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Patients with Non-English Language Preferences (NELP) experience challenges navigating the US healthcare system which can lead to disparate outcomes. This study sought to investigate injury patterns and outcomes in hospitalized trauma patients with NELP.A retrospective review was performed at a trauma center from January 2019-December 2020. An institutional database of all emergency department video consultations for interpreter services was cross-referenced with the trauma registry and comparisons were made between NELP and English-preferred (EP) speaking patients.During the study, 257 NELP patients were hospitalized after traumatic injury. Twenty-two percent had work related injuries compared to only 3.0% in the EP cohort (p 0.001). When propensity score matched, there were no significant differences in ICU and hospital length of stay or mortality between NELP and EP patients.Trauma patients are linguistically diverse and understanding their injury patterns and outcomes is crucial for guiding culturally and linguistically appropriate injury prevention.

The purpose of this study was to assess if rates of firearm trauma within Atlanta geospatially clustered with HIV prevalence and new HIV diagnosis rates. We retrospectively reviewed our Atlanta trauma center's registry for patients sustaining a ballistic firearm trauma from 2014 through 2018. Using the patient's zip code of home residence, we determined the rate of firearm trauma for that zip code. We obtained publicly available rates for HIV that corresponded with these select zip codes to perform a geospatial cluster analysis. The cohort was comprised of 1495 patients and represented 35 zip codes in Atlanta. The mean rate of firearm trauma for the 35 zip codes was 171.1 (±296.4) per 100,000 people. Compared to all Atlanta, the 35 zip codes' mean HIV prevalence (1863.9 vs 924.1

Background Neurostimulants (NS) can be used to treat patients with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) with altered levels of consciousness. We sought to determine if amantadine alone (monotherapy) versus amantadine + methylphenidate (dual therapy) would correlate with better neurorecovery (NR) among acutely hospitalized patients with a severe TBI. Methods We performed a retrospective review of adult patients admitted to our level I trauma center from 2016-2019 with a severe TBI. NR was calculated by dividing the difference between admission and discharge Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores by 12. Resulting ratios were used to divide the cohort into two groups: excellent NR (1) and non–excellent NR ( Results A total of 76 patients comprised the cohort; 19.7% (n = 15) had excellent NR. The excellent NR group had a larger proportion of patients receiving dual therapy compared to the non–excellent group (86.7% versus 59%, P = 0.04). In monotherapy (n = 27), amantadine was initiated 13 (8-20) d following injury and treatment lasted 7 (2-16) d. In dual therapy (n = 49), amantadine was initiated 12 (6-19) d following injury and continued for 9 (4-25.5) d. Methylphenidate was initiated 15 (7-20.5) d following injury and continued for 5 (2-13.5) d. After adjusting for confounders, dual versus monotherapy predicted excellent NR (OR 5.4, 95% CI 1.2 - 38.9, P = 0.03). Conclusions During the acute hospitalization for a severe TBI, dual NS therapy compared to monotherapy is associated with an increased likelihood of excellent NR. Larger prospective trials are warranted to validate these findings.

The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons provide guidelines for managing suspected common bile duct (CBD) stones. We sought to evaluate adherence to the guidelines among patients with choledocholithiasis and/or acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP) and to evaluate the ability of these guidelines to predict choledocholithiasis.We prospectively identified patients undergoing same-admission cholecystectomy for choledocholithiasis and/or ABP from 2016 to 2019 at 12 United States medical centers. Predictors of suspected CBD stones were very strong (CBD stone on ultrasound; bilirubin4 mg/dL), strong (CBD6 mm; bilirubin ≥1.8 to ≤4 mg/dL), or moderate (abnormal liver function tests other than bilirubin; age55 years; ABP). Patients were grouped by probability of CBD stones: high (any very strong or both strong predictors), low (no predictors), or intermediate (any other predictor combination). The management of each probability group was compared with the recommended management in the guidelines.The cohort was comprised of 844 patients. High-probability patients had 64.3% (n = 238/370) deviation from guidelines, intermediate-probability patients had 29% (n = 132/455) deviation, and low-probability patients had 78.9% (n = 15/19) deviation. Acute biliary pancreatitis increased the odds of deviation for the high- (odds ratio [OR], 1.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-2.8; p = 0.03) and intermediate-probability groups (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.07-2.42; p = 0.02). Age older than 55 years (OR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.4-3.43; p0.001) also increased the odds of deviation for the intermediate group. A CBD greater than 6 mm predicted choledocholithiasis in the high (adjusted OR (aOR), 2.16; 95% CI, 1.17-3.97; p = 0.01) and intermediate group (aOR, 2.78; 95% CI, 1.59-4.86; p0.001). Any very strong predictor (aOR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.76-3.37; p0.0001) and both strong predictors predicted choledocholithiasis (aOR, 2; 95% CI, 1.35-2.96; p0.001).Almost 45% of patients with suspected CBD stones were managed discordantly from the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons guidelines. We believe these guidelines warrant revision to better reflect the ability of the clinical variables at predicting choledocholithiasis.Therapeutic/Care Management; Level IV.

Antimicrobial guidance for common bile duct stones during the perioperative period is limited. We sought to examine the effect of broad-spectrum (BS) vs narrow-spectrum (NS) antibiotics on surgical site infections (SSIs) in patients with common bile duct stones undergoing same-admission cholecystectomy.We performed a post hoc analysis of a prospective, observational, multicenter study of patients undergoing same-admission cholecystectomy for choledocholithiasis and/or acute biliary pancreatitis between 2016 and 2019. We excluded patients with cholangitis, perforated cholecystitis, and nonbiliary infections on admission. Patients were divided based on receipt of BS or NS antibiotics. Our primary outcome was the incidence of SSIs, and secondary outcomes included hospital length of stay, acute kidney injury (AKI), and 30-day readmission for SSI.The cohort had 891 patients: 51.7% (n= 461) received BS antibiotics and 48.3% (n = 430) received NS antibiotics. Overall antibiotic duration was longer in the BS group than in the NS group (6 vs 4 d, p = 0.01); however, there was no difference in rates of SSI (0.9% vs 0.5%, p = 0.7) or 30-day readmission for SSI (1.1% vs 1.2%, p = 1.0). Hospital length of stay was significantly longer in the BS group (p0.001) as were rates of AKI (5% vs 1.4%, p = 0.001). On multivariable regression, BS antibiotic use was a risk factor for AKI (adjusted odds ratio 2.8, 95% CI 1.16 to 7.82, p = 0.02).The incidence of SSI and 30-day readmission for SSI was similar between antibiotic groups. However, BS antibiotic use was associated with a longer hospitalization and greater likelihood of AKI.

BACKGROUND Antimicrobial guidance for common bile duct (CBD) stones is limited. We sought to examine the effect of antibiotic duration on infectious complications in patients with choledocholithiasis and/or gallstone pancreatitis. METHODS We performed a post hoc analysis of a prospective, observational, multicenter study of patients undergoing same admission cholecystectomy for choledocholithiasis and gallstone pancreatitis between 2016 and 2019. We excluded patients with cholangitis and/or cholecystitis. Patients were divided into groups based on duration of antibiotics: prophylactic (

BACKGROUND The optimal timing for cholecystectomy after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for common bile duct (CBD) stones is unknown. We hypothesized that a delay between procedures would correlate with more biliary complications and longer hospitalizations. METHODS We prospectively identified patients who underwent same admission cholecystectomy after ERCP for CBD stones from 2016 to 2019 at 12 US medical centers. The cohort was stratified by time between ERCP and cholecystectomy: ≤24 hours (immediate), >24 to ≤72 hours (early), and >72 hours (late). Primary outcomes included operative duration, postoperative length of stay, (LOS), and hospital LOS. Secondary outcomes included rates of open conversion, CBD explorations, biliary complications, and in-hospital complications. RESULTS For the 349 patients comprising the study cohort, 33.8% (n = 118) were categorized as immediate, 50.4% (n = 176) as early, and 15.8% (n = 55) as late. Rates of CBD explorations were lower in the immediate group compared with the late group (0.9% vs. 9.1%, p = 0.01). Rates of open conversion were lower in the immediate group compared with the early group (0.9% vs. 10.8%, p < 0.01) and in the immediate group compared with the late group (0.9% vs. 10.9%, p < 0.001). On a mixed-model regression analysis, an immediate cholecystectomy was associated with a significant reduction in postoperative LOS (β = 0.79; 95% confidence interval, 0.65-0.96; p = 0.02) and hospital LOS (β = 0.68; 95% confidence interval, 0.62-0.75; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION An immediate cholecystectomy following ERCP correlates with a shorter postoperative LOS and hospital LOS. Rates of CBD explorations and conversion to open appear more common after 24 hours. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic, level III.

Ohio is consistently ranked as one of the worst states for opioid overdose deaths. Traumatic injury has been linked to opioid overdose deaths, yet the location of trauma centers has not been explored. We examined whether geospatial clustering occurred between county-level opioid overdose deaths (OODs) and trauma center levels.We obtained 2019 county-level data from the Ohio Department of Health for fatal overdoses from prescription opioids. We obtained the total number of opioid doses prescribed in 2019 per county from the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System and American College of Surgeons designated trauma center locations within Ohio from their website. We used geospatial analysis to assess if clustering occurred between trauma center level and prescription opioid overdose deaths at a county level.There were 42 trauma centers located within 21 counties: 7 counties had level 1, and 14 counties had only level 2/level 3. There was no difference in rates of opioid doses prescribed per 100,000 people between counties with level 1 trauma centers and only level 2/level 3. However, prescription OODs rates were significantly higher in counties with level 1 trauma centers (37.6 vs 20, P = .02). Geospatial clustering was observed between level 1 trauma centers and prescription opioid overdose deaths at the county level (P.01).Geospatial clustering exists between prescription OODs and level 1 trauma center locations in Ohio. Improved at-risk patient identification and targeted community outreach represent opportunities for trauma providers to tackle the opioid epidemic.

The 5-factor modified frailty index (mFI-5) and the 11-factor modified frailty index (mFI-11) are equally effective in predicting adverse outcomes in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. The similarly structured American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) database has not been studied with these two frailty indices. We hypothesized that the mFI-5 and mFI-11 could similarly predict adverse outcomes with TQIP data.The mFI-5 and mFI-11 were calculated for each patient comprising our institutional TQIP registry (2016-2018). Spearman ρ was calculated to assess correlations between the two indices across multiple predefined TQIP patient cohorts. Complications were stratified by frailty score for each index. Multivariable logistic regression models adjusting for age, Glasgow Coma Scale score, and Injury Severity Score were created to assess each mFI's association with any complication and discharge dispositions (home, facility, and expired).There were 8467 patients. Spearman ρ was0.9 (P 0.0001) for all patient cohorts except elderly, elderly blunt multisystem, and isolated hip fractures. Increasing frailty scores for both mFIs were associated with greater rates of acute kidney injury (P 0.0001), myocardial infarction (P 0.001), severe sepsis (P 0.05), unplanned return to the intensive care unit (P 0.0001), and unplanned intubation (P 0.0001). On separate multivariable logistic regressions, the mFI-5 and mFI-11 were each predictive of any complication (P 0.0001) and a facility discharge (P 0.001). Neither the mFI-5 nor the mFI-11 were associated with mortality (P 0.05).The mFI-5 and mFI-11 are highly correlated across several TQIP patient cohorts. They also are both predictive of complications and discharge dispositions; however, neither index can predict mortality. Given its ease of use, the mFI-5 may be a better option for identifying frail patients and predicting adverse outcomes at the point of care in trauma.

The 5-item modified frailty index (mFI-5) has been shown to predict adverse outcomes in surgery; yet, its role in trauma patients is unclear. We hypothesized that increasing frailty, as indicated by increasing mFI-5 scores, would correlate with worse outcomes and greater mortality in trauma patients.We performed a retrospective review of patients captured by our 2018 Spring and Fall Trauma Quality Improvement Program registry. The mFI-5 was calculated by assigning one point for each comorbidity present: diabetes, hypertension, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and functionally dependent health status. Outcomes included complications, length of stay, mortality, and discharge location.A total of 3364 patients were included; 68.0% (n = 2288) were not frail, 16.5% (n = 555) were moderately frail, and 15.5% (n = 521) were severely frail. Higher frailty scores were associated with greater rates of unplanned intubations (P 0.01) and unplanned admissions to the intensive care unit (P 0.01). Rates of nonhome discharge (P 0.0001) were significantly higher in the severe frailty group compared with the moderate and no frailty groups. On multivariable regression adjusting for demographics and injury details, severe frailty was predictive of any complication (odds ratio [OR], 1.53; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.12-2.11; P 0.01), failure to rescue (OR, 2.88; 95% CI, 1.47-5.66; P = 0.002), nonhome discharge (OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.47-2.40; P 0.0001), and mortality (OR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.07-3.15; P = 0.03).Frailty is not only associated with longer hospitalizations but also with more complications, adverse discharge locations, and increased odds of mortality. The mFI-5 is a quick and intuitive tool that can be used to determine an individual's frailty at the time of admission.

BACKGROUND Despite current neurological guidelines that a single brain death examination (SBDE) is sufficient to determine brain death, a vast majority of hospitals still use a two brain death examination (TBDE) policy based on historical practice. The purpose of this study was to analyze the outcomes and implications of an SBDE policy compared with a TBDE policy with respect to organ donation outcomes. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed all adult patients declared dead by neurological criteria between 2010 and 2018 at a high-volume trauma center. The study population was divided into SBDE and TBDE cohorts. Primary outcomes included time to organ donation, terminal donor creatinine and bilirubin, and number of procured and transplanted organs. RESULTS A total of 327 patients comprised the study population: 66.7% SBDE (n = 218 of 327 patients) and 33.3% TBDE (n = 109 of 327 patients). The SBDE group had a shorter median time from examination to procurement (38 vs. 44 hours, p = 0.02) as well as lower terminal donor creatinine (1.1 vs. 1.35 mg/dL, p = 0.004) and bilirubin (0.8 vs. 1.1 mg/dL, p = 0.04). Furthermore, the SBDE group had a significantly greater proportion of kidneys (90.6% vs. 81.6%, p = 0.02), lungs (11.8% vs. 4.6%, p = 0.02), and total organs (58.2% vs. 46.6%; p = 0.0001) procured with intent to transplant and a greater proportion of total organs transplanted (53.1% vs. 42.4%, p = 0.0004). Multivariable regression analysis confirmed that SBDE was independently associated with a shorter time to procurement, lower terminal creatinine, and increased number of procured organs. CONCLUSION These data highlight the potential benefit of an SBDE policy with regards to organ donation outcomes at a high-volume trauma center and should facilitate future randomized prospective studies to more rigorously test this hypothesis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic/Care Management, level IV.

Introduction Food insecurity (FI), defined as inadequate access to affordable and quality nutrition, has negative health consequences. FI and violence share similar root causes. The aim of this study was to determine the association of FI with gunshot injury (GSI) incidence. Methods We performed a retrospective review of all patients from 2012 to 2018 who sustained a GSI. Food access data was abstracted from the US Department of Agriculture. We analyzed the impact of FI, low food access (LA), and low food access with no vehicle (LANV) on the incidence of GSI using Poisson regression. We also compared high-risk zip codes for GSI, FI, LA, and LANV using geospatial analysis. Results There were 1700 patients in our cohort from 33 different zip codes. The median incidence of GSI per zip code was 142 (85-164); 5 zip codes comprised 50% of all GSI events. FI (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 4.05, 95% CI 3.98-4.13, P < .0001), LA (IRR 2.97, 95% CI 2.92-3.03. P < .0001), and LANV (IRR 2.58, 95% CI 2.55-2.62, P < .0001) were significant predictors of GSI incidence. The FI model was superior to the LA and LANV models. Geospatial analysis demonstrated that both FI ( P < .0001) and LANV ( P < .0001) were significantly associated with GSI, while LA was not ( P > .05). Conclusion FI is an independent risk factor for GSI incidence. Additionally, a majority of GSI events occur in a minority of communities. These data provide a novel opportunity for social services to guide future violence prevention strategies.

Surgical techniques for abdominal wall hernia repair have advanced, yet it is unclear if all patient populations experience these innovations equally. We hypothesized that in patients undergoing abdominal wall herniorrhaphy, there would be socioeconomic variation between robotic, laparoscopic, and open approaches. We performed a retrospective review of patients undergoing abdominal wall herniorrhaphy at a tertiary care center from 2013 through 2019. Patients were stratified by approach: laparoscopic (LH), open (OH), or robotic (RH). Insurance type was categorized as private, Medicare, or Medicaid/uninsured. Using zip code data, we obtained a Distressed Communities Index (DCI), which is comprised of 7 unique socioeconomic variables. We employed random forest (RF) modeling to predict surgical approach and determined each factor’s variable importance (VI) for our model. There were 559 patients; 39.7% (n = 222) LH, 33.3% (n = 186) OH, and 27% (n = 151) RH. The DCI (p

Background We sought to prospectively identify risk factors for biliary complications and 30-day readmission after cholecystectomy for choledocholithiasis and gallstone pancreatitis across multiple US hospitals. Methods We performed a prospective, observational study of patients who underwent same admission cholecystectomy for choledocholithiasis and gallstone pancreatitis between 2016 and 2019 at 12 US centers. Patients with prior history of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or diagnosis of cholangitis were excluded. We used logistic regression to determine associations between preoperative demographics, labs, and imaging on primary outcomes: postoperative biliary complications and 30-day readmission. Results There were 989 patients in the cohort. There were 16 (1.6%) patients with postoperative biliary complications, including intra-abdominal abscesses, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography-induced pancreatitis, and biliary leaks. Increasing operative time (odds ratio 1.01, 95% confidence interval 1.00–1.01, P = .02), worsening leukocytosis (odds ratio 1.16, 95% confidence interval 1.07–1.25, P = .0002), and jaundice (odds ratio 3.25, 95% confidence interval 1.01–10.42, P = .04) were associated with postoperative biliary complications. There were 36 (3.6%) patients readmitted within 30 days owing to a surgical complication. A prior postoperative biliary complication (odds ratio 7.8, 95% confidence interval 1.63–37.27, P = .01), male sex (odds ratio 2.42, 95% confidence interval 1.2–4.87, P = .01), and index operative duration (odds ratio 1.01, 95% confidence interval 1.00–1.01, P = .03) were associated with 30-day readmission. Conclusion Among patients undergoing cholecystectomy for common bile duct stones, jaundice, worsening leukocytosis, and longer operations are associated with postoperative biliary complications. A prior biliary complication is also predictive of a 30-day readmission. Surgeons should recognize these factors and avoid prematurely discharging at-risk patients given their propensity to develop complications and require readmission.

Retained bullets are common after firearm injuries, yet their management remains poorly defined. Surgeon members of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma ( N = 427) were surveyed using an anonymous, web-based questionnaire during Spring 2016. Indications for bullet removal and practice patterns surrounding this theme were queried. Also, habits around screening and diagnosing psychological illness in victims of firearm injury were asked. Most respondents were male (76.5%, n = 327) and practiced at urban (84.3%, n = 360), academic (88.3%, n = 377), Level 1 trauma centers (72.8%, n = 311). Only 14.5% ( n = 62) of surgeons had institutional policies for bullet removal and 5.6% ( n = 24) were likely to remove bullets. Half of the surgeons (52.0%, n = 222) preferred to remove bullets after the index hospitalization and pain (88.1%, n = 376) and a palpable bullet (71.2%, n = 304) were the most frequent indications for removal. Having the opportunity to follow-up with patients to discuss bullet removal was significantly predictive of removal (odds ratio (OR) = 2.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [1.05, 4.85], p = .04). Furthermore, routinely asking about retained bullets during outpatient follow-up was predictive of new psychological illness screening (OR = 1.94, 95% CI [1.19, 3.16], p = .01) and diagnosis (OR = 1.86, 95% CI = [1.12, 3.09], p = .02) in victims of firearm injury. Thus, surgeons should be encouraged to allot time for patients concerning retained bullet management so that a shared decision can be reached.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) increases cardiovascular risk and is associated with poor patient outcomes. We hypothesized that MetS confers an increased risk of morbidity and mortality in severely injured trauma patients.We performed a retrospective review of trauma patients from 2014 through 2018, excluding patients younger than 16 years, with Injury Severity Score16, and with incomplete height and/or weight documentation. Metabolic syndrome was defined as the presence of diabetes, hypertension, and BMI ≥30 kg/mThere were 4,489 patients meeting criteria, of which 100 (2.2%) had MetS. Patients with MetS were older (64.0 vs 38.6 years; p0.0001), but with similar Injury Severity Scores (22 vs 22; p = 0.7). Hospital LOS was significantly longer with MetS (16.5 vs 11 days; p0.0001), as was ICU LOS (9 vs 5 days; p = 0.0002). MetS correlated with higher rates of acute kidney injury (19% vs 3.6%; p0.0001), ARDS (11.0% vs 4.6%; p = 0.01), cardiac arrest (10.0% vs 4.0%; p = 0.01), MI (2.0% vs 0.3%; p = 0.05), severe sepsis (8.0% vs 3.3%; p = 0.03), unplanned intubation (11.0% vs 5.0%; p = 0.02), unplanned ICU admission (13.0% vs 6.1%; p = 0.02), and non-home discharge (51.0% vs 30.2%; p = 0.0007). After controlling for age, Glasgow Coma Scale, Injury Severity Score, sex, and mechanism, MetS remained an independent predictor of mortality (odds ratio 2.5; 95% CI 1.33 to 4.7; p = 0.004).MetS occurs infrequently in our severely injured trauma population, but is strongly associated with increasing LOS, as well as cardiac, pulmonary, infectious, and renal complications. MetS also significantly and independently predicts death and should be identified early to facilitate prompt multidisciplinary treatment.

To assess the accuracy of the AM-PAC "6-Clicks" in predicting discharge dispositions among severely injured patients with an acute traumatic brain injury (TBI).We performed a retrospective review of patients with a TBI who presented to our trauma center from 2016 through 2018 and received a "6-Clicks" assessment. Outcomes were hospital length of stay (LOS) and discharge disposition: home, inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF), subacute location (SL), or death/hospice. Subgroup analyses evaluated patients with concomitant mobility-limiting injuries (CM-LI).There were 432 patients with a TBI; 42.6% (n = 184) had CM-LI. CM-LI patients had lower "6-Clicks" scores compared to patients with an isolated TBI (9 vs 14, p .0001) and a longer hospital LOS (16.5 d vs 9 d, p .0001). Increasing "6-Clicks" scores were associated with a home discharge (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.15-1.28,Among patients with an acute TBI, increasing "6 Clicks" scores were associated with a shorter hospital LOS and greater likelihood of home discharge. Decreasing mobility scores correlated with discharge to an IRF, SL, and death/hospice.

We examined the impact of metabolic syndrome (MetS) on operative outcomes with orthopedic trauma, particularly among patients with pelvic, acetabular, and lower extremity fractures. This retrospective cohort study used the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database to identify patients who had operative pelvic, acetabular, and lower extremity trauma from 2006 through 2014. We defined MetS as type 2 diabetes, a history of hypertension requiring medication, and body mass index of 30 kg/m 2 or greater. Patients with MetS were compared with unaffected patients and assessed for association with in-hospital complications and mortality. The study population included 37,495 patients; 5.7% (n=2154) had MetS. On multivariable logistic regression, MetS was associated with increased odds of any hospital complication (odds ratio [OR], 1.30; 95% CI, 1.13–1.51; P P P P =.004). Conversely, MetS significantly decreased the odds of mortality (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.49–0.92; P =.01). Although MetS is a risk factor for postoperative complications, longer length of stay, and increased readmission after surgical intervention for orthopedic lower extremity trauma, MetS appears to decrease the odds of mortality in this specific patient population, which merits further investigation. [ Orthopedics . 2022;45(2):103–108.]

Mass casualty events (MCE) are an infrequent occurrence to most daily healthcare systems however these incidents are the causation for new hospital preparedness and the development of coordinated emergency services. The broad support and operational plans outside the hospital include emergency medical services, local law enforcement, government agencies, and city officials. Modern-day hospital disaster preparedness goals include scheduled training for healthcare personnel to ensure effective and accurate triage for a high-volume of injured patients. This MDT collaboration strengthens the emergency response to optimize the delivery of life-saving care during MCEs. This review identifies the clinical importance of the interdisciplinary team interactions and the lessons learned from past MCE experiences, strengthening healthcare system readiness for such critical incidents.

Introduction There is a growing concern that certain public health restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) could result in more violence against women (VAW). We sought to determine if the rates and types of VAW changed during the COVID-19 pandemic at our level 1 trauma center (L1TC). Methods We performed a retrospective review of female patients who presented to our L1TC because of violence from 2019 through 2020. Patients were grouped into a pre-COVID or COVID period. The primary aim of this study was to compare rates of VAW between groups. Secondary aims sought to evaluate for any difference in traumatic mechanism between periods and to determine if a temporal relationship existed between COVID-19 and VAW rates. Results There was no difference in rates of VAW between the pre-COVID and COVID period (3.1% vs 3.6%, P = .6); however, rates of penetrating trauma were greater during the COVID period (38.2% vs 10.3%, P = .01). After controlling for patient age and race, the odds of penetrating trauma increased during the pandemic (OR 5.8, 95% CI 1.6-28.5, P < .01). From February 2020 through October 2020, there was a direct relationship between rates of COVID-19 and VAW ( r2 .78, P < .01). Conclusion Rates of VAW were unchanged between the pre-COVID and COVID periods, yet the odds of penetrating VAW were 5 times greater during the pandemic. Moving forward, trauma surgeons must remain vigilant for signs of violence and ensure that support services are available during future crises.

The purpose of this study was to investigate our institution's experience with pediatric firearm events. We sought to determine the relationship between a community's level of socioeconomic distress and the incidence of youth gun violence.We performed a retrospective review of children18 years involved in firearm events. Using visual cluster analysis, we portrayed all firearm events and violent firearm events (assaults + homicides). Distressed community indices (DCIs) were obtained from an interface that uses US Census Bureau data. Incident rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated for firearm circumstances (i.e. assault, homicide, suicide) using a DCI. Significant IRRs were analyzed to discern which DCI metrics contributed most to gun violence.There were 114 children involved in firearm events; 66 were county residents. The DCI of injury location significantly predicted total firearm events (IRR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.03), assaults (IRR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.05), and violent firearm events (IRR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05). The proportion of adults without a high school diploma, poverty rate, median income ratio, and housing vacancy rate were highly predictive of gun violence (VIP1).Community distress significantly predicts pediatric firearm violence. Local interventions should target neighborhoods with high levels of distress to prevent further youth gun violence.Retrospective study, IV.

Background Identifying clinical and biomarker profiles of trauma patients may facilitate the creation of models that predict postoperative complications. We sought to determine the utility of modeling for predicting severe sepsis (SS) and organ space infections (OSI) following laparotomy for abdominal trauma. Methods Clinical and molecular biomarker data were collected prospectively from patients undergoing exploratory laparotomy for abdominal trauma at a Level I trauma center between 2014 and 2017. Machine learning algorithms were used to develop models predicting SS and OSI. Random forest (RF) was performed, and features were selected using backward elimination. The SS model was trained on 117 records and validated using the leave-one-out method on the remaining 15 records. The OSI model was trained on 113 records and validated on the remaining 19. Models were assessed using areas under the curve. Results One hundred thirty-two patients were included (median age, 30 years [23-42 years], 68.9% penetrating injury, median Injury Severity Score of 18 [10-27]). Of these, 10.6% (14 of 132) developed SS and 13.6% (18 of 132) developed OSI. The final RF model resulted in five variables for SS (Penetrating Abdominal Trauma Index, serum epidermal growth factor, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, interleukin-6, and eotaxin) and four variables for OSI (Penetrating Abdominal Trauma Index, serum epidermal growth factor, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and interleukin-8). The RF models predicted SS and OSI with areas under the curve of 0.798 and 0.774, respectively. Conclusion Random forests with RFE can help identify clinical and biomarker profiles predictive of SS and OSI after trauma laparotomy. Once validated, these models could be used as clinical decision support tools for earlier detection and treatment of infectious complications following injury. Level of evidence Prognostic, level III.

Background Suicide is a major public health issue with root causes including psychological, economical, and societal factors. Methods Retrospective review identified self-inflicted traumatic injuries (SITIs) at Grady Health System between 2009 and 2017. Patients were categorized by penetrating or blunt mechanism of injury (MOI). Outcomes included hospital length of stay (HLOS) and ventilator duration, mortality, and location of death. Results 678 patients in total were identified. Penetrating MOI was most prevalent (n = 474). Patients with a blunt MOI were significantly younger (32 Y vs. 37 Y; P < .0001). Psychiatric illness was equally common between MOI at more than 50%. Penetrating traumas required longer ventilator times (1 D vs. 0 D; P < .0001) but shorter overall HLOS (4 D vs. 6 D; P = .0013). Mortality was twice as high in the penetrating group (29.8% vs. 11.8%; P < .0001). Conclusion Self-inflicted traumatic injuries occurred most often among younger adults and those with history of psychiatric illness. Penetrating traumas result in worse outcomes. Self-inflicted traumatic injuries carry high morbidity and mortality. Improved prevention strategies targeting high-risk groups are needed.

Social media has become a permeating form of communication with billions of daily users. Twitter in particular has become a tool for the surgical community to engage with other providers, as well as patients, through active online discussions, sharing of research, and highlighting opportunities for community outreach. Twitter can help with personal branding, mentorship, and international collaboration on multiple types of academic endeavors. Likewise, institutional and residency programs can harness the power of social media to develop an online presence and aid in resident recruitment.

Introduction Enhanced recovery after surgery protocols are commonly used, but their utility in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and steroid use is poorly studied. We sought to examine influence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and steroid use on hospital length of stay (LOS) and operative duration in patients undergoing colectomies in the era of ERAS. Methods We performed retrospective review of our institutional National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) registry (2016-2018) for colectomies. We performed 2 distinct analyses to examine influence of steroids and IBD on LOS and operative duration. Multivariable linear regression was used to predict outcomes after adjusting for relevant perioperative features. Results There were 366 patients in the cohort; 17.8% were on steroids and 16.4% had IBD. Patients using steroids had longer LOS (6 vs 4 days, P < .0001). IBD patients had a longer LOS (7 vs 5 days, P < .0001) and longer operative duration (383 min vs 335.5 minute, P = .01) compared to non-IBD patients. On multivariable analysis, steroid use was not associated with increased LOS or operative duration. Inflammatory bowel disease was associated with an increased hospital LOS and operative duration. Discussion Patients on steroids had longer LOS when compared to patients not on steroids. Inflammatory bowel disease regardless of steroid use was found to be a significant risk factor for both increased LOS and operative duration. A closer look at preoperative physiology may help to tailor ERAS protocols in patients with inflammatory conditions.

Background Frailty has been studied extensively in trauma, but there is minimal research detailing its impact on traumatic brain injury (TBI). We hypothesized that the 11-item modified frailty index (mFI-11) would predict complications and discharge outcomes in patients with TBI. Methods A retrospective review of our trauma quality improvement program (TQIP) registry was conducted for all patients with TBI. The mFI-11 score was calculated for each patient. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between mFI-11 and cardiovascular, infectious, pulmonary, renal, thromboembolic, and unplanned complications (ie, unplanned intensive care unit [ICU] admission, intubation, or return to the operating room). Results There were 2352 patients with TBI of whom 61.6% (n = 1450) were not frail, 19.3% (n = 454) were mildly frail, and 19.1% (n = 448) were moderately to severely frail. Higher frailty scores were associated with increasing age ( P < .0001) and decreasing injury severity score [ISS] ( P = 0.001). Higher frailty scores also correlated with increasing rates of a skilled nursing facility/long-term acute care hospital/rehabilitation discharge ( P = .0002). On multivariable logistic regression adjusting for age, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, ISS, mechanism, and sex, moderate to severe frailty increased the odds of acute kidney injury (odds ratio [OR] 2.06, 95% CI 1.07-3.99, P = .03) and any unplanned event (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.3, P = .01). Conclusion Frailty measured by the mFI-11 is associated with greater rates of discharge to unfavorable locations and increased odds of acute kidney injury and unplanned events among patients with TBI. These findings suggest that frail patients with TBIs require greater vigilance to avoid such unanticipated outcomes.

To determine if longitudinal, excellent clinical performance reflected in subjective evaluations during a surgery clerkship would be associated with a greater likelihood of National Board of Medical Examiners Surgery Shelf Exam ("shelf exam") success.We retrospectively reviewed medical students' surgical clerkship performance from 2014 to 2019. Clinical evaluations for each rotation were abstracted and students were stratified by performance: excellent performers and non-excellent performers. The rotation performance grades were then combined to classify overall clerkship performance: sustained excellent performers, improved performers, worsened performers, and sustained non-excellent performers. We compared the shelf exam scores between performer class for each clinical rotation and the overall clerkship. Using logistic regression, we also sought to determine if clinical performance predicted passing the shelf exam.Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia.Third-year medical students (N = 674) who completed a surgery clerkship.Excellent performers scored higher than non-excellent performers on the shelf exam during both clinical rotations (all p0.01). Sustained excellent performers had the highest exam scores out of all the clerkship performance groups (p0.0001). Excellent performers for both rotations were associated with increased odds of passing the shelf exam. Sustained excellent performers had the greatest odds (OR 3, 95% confidence interval 1.5-6.3, p = 0.003) of passing the exam.Clinical performance during the surgical clerkship and individual rotations correlates with shelf exam scores. Students should be encouraged to excel on the wards to maximize the educational experience and improve their odds of passing the exam.

Surgical techniques for abdominal wall hernia repair have advanced, yet it is unclear if all patient populations experience these innovations equally. We hypothesized that in patients undergoing abdominal wall herniorrhaphy, there would be socioeconomic variation between robotic, laparoscopic, and open approaches.We performed a retrospective review of patients undergoing abdominal wall herniorrhaphy at a tertiary care center from 2013 through 2019. Patients were stratified by approach: laparoscopic (LH), open (OH), or robotic (RH). Insurance type was categorized as private, Medicare, or Medicaid/uninsured. Using zip code data, we obtained a Distressed Communities Index (DCI), which is comprised of 7 unique socioeconomic variables. We employed random forest (RF) modeling to predict surgical approach and determined each factor's variable importance (VI) for our model.There were 559 patients; 39.7% (n = 222) LH, 33.3% (n = 186) OH, and 27% (n = 151) RH. The DCI (p 0.01) and rates of poverty (p = 0.01), adults without diplomas (p 0.01), and unemployment (p 0.01) were highest in the OH group while job growth (p = 0.02) and median income ratio (p .01) were highest in the RH group. The LH group had a greater proportion of privately insured patients than Medicaid/ uninsured patients (43.4% vs 15.9%, p 0.01). The most important variables identified by our RF model were job growth (for RH), insurance type (for LH), and no high school diploma (for OH).Insurance type, job growth, and educational attainment may influence operative approach and can contribute to the existing disparities in hernia surgery. Surgeons should address these inequalities and commit to parity in the delivery of surgical care.

In January 2017, the Emergency Trauma Advocate (ETA) program was piloted at our Level 1 trauma center to promote patient advocacy, particularly in pediatric patients. The goal was to empower emergency department nurses by improving their knowledge base through interactive didactic sessions. This study reviews the preliminary findings of the program. Surveys were administered after each teaching session to participating ETA nurses to determine their personal academic interests and how to improve the program. We then performed a retrospective review of pediatric trauma admissions from January 2017 through April 2017 to delineate the most common injury patterns. Survey responses demonstrated the greatest nursing interest in learning critical care (n = 11), orthopedic management (n = 11), and neurosurgical trauma education (n = 9). During this study period, 113 pediatric patients arrived and had a mean age of 7.8 ± 5.2 years. The most common injury patterns were orthopedic (n = 38) and neurosurgical (n = 28), and 35 patients required critical care management. Bivariate analysis revealed a significant and positive relationship between injury frequency and educational interests (R = 98.8%, p = .0057). A nurse's interest in educational topics directly correlates with recent pediatric trauma injury patterns. Future work should focus on determining what impact the ETA program has had on pediatric outcomes.

Background:Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) following colorectal surgery can lead to significant adverse outcomes. Although previous studies have identified risk factors for CDI, their relative importance for predicting complications remains unclear. Objective: We sought to use machine-learning algorithms to accurately determine which perioperative risk factors are most predictive of adverse outcomes after CDI. Methods: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (NSQIP) database was used to identify all patients who developed CDI after a colorectal operation in 2016 (N = 14,392). We excluded patients without CDI and patients Results: There were 841 patients in our cohort (median age 66 years (IQR, 55–75.8), 482 (57%) were women, and the mean American Society of Anesthesiologists [ASA] class score was 2.9 (SD, ±0.7). Of all colorectal surgeries, 172 (20.5%) were emergent. Overall mortality was 3.8% (n=32), and 371 patients (44.1%) experienced at least 1 postoperative complication, of which infectious complications (eg, septic shock, sepsis, wound infection, urinary tract infection) were most common (n=255, 30.3%). The RTOR rate was 10.3% (n = 87), the non–home discharge rate was 23.8% (n = 200), and the readmission rate was 30.9% (n = 260). The input variables most predictive of any adverse outcome were hematocrit (VIP, 24.9%), ASA class (VIP, 24.4%), creatinine (VIP, 17.4%), and prealbumin (VIP, 11.6%). The probability of any adverse outcome was 90.6% in the setting of hematocrit ≤27%, ASA class ≥3, creatinine ≥1.6 mg/dL, and prealbumin ≤3.1 mg/dL. All machine-learning models had an AUROC ≥0.99. Conclusions: Although nonpatient factors can contribute to unfavorable outcomes in patients with CDI following colorectal surgery, we identified 4 patient-specific variables that account for almost 80% of any adverse outcomes. Although further prospective study is needed, individuals with these preoperative risk factors could consider delaying their elective colorectal operations until they are medically optimized.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

The Dual Focused Ion Beam (DFIB has been used to expose electrical fields associated with the charge of electrically active extended defects (ED) – (e.g. threading dislocations - TDs) in GaN structures. The localized electrical fields above electrically active defects in piezoelectric materials are shown to capture sputtered low energy ions, turning them back toward the surface and redepositing them on top of defects (TDs), forming Gallium-rich islands. This “Ga droplet” decorates EDs and significantly simplifies the process of locating EDs for TEM sample preparation and analyses. The size and shape of the Ga islands is correlated with the accumulated piezoelectric charge density at the EDs.

This chapter discusses the application of scanning and transmission electron microscopy techniques, X-ray microscopy, as well as scanning probe microscopy for physical failure analysis. With the scaling-down of transistor features and interconnect dimensions and with the introduction of new processes and materials, physical failure analysis becomes more and more an essential task to exclude both yield-limiting process irregularities and reliabilityrelated failures in the semiconductor industry. Advanced imaging tools and techniques are needed to ensure high manufacturing yield and product reliability. Physical failure analysis is an essential task to exclude both yield-limiting process deviations and reliability-related failures in integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing industry. Its goal is to determine the root cause of failures or parameter deviations as a prerequisite for corrective actions. Polysilicon Gate Roughness, control of the transistor gate critical dimension with nanometer accuracy is a top priority task for leading-edge IC manufacturing.

Introduction Golf cart trauma in southeast Georgia represents a significant source of morbidity in the pediatric population. We believe these events are related to the introduction of new state legislation that allows local authorities to govern golf cart operation. Methods We performed a retrospective review from 2010 to 2016 of children involved in golf cart traumas (n = 46). We recorded age, gender, Glasgow Coma Scale score (GCS), Injury Severity Score (ISS), location of event, and patient position during event. Outcomes included injury type and length of stay (LOS). Results The most common position in a golf cart was a passenger (52.2%). Events varied regionally and correlated with stringency of local legislation. Skull fractures afflicted 48% (n = 22) of children and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) were noted in 35% (n = 17) of patients. TBIs (LOS = 4.6 days, p = 0.006) and abdominal injuries (LOS = 8.5 days, p = 0.017) lengthened mean hospital stay. Increasing ISS was associated with an increased probability of sustaining a TBI (OR 1.295, p = 0.004). Younger children were more likely to sustain a skull fracture (OR 1.170, p = 0.034) while older children incurred more orthopedic injuries (OR 1.217, p = 0.045). Conclusion Skull fractures and TBIs are common following pediatric golf cart trauma. Georgia's varying municipality legislation likely contributes to the growing frequency of this trend. Level of Evidence Retrospective study, IV.

In the past century, the face of medical compensation has changed on multiple occasions. The care delivery model (aka fee-for-service model) has functioned for decades, by rewarding providers for the volume and complexity of services they rendered. Unfortunately, this method has been criticized for leading to excessive workups and testing for financial gain. Therefore, in order to more effectively control physician reimbursement, the Congress created the Physician Payment Review Commission in 1986. By 1992, the resource-based relative value system (RBRVS) was begun by Medicare and maintained the physician payment expenditures in a budget-neutral fashion by creating a financial conversion factor. RBRVS accounted for physician work, practice expense, professional liability, and geographic factors [1]. Although this system was equitable in rewarding physicians for the amount of care provided, it was inadequate to address quality of care, a concept that was developing at the same time.