Search

Trauma-induced coagulopathy is associated with very high mortality, and hemorrhage remains the leading preventable cause of death after injury. Directed methods to combat coagulopathy and attain hemostasis are needed. The available literature regarding viscoelastic testing, including thrombelastography (TEG) and rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM), was reviewed to provide clinically relevant guidance for emergency resuscitation. These tests predict massive transfusion and developing coagulopathy earlier than conventional coagulation testing, within 15 min using rapid testing. They can guide resuscitation after trauma, as well. TEG and ROTEM direct early transfusion of fresh frozen plasma when clinical gestalt has not activated a massive transfusion protocol. Reaction time and clotting time via these tests can also detect clinically significant levels of direct oral anticoagulants. Slowed clot kinetics suggest the need for transfusion of fibrinogen via concentrates or cryoprecipitate. Lowered clot strength can be corrected with platelets and fibrinogen. Finally, viscoelastic tests identify fibrinolysis, a finding associated with significantly increased mortality yet one that no conventional coagulation test can reliably detect. Using these parameters, guided resuscitation begins within minutes of a patient's arrival. A growing body of evidence suggests this approach may improve survival while reducing volumes of blood products transfused.

Introduction: Exsanguination remains a leading cause of preventable death in traumatically injured patients. To better treat hemorrhagic shock, hospitals have adopted massive transfusion protocols (MTPs) which accelerate the delivery of blood products to patients. There has been an increase in mass casualty events (MCE) worldwide over the past two decades. These events can overwhelm a responding hospitals supply of blood products. Using a computerized model, this study investigated the ability of US trauma centers (TCs) to meet the blood product requirements of MCEs. Methods: Cross-sectional survey data of on-hand blood products were collected from 16 US level-1 TCs. A discrete event simulation model of a TC was developed based on historic data of blood product consumption during MCEs. Each hospitals blood bank was evaluated across increasingly more demanding MCEs using modern MTPs to guide resuscitation efforts in massive transfusion (MT) patients. Results: A total of 9,000 simulations were performed on each TCs data. Under the least demanding MCE scenario, the median size MCE in which TCs failed to adequately meet blood product demand was 50 patients (IQR 20-90), considering platelets. Ten TCs exhaust their supply of platelets prior to red blood cells (RBCs) or plasma. Disregarding platelets, five TCs exhausted their supply of O- packed RBCs, six exhausted their AB plasma supply, and five had a mixed exhaustion picture. Conclusion: Assuming a TCs ability to treat patients is limited only by their supply of blood products, US level-1 TCs lack the on-hand blood products required to adequately treat patients following a MCE. Use of non-traditional blood products, which have a longer shelf life, may allow TCs to better meet the blood product requirement needs of patients following larger MCEs. Funding Agencies|Center for Translational Injury Research; John B Holmes Professorship in Clinical Sciences

Non-compressible torso haemorrhage (NCTH) (i.e., bleeding from anatomical locations not amenable to control by direct pressure or tourniquet application) is a leading cause of potentially preventable death after injury. In select trauma patients with infra-diaphragmatic NCTH-related hemorrhagic shock or traumatic circulatory arrest, occlusion of the aorta proximal to the site of hemorrhage may sustain or restore spontaneous circulation. While the traditional method of achieving proximal aortic occlusion included Emergency Department thoracotomy (EDT) with descending thoracic aortic cross-clamping, resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) affords a less invasive option when thoracotomy is not required for other indications. In this manuscript, we review the innovation, pathophysiologic effects, indications for, and technique of EDT and partial, intermittent, and complete REBOA in injured patients, including recommended methods for reversing aortic occlusion. We also discuss advantages and disadvantages of each of these methods of proximal aortic occlusion and review studies comparing their effectiveness and safety for managing post-injury NCTH. We conclude the above by providing recommendations as to when each of these methods may be best when indicated to manage injured patients with NCTH.

Following advances in blood typing and storage, whole blood transfusion became available for the treatment of casualties during World War I. While substantially utilized during World War II and the Korean War, whole blood transfusion declined during the Vietnam War as civilian centers transitioned to blood component therapies. Little evidence supported this shift, and recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have renewed interest in military and civilian applications of whole blood transfusion. Within the past two decades, civilian trauma centers have begun to study transfusion protocols based upon cold-stored, low anti-A/B titer type O whole blood for the treatment of severely injured civilian trauma patients. Early data suggests equivalent or improved resuscitation and hemostatic markers with whole blood transfusion when compared to balanced blood component therapy. Additional studies are taking place to define the optimal way to utilize low-titer type O whole blood in both prehospital and trauma center resuscitation of bleeding patients.

The pathophysiology of traumatic hemorrhage is a phenomenon of vascular disruption and the symptom of bleeding represents one or more vascular injuries. In the Circulatory Trauma paradigm traumatic hemorrhage is viewed as injury to the circulatory system and suggests the underlying basis for endovascular hemorrhage control techniques. The question "Where is the patient bleeding?" is replaced by "Which blood vessels are disrupted?" and stopping bleeding becomes a matter of selective vessel access and vascular flow control. Control of traumatic hemorrhage has traditionally been performed via external access to the end organ that is bleeding followed by the application of direct pressure, packing, or clamping and repair of directly affected blood vessels. In the circulatory trauma paradigm, bleeding is seen as disruption to vessels which may be accessed internally, from within the vascular system. A variety of endovascular treatments such as balloon occlusion, embolization, or stent grafting can be used to control hemorrhage throughout the body. This narrative review presents a brief overview of the current role of endovascular therapy in the management of circulatory trauma. The authors draw on their personal experience combined with the last decade of published experiences with the use of endovascular techniques in trauma and present general recommendations for their evolving use. The focus of the review is on the use of endovascular techniques as specific vascular treatments using the circulatory trauma paradigm.

Mortality secondary to trauma related hemorrhagic shock has not improved for several decades. Underlying the stall in progress is the conundrum of effective pre-hospital interventions for hemorrhage control. As we know, neither pressing hard on the gas nor "Stay and play" have changed mortality over the last 20 years. For this reason, when dealing with effective changes that will improve severe hemorrhage mortality outcomes, there is a need for the creation of a hybrid pre-hospital model.Improvements in mortality outcomes for patients with severe hemorrhage based on evidence for common civilian prehospital procedures such as in-field intubation and immediate fluid resuscitation with crystalloid solution is weak at best. The use of tourniquets, once considered too risky to use, however, has risen dramatically in large part due success seen during their use in the military. Their use in the civilian setting shows promising results. Recently updated military Advanced Resuscitative Care (ARC) guidelines propose the use of prehospital whole blood transfusion as well as in-field use of Zone 1 Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA). Several case studies from Europe suggest these strategies are feasible for use in the civilian population, but could they be implemented in the U.S.?

PURPOSE Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) is now performed in many trauma centers, it is used at more than 250 hospitals in the United States and there is an increase rate of publications with the experience in these centers, but there is a gap of knowledge regarding the use of REBOA in Latin-America. This paper endeavors to describe the utilization of REBOA at a high level Latin-American Trauma Center and the transition from a large caliber to a low-profile device with the concomitant reduction in the groin access complications. METHODS A prospective, observational, single-center study was conducted. We included all trauma patients who underwent REBOA. We recorded data from admission parameters, complications, and clinical outcomes. RESULTS Fifty patients were included. Most of the REBOA catheters were inserted in the operating room [47 (94%)], and the arterial access was done by surgical cutdown [40 (80%)]. All the complications were associated with the catheter of 11 Fr Sheath used in 36 patients [n = 8/36 (22%) vs. n = 0/14 (0%); P = 0.05]. CONCLUSION REBOA can be used safely in blunt or penetrating thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic trauma. The insertion of a 7 Fr Sheath was associated with lower complications, so its use should be preferred over larger calibers.