Search

Introduction Evidence based variables predicting the need for surgeon presence (NSP) on arrival of an injured child are limited. We sought to identify prehospital factors that best correlate with NSP and highest level of activation in pediatric trauma. A secondary analysis was also performed to determine whether injury severity score (ISS) was predictive of NSP in pediatric trauma. Methods This was a retrospective, single institution study of injured patients age ≤ 16 years delivered from scene to our Pediatric Level I trauma center between January 2016 and June 2017. 526 patients had complete data available for analysis. NSP was previously described as the presence of any of these factors: intubation, transfusion, emergent operation with the trauma team/craniotomy with the neurosurgery team, vasopressors, interventional radiology, spinal cord Injury, chest tube, emergency department thoracotomy, intracranial pressure monitor, pericardiocentesis, or death in the trauma bay. Multivariable analysis was performed with covariates of interest including scene and ED arrival vitals and interventions. Results Independent predictors of NSP and highest level of activation were GCS of ≤ 12 (OR 22.3), penetrating trauma (OR 5.4), and hypotension (age adjusted) (OR 10.2). We also found that ISS ≥ 16 was a poor indicator of NSP with a sensitivity of only 61%. Conclusion A validated model based on these variables may be useful in predicting NSP and highest level of activation prior to arrival of pediatric trauma patients. NSP may augment assessment of over and undertriage in pediatric trauma patients as compared to the ISS/Cribari system alone. Level of evidence Level III, retrospective cohort study more...

Objective This study examined the indications for prehospital needle thoracostomy (pNT), the need for tube thoracostomy (TT) following pNT, and the outcomes of patients who underwent pNT. Methods This study is a retrospective chart review of patients who underwent pNT prior to trauma center arrival. Patients were identified from the trauma registry and a quality improvement (QI) database from 9/2014–9/2018. Results 59 patients underwent 63 pNTs during the time period. The indication for pNT was “hypotension” in only 5 patients (7.9%). A CT chest was obtained on 51 NT attempts with the catheter in place. In 48 (94.1%) NT attempts, the catheter was not in the pleural space. 44 (69.4%) TTs were placed on admission date. Conclusion In patients undergoing pNT, hypotension was rarely the indication. Additionally, CT identified the catheter within the pleural space in only 3 (5.8%) NT attempts. TT placement was performed in 79.3% of NT attempts. more...