound has rapidly developed over the past several years and has now become part of the standard of care for several applications. While it has only recently been applied to critically ill pediatric patients, several of the well-established adult indications may be applied to pediatric patients. One of the most important and life-saving applications is bedside echocardiography. While bedside emergency ultrasonography does not serve to replace formal comprehensive studies, it serves as an extension of the physical examination. It is especially useful as a rapid and effective tool in the diagnosis of pericardial effusions, tamponade and in distinguishing potentially reversible causes of pulseless electrical activity from asystole. Most recently, left ventricular function and inferior vena cava measurements have proven helpful in the assessment of undifferentiated hypotension and shock in adults and children. Future research remains to be carried out in determining the efficacy of bedside ultrasonography in pediatric-specific pathology such as congenital heart disease. This article serves as a comprehensive review of the adult literature and a review of the recent applications in the pediatric emergency department. It also highlights the techniques of bedside ultrasonography with examples of normal and pathologic images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature variations after traumatic brain injury are common and devastating. This has been shown most clearly with hypothermia, but the complications associated with hyperthermia in the setting of traumatic brain injury can be just as problematic. We present the case of a soldier with traumatic brain injury exposed to environmental temperatures of 115-120°F with a core temperature of over 108°F. The complications of his conditions are discussed as well as potential treatments for the deadly combination of traumatic brain injury and environmental hyperthermia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During trauma the abdomen is one region which cannot be ignored. Due to its Complex anatomy it is very important that all the areas in the abdomen be examined both clinically and radiologicaly to rule out any abdominal bleeding as a cause of Hemorrhagic Shock Following Trauma. Our case justifies the above. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the significance of coagulation management following a severe trauma. He stresses that evaluating the impact of the clinical result on the management severely injured patients require larger clinical trials with a careful monitoring of the coagulation system. Moreover, the association of an increase in morbidity and mortality with the development of a substantial coagulopathy after major bleeding is also emphasized.

An introduction is presented that attempts to address the issues of trauma and shock.

The author discusses the implementation of an optimal resuscitation strategy during the early, acute post-injury and on-going hemorrhage phase and its impacts on ultimate survival in the shocked patients. He further discusses the improvements in management of patients with uncontrolled hemorrhage by the early application of damage control techniques. He also discusses the application of hypotensive resuscitation strategies to control temporary hemorrhage, such as ExcelArrest.

Oral anticoagulants are an established treatment modality in the prophylaxis of thromboembolic events in various clinical scenarios. Needless to say that, bleeding is a natural adverse effect of this drug. Most of the times bleeding is inconsequential. But nevertheless massive and fatal bleeding can occur occasionally. The case reported here is rare, as the patient presented with massive hemoperitoneum due to mesenteric hemorrhage and hemorrhagic infarction of small bowel necessitating Laparotomy resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]