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The blood lactate level is used to guide the management of trauma patients with circulatory disturbance. We hypothesized that blood lactate levels at the scene (Lac scene) could improve the prediction for immediate interventions for hemorrhage. We prospectively measured blood lactate levels and assessed retrospectively in 435 trauma patients both at the scene and on arrival at the emergency room (ER) of a level I trauma center. Primary outcome was immediate intervention for hemorrhage defined as surgical/radiological intervention and/or blood transfusion within 24 h. Physiological variables plus Lac scene significantly increased the predictive value for immediate intervention (area under the curve [AUC] 0.882, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.839–0.925) compared to that using physiological variables only (AUC 0.837, 95% CI 0.787–0.887, P = 0.0073), replicated in the validation cohort (n = 85). There was no significant improvement in predicting value of physiological variables plus Lac scene for massive transfusion compared to physiological variables (AUC 0.903 vs 0.895, P = 0.32). The increased blood lactate level per minute from scene to ER was associated with increased probability for immediate intervention (P scene to physiological variables and the temporal elevation of blood lactate levels from scene to ER could improve the prediction of the immediate intervention.

Aim The quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) was proposed for use as a simple screening tool for sepsis. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between the prehospital use of qSOFA and prognosis in patients with sepsis or suspected sepsis using the population‐based Osaka Emergency Information Research Intelligent Operation Network (ORION) registry, which compiles prehospital ambulance data and in‐hospital information. Methods The study enrolled 437,974 patients in the ORION registry from January 1 to December 31, 2016. We selected hospitalized patients with sepsis or suspected sepsis using the appropriate codes from the International Classification of Diseases revision 10. We excluded patients with: (i) missing data (outcome, Japan Coma Scale, respiratory rate, and blood pressure); (ii) respiratory rate ≥60/min; and (iii) blood pressure ≥250 mmHg. These measures were evaluated by ambulance personnel when they first contacted the patient in the prehospital setting. The primary end‐point was discharge to death. Results In total, 12,646 patients (median age, 78 [interquartile range, 65–85] years; male, n = 6,760 [53.5%]) were eligible for our analysis. In a multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusted for confounding factors, the proportion of patients discharged to death was significantly higher for those evaluated as qSOFA positive (≥2 points) than qSOFA negative (≤1 point) (265/2,250 [11.78%] vs. 415/10,396 [3.99%]; adjusted odds ratio 2.91; 95% confidence interval, 2.47–3.43; P, In 2016, the quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) was proposed for use as a simple index for sepsis. From an analysis of the population‐based ORION registry in Osaka, Japan, our study revealed that the proportion of patients discharged to death was significantly higher in those with sepsis or suspected sepsis evaluated as qSOFA positive versus negative by emergency medical service personnel in the prehospital setting.

Background Air in the venous system may cause vascular air embolism, which is a potentially life-threatening event. The presence of air in venous system after basilar skull fracture is very rare. Case presentation A 77-year-old man fell from a truck bed and suffered head and neck trauma. On hospital arrival, his consciousness was clear and his vital signs were stable. His chief complaint was pain in the back of his head and neck. Head CT showed traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage in the right frontal area and basilar skull fracture of the occipital bone. Whole body CT showed pneumocephalus and air in the jugular vein and right ventricle. The patient was placed in the supine position in a state of absolute rest to prevent vascular air embolism and was treated conservatively. On hospital day 3, CT was reperformed, revealing disappearance of air in the right ventricle and decreased air in the veins of the head and neck. On hospital day 4, the air in the veins disappeared completely on CT. He did not experience vascular air embolism after increasing of his activity level (e.g., raising his head on hospital day 3 and standing and walking alone on day 5). He was discharged 34 days after admission without sequelae. Conclusions Head trauma patients with basilar skull fracture might develop vascular air embolism if physicians fail to detect air in the venous system on hospital arrival. A high degree of suspicion regarding air in venous system or heart is required when patients present with such injuries.

BackgroundIn 2016, the quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) was proposed for use as a simple screening tool for sepsis, with sepsis suspected at a score ≥ 2 points. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of prehospital qSOFA for predicting prognosis in patients with sepsis or suspected sepsis using the population-based Osaka Emergency Information Research Intelligent Operation Network (ORION) registry, which compiles prehospital ambulance data and in-hospital information.MethodsThe study enrolled 437,974 patients in the ORION registry from January 1 to December 31, 2016. We selected hospitalized patients with sepsis or suspected sepsis using the appropriate ICD 10 codes. We excluded the patients with i) missing data (outcome, Japan Coma Scale, respiratory rate, blood pressure), ii) respiratory rate ≥ 60/min, and iii) blood pressure ≥ 250 mmHg. These measures were evaluated by ambulance personnel when they first contacted the patient in the prehospital setting. The primary endpoint was discharge to death.ResultsIn total, 12,646 patients (median age: 78 [IQR: 65–85] years, male: n = 6760 [53.5%]) were eligible for our analysis. In a multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusted for confounding factors, the proportion of patients discharge to death was significantly higher for qSOFA positive (≥ 2 points) than negative (≤ 1 point) (265/2250 [11.78%] vs. 415/10,396 [3.99%]; adjusted odds ratio 2.909; 95% confidence interval 2.469–3.428, p

Current research regarding the association between body mass index (BMI) and altered clinical outcomes of sepsis in Asian populations is insufficient. We investigated the association between BMI and clinical outcomes using two Japanese cohorts of severe sepsis (derivation cohort, Chiba University Hospital, n = 614; validation cohort, multicenter cohort, n = 1561). Participants were categorized into the underweight (BMI p = 0.060). In the primary analysis, multivariate analysis adjusted for baseline imbalance revealed that patients in the underweight group had a significantly increased 28-day mortality compared to those in the non-underweight group (p = 0.031, adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.91, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06–3.46). In a repeated analysis using a multicenter validation cohort (underweight n = 343, non-underweight n = 1218), patients in the underweight group had a significantly increased 28-day mortality compared to those in the non-underweight group (p = 0.045, OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.00–1.97). In conclusion, patients with a BMI

Background Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) associated with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) plays pivotal roles in severe sepsis. Objectives We performed a multicenter, prospective data collection study and retrospectively analyzed the data to confirm the role of DIC in severe sepsis. Methods Eligible patients were ICU patients who met the definitions of severe sepsis, and 1013 patients were included. DIC scores as well as disease severity and the development of MODS on the day of the diagnosis of severe sepsis (day 0) and at day 3 were evaluated. The primary outcome was hospital mortality, and MODS on days 0 and 3 was the secondary outcomes. Results The overall mortality rate of severe sepsis was 21.5%, and the prevalence of DIC was 50.9% (516/1013). DIC patients were more seriously ill and exhibited a higher prevalence of MODS (32.0% vs. 13.1%) on day 0 and worse mortality rate (24,8% vs. 17.5%) than non-DIC patients. DIC patients also showed a lower survival probability than non-DIC patients (Log rank p = 0.028). Logistic regression analyses after propensity score adjustment for potential confounders confirmed a significant association between DIC and MODS and hospital death in the patients with severe sepsis. The new development of DIC and persistent DIC from days 0 to 3 were associated with a high incidence of MODS and low survival probability. Conclusions The mortality rate of severe sepsis has been improved; however, DIC is still associated with the poor prognosis of these patients. Evaluating the dynamic changes in the DIC status may improve the prediction capability.

Introduction Foreign body airway obstruction (FBAO) is a common medical emergency; however, few studies of life-threatening FBAO have been reported and no standard classification system is available. Methods We retrospectively evaluated patients who presented to the emergency departments of two hospitals and were diagnosed with FBAO. The primary outcome was cerebral performance category (CPC) score at discharge. To establish a new classification system for FBAO, FBAO was classified into three types based on the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the obstructed airway. Results A total of 137 patients were enrolled. Median age was 79.0 years. The most common cause of FBAO was meat, followed by bread, rice cake, and rice. Of all patients, 65.7% suffered cardiac arrest and 51.1% died. In contrast, 28.5% had favorable neurological outcomes, defined as CPC 1 and 2. Upper airway obstruction (type 1) was the most common (type 1, 78.1%), while trachea and/or bilateral main bronchus obstruction (type 2, 12.4%) showed significantly higher mortality than type 1 obstruction (82.4% vs 47.7%, P = 0.0078). Patients with unilateral bronchus and/or distal bronchus obstruction (type 3, 9.5%) were significantly more likely to consume a dysphagia diet than type 1 patients (23.1% vs 0%, P Conclusion The majority of patients with life-threatening FBAO were elderly and had poor neurological outcomes. Our new classification system divides FBAO into three types, and revealed that mortality was significantly higher with type 2 than type 1 obstruction. This classification system may improve the management of patients with FBAO and assessment of patient outcomes.

Aim The aim of this study was to determine whether the traditional criteria of chest tube output are useful indicators for urgent thoracotomy in patients with blunt chest trauma. Methods Data were collected retrospectively from our trauma registry of 542 blunt chest trauma patients (Chest Abbreviated Injury Scale score of 3 or greater) over a 10-year period (2000–2010). The 1-h chest tube output was calculated from chest tube output and time after admission, and the results were compared between patients who underwent thoracotomy for hemorrhage and those who did not. Results Data were available for 24 patients who underwent thoracotomy for hemorrhage and 93 patients who did not undergo thoracotomy. The 1-h chest tube output between the groups was significantly different (708.0 ± 258.3 mL versus 108.9 ± 222.9 mL). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of the predictive value of 1-h chest tube output for thoracotomy was conducted. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.98, and the cutoff 1-h chest tube output value for predicting thoracotomy was 404 mL (sensitivity, 87.5%; specificity, 96.8%). Conclusions The 1-h chest tube output of patients who underwent thoracotomy was lower than the thresholds traditionally reported as indications for urgent thoracotomy. High chest tube output as a traditional indicator for thoracotomy may not apply to patients with blunt chest trauma.

Case A 30-year-old male involved in a traffic accident was brought to our hospital. He was in shock with a rigid abdomen, and a computed tomography scan showed severe pancreatoduodenal injury. He was successfully treated with damage control surgery consisting of peripancreatic packing at the initial surgery followed by a two-stage pancreaticoduodenectomy. Outcome The postoperative course was complicated by a hepatic abscess, but there were no pancreaticoduodenectomy-related complications. The patient was transferred to a local hospital on postoperative day 55. Conclusion Three step strategy consisting of peripancreatic packing followed by a two-stage pancreaticoduodenectomy is an effective treatment strategy for severe pancreatoduodenal injury.

要旨 【背景】Open abdomen management（OAM）は，重症外傷のみならず重症腹膜炎などの疾病患者にも応用され，OAMの適応は近年大きく拡大してきている。一時的閉腹法は種々の方法があるが，本邦における一時的閉腹法の治療戦略やOAMの筋膜閉鎖率，瘻孔形成などの合併症発生率，死亡率などについて，まとまった報告はない。【目的】OAMの現状を多施設で調査し，一時的閉腹方法や筋膜閉鎖率，死亡率を検討すること。【対象と方法】2012年4月から2014年3月までに，近畿8施設でOAMが行われた18歳以上の患者を対象とし，調査シートを用いた後ろ向き研究を行った。【結果】対象となった症例は99例であった。外傷が33例，疾病が66例であった。疾病では，腸管虚血，腹膜炎の適応が最も多かった。筋膜閉鎖は77例（77.8%）が可能であり，全体の死亡率は29.3%（n=29）であった。筋膜閉鎖可能症例と筋膜閉鎖不可能症例では，死亡率に有意な差を認めた（19.5% vs. 63.6%, p < 0.01）。また，一時的閉腹法は，全症例で局所陰圧療法が施行され，vacuum pack closure（VPC）が最多であった。筋膜閉鎖が3日以内で可能であった症例は51例であり，筋膜閉鎖不可能症例の5例（22.7%）で腸瘻を認めた。【結語】筋膜閉鎖不能症例は予後が不良であった。今回の検討では，VPCを用いた過去の報告と比較しても，高い筋膜閉鎖率が達成できていた。

Lumbar vertebral fracture (LVF) infrequently produces massive retroperitoneal hematoma (RPH). This study aimed to systematically review the clinical and radiographic characteristics of RPH resulting from LVF. For 193 consecutive patients having LVF who underwent computed tomography (CT), demographic data, physiological conditions, and outcomes were reviewed from their medical records. Presence or absence of RPH, other bone fractures, or organ/vessel injury was evaluated in their CT images, and LVF or RPH, if present, was classified according to either the Orthopaedic Trauma Association classification or the concept of interfascial planes. RPH resulting only or dominantly from LVF was found in 66 (34.2%) patients, whereas among the others, 64 (33.2%) had no RPH, 38 (19.7%) had RPH from other injuries, and 25 (13.0%) had RPH partly attributable to LVF. The 66 RPHs resulting only or dominantly from LVF were radiologically classified into mild subtype of minor median (n = 35), moderate subtype of lateral (n = 11), and severe subtypes of central pushing-up (n = 13) and combined (n = 7). Of the 20 patients with severe subtypes, 18 (90.0%) were in hemorrhagic shock on admission, and 6 (30.0%) were clinically diagnosed as dying due to uncontrollable RPH resulting from vertebral body fractures despite no anticoagulant medication. LVF can directly produce massive RPH leading to hemorrhagic death. A major survey of such pathology should be conducted to establish appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

Hirose T, Kitamura T, Katayama Y, Sado J, Kiguchi T, Matsuyama T, Kiyohara K, Takahashi H, Tachino J, Nakagawa Y, Mizushima Y, Shimazu T. Impact of nighttime and weekends on outcomes of emergency trauma patients: A nationwide observational study in Japan. Medicine 2020;99:1(e18687)., The impact of time of day or day of week on the survival of emergency trauma patients is still controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of these patients according to time of day or day of week of emergency admission by using data from the nationwide Japan Trauma Data Bank (JTDB).This study enrolled 236,698 patients registered in the JTDB database from 2004 to 2015, and defined daytime as 09:00 am to 16:59 pm and nighttime as 17:00 pm to 08:59 am, weekdays as Monday to Friday, and weekends as Saturday, Sunday, and national holidays. The outcome measures were death in the emergency room (ER) and discharge to death.In total, 170,622 patients were eligible for our analysis. In a multivariable logistic regression adjusted for confounding factors, both death in the ER and death at hospital discharge were significantly lower during the daytime than at nighttime (623/76,162 [0.82%] vs 954/94,460 [1.01%]; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.71-0.88 and 5765/76,162 [7.57%] vs 7270/94,460 [7.70%]; AOR 0.88; 95% CI 0.85-0.92). In contrast, the weekdays/weekends was not significantly related to either death in the ER (1058/114,357 [0.93%] vs 519/56,265 [0.92%]; AOR 0.95; 95% CI 0.85-1.06) or death at hospital discharge (8975/114,357 [7.85%] vs 4060/56,265 [7.22%]; AOR 1.02; 95% CI 0.97-1.06).In this population of emergency trauma patients in Japan, both death in the ER and death at hospital discharge were significantly lower during the daytime than at night, but the weekdays/weekends was not associated with outcomes of these patients.

This study aimed to exhaustively examine associations between prehospital variables and emergency care resource needs among blunt trauma patients. The study included blunt trauma patients aged 15 years or older who were admitted to a tertiary care medical center in Osaka, Japan, from January 2005 to December 2009. The primary end point was a composite measure of overall emergency care resource needs. Predictive variables were easily detectable upper and lower extremity injuries. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify associations between the predictive variables and the end point; this model included other covariates known to be associated with emergency care resource needs (demographic characteristics, mechanism of injury, and physiological parameters). Of 982 blunt trauma patients, 81 died, and 573 required overall emergency care resources. Upper extremity injury (odds ratio [OR], 2.60) and lower extremity injury (OR, 4.50) were significantly associated with overall emergency care resource needs after controlling for other covariates. The results of this study suggest that easily detectable extremity injuries may be useful predictors of the emergency care resource needs of trauma patients. Further studies are needed to validate the predictive values of these injuries and to determine ways to use information about extremity injuries to improve triage decisions.

Background A sudden shortage of physician resources due to overwhelming patient needs can affect the quality of care in the emergency department (ED). Developing effective response strategies remains a challenging research area. We created a novel system using information and communication technology (ICT) to respond to a sudden shortage, and tested the system to determine whether it would compensate for a shortage. Methods Patients (n = 4890) transferred to a level I trauma center in Japan during 2012–2015 were studied. We assessed whether the system secured the necessary physicians without using other means such as phone or pager, and calculated fulfillment rate by the system as a primary outcome variable. We tested for the difference in probability of multiple casualties among total casualties transferred to the ED as an indicator of ability to respond to excessive patient needs, in a secondary analysis before and after system introduction. Results The system was activated 24 times (stand-by request [n = 12], attendance request [n = 12]) in 24 months, and secured the necessary physicians without using other means; fulfillment rate was 100%. There was no significant difference in the probability of multiple casualties during daytime weekdays hours before and after system introduction, while the probability of multiple casualties during night or weekend hours after system introduction significantly increased compared to before system introduction (4.8% vs. 12.9%, P

This study sought to define hemorrhagic shock from blood pressure and heart rate and then to provide a treatment policy based on response to initial fluid therapy.This was a prospective clinical observational study conducted in eight hospitals. Subjects were consecutive patients with trauma who met any of the field triage conditions proposed by the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons. Initial fluid therapy was performed in patients with suspected hemorrhagic shock. Patients who required blood transfusion ≥ 4 U within 24 hours or interventions for active bleeding within 24 hours were classified into a "bleeding group" (B). A "nonbleeding group" (non-B) comprised patients who did not require blood transfusion ≥ 4 U or other interventions within 24 hours. Our committee maintained the database of survey items. Four of the hospitals were selected at random to provide training data and that was used in a recursive partitioning analysis to predict the B group. Data on patients in the other four facilities were used for validation.There were a total of 400 patients studied. The training set consisted of 261 patients, 50 of whom were classified into the B group. A total of 94% patients with hemorrhagic shock suspected clinically, shock index at admission (first SI) ≥ 0.8, and SI at 1 L of fluid resuscitation (second SI) ≥ 1.0 were assigned to the B group. The non-B group (92%) were patients those whose first SI was0.8 and base deficits at admission ≥ -1.0. Validation data consisted of 139 patients. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of these data to predict the B group were 71%, 93%, and 89%, respectively.Patients whose first SI was ≥ 0.8 and second SI ≥ 1.0 would be diagnosed as "nonresponders" by American College of Surgeons. Patients with first SI0.8 and base deficits ≥ -1.0 will not be candidates for the B group.

In trauma patients, elevated body temperature is a common and noninfective procedure soon after injury. We hypothesized that the absence of this febrile response is associated with failure to meet metabolic demands and results in adverse outcomes.We collected retrospective data of 253 consecutive trauma patients admitted to the intensive care unit during a 3-year period. Patients were stratified according to their daily maximum body temperature from days 1 to 10 (Tmax 1-10): no fever (37.5 degrees C), low fever (37.5-38.4 degrees C), moderate fever (38.5-39.0 degrees C), and high fever (39.0 degrees C). The area under the curve (AUC) of core temperature during the first 24 hours after admission was calculated for each patient at a baseline of 36 degrees C. The infection and mortality rates were measured.Sixty-three patients (24.9%) developed an infection, and the overall mortality was 7.5% (19 patients). Patients with no Tmax 1 and a low or high Tmax 4 to 10 had a significantly high infection rate; those with no fever on days 1 and 2 had a significantly high mortality rate. A low AUC was also associated with significantly higher infection and mortality rates. Multiple logistic regression analysis controlled for age, injury severity score, Tmax 1, AUC, initial temperature at admission, and time taken to reach 36 degrees C (if hypothermia was present) revealed that age, injury severity score, low AUC (odds ratio, 0.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.94-0.99; p = 0.002), and initial temperature were independent predictors of infection. Age and lower AUC (odds ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.81-0.92; p0.001) were both predictors of mortality.A febrile response until day 4 after injury did not increase morbidity, and a low AUC is independently associated with adverse outcomes. These findings show that a nonfebrile response soon after injury results in poor prognosis.

Background Systemic immune response to injury plays a key role in the pathophysiological mechanism of blunt trauma. We tested the hypothesis that increased blood interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels of blunt trauma patients on emergency department (ED) arrival are associated with poor clinical outcomes, and investigated the utility of rapid measurement of the blood IL-6 level. Methods We enrolled 208 consecutive trauma patients who were transferred from the scene of an accident to a level I trauma centre in Japan and admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Blood IL-6 levels on ED arrival were measured by using a rapid measurement assay. The primary outcome variable was prolonged ICU stay (length of ICU stay > 7 days). The secondary outcomes were 28-day mortality, probability of survival and Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) scores. Results Patients with prolonged ICU stay had significantly higher blood IL-6 levels on ED arrival than the patients without prolonged ICU stay (P

Blunt duodenal injury in children is uncommon and diagnosis is often delayed because of its retroperitoneal location. Both diagnosis and treatment are difficult. We report the case of a 2-year-old boy whose trauma injury was not reported for 5 days. His vital signs were stable, but he was vomiting bile-stained fluid and his stools were white. The third portion of the duodenum was completely disrupted, and was repaired by pyloric exclusion with duodenal and bile duct drainage. The child recovered uneventfully. We discuss the diagnostic strategies and therapeutic measures for this type of injury.

Objective and Background: Although short-duration, high-dose glucocorticoid therapy is reportedly ineffective for early-phase acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), steroid pulse therapy is often used in Japan for life-threatening cases because of its beneficial effects on oxygenation. Thus, we evaluated the effect of steroid pulse therapy on oxygenation for early-phase ARDS. Method: Cases of early-phase ARDS treated with steroid pulse therapy in intensive care units of four critical care medical centers in Japan from 2000 to 2003 were investigated. Clinical course and serial changes in PaO2/FIO2 ratio were evaluated. Results: Twenty-nine patients received methylprednisolone 1 g/day for 3 days; 20 patients subsequently received prolonged methylprednisolone treatment. Causes of ARDS were pneumonia (n=23), extrapulmonary sepsis (n=4) and other factors (n=2). The overall mortality rate was 24.1%. PaO2/FIO2 ratios improved significantly after initiation of steroid pulse therapy, in comparison to pretreatment values (day 0: 119.8 ± 30.6, day 1: 172.1 ± 63.7*, day 2: 196.4 ± 90.0*, day 3: 218.4 ± 92.0*, mean ± SD, *p < 0.05 vs. day 0). Significant improvement in oxygenation was observed in both survivors and non-survivors, but the PaO2/FIO2 ratio in non-survivors subsequently deteriorated. In seven patients with life-threatening hypoxemia (PaO2/FIO2 ratio < 100 at day 0), oxygenation improved significantly after pulse treatment; five of these patients survived. Conclusions: Three day steroid pulse therapy can improve oxygenation in patients with progressive ARDS even in the early phase. Steroid therapy for early-phase ARDS should be reconsidered.

Physiological parameters are crucial for the caring of trauma patients. There is a significant loss of prehospital vital signs data of patients during handover between prehospital and in-hospital teams. Effective strategies for reducing the loss remain a challenging research area. We tested whether the newly developed electronic automated prehospital vital signs chart sharing system would increase the amount of prehospital vital signs data shared with a remote trauma center prior to hospital arrival.Fifty trauma patients, transferred to a level I trauma center in Japan, were studied. The primary outcome variable was the number of prehospital vital signs shared with the trauma center prior to hospital arrival.The prehospital vital signs chart sharing system significantly increased the number of prehospital vital signs, including blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation, shared with the in-hospital team at a remote trauma center prior to patient arrival at the hospital (P.0001). There were significant differences in prehospital vital signs during ambulance transfer between patients who had severe bleeding and non-severe bleeding within 24 hours after injury onset.Vital signs data collected during ambulance transfer via patient monitors could be automatically converted to easily visible patient charts and effectively shared with the remote trauma center prior to hospital arrival. The prehospital vital signs chart sharing system increased the number of precise vital signs shared prior to patient arrival at the hospital, which can potentially contribute to better trauma care without increasing labor and reduce information loss during clinical handover.

We present a case of a 30-year-old postpartum woman who delivered by caesarean section at 34 weeks. On postoperative day 9, she was admitted to our hospital in shock. Emergency abdominal surgery was performed. Massive purulent ascites collected in the abdominal cavity and was associated with intestinal necrosis, which extended from the ascending colon to one-third of the descending colon. The necrotic lesion was excised, and an artificial anus was constructed at the ileum end. A histological finding on the 15th day indicated the possibility of amoebic enteritis, and the patient was started on metronidazole therapy. The diarrhoea improved dramatically after metronidazole treatment was started. The patient was able to walk unassisted on the 45th day and was subsequently discharged. Amoebic enteritis has been thought to be epidemic in developing countries, but today, the incidence of amoebic enteritis as a sexually transmitted disease is increasing in developed countries.

わが国では,1996年にトリアージタッグが標準化され,消防庁書式タッグが本邦のタッグとして広く用いられている。しかし,実際に訓練で使用すると,煩雑さのために記入漏れが多く,必ずしも満足のいく結果が得られていない。そこで,まずトリアージ方法の標準化を図り,一次トリアージはSTART (simple triage and rapid treatment)変法を,二次トリアージは「緊急度・重症度評価と病院選定基準」に基づいたトリアージ方法を採用したうえで,標準化タッグの自由裁量部分に改良を加えた新書式タッグを作製した。表面には,START変法による手順と判定基準を明記した。裏面には,生理学的指標,解剖学的指標と処置内容を時系列で記載できる欄を設け,さらに赤と判定すべき指標を明記した。今回われわれは,新書式タッグの有用性を検証するために救急救命士養成学校の学生80名を対象としたトリアージ訓練を行い,新書式タッグ群と消防庁書式タッグ群において,タッグへの記載内容,記載頻度,トリアージの正確性および訓練後のアンケート結果について比較検討した。一次トリアージでは,トリアージの判断根拠となった所見の記載率が,新書式タッグ群では高率であった。一方,二次トリアージでは,バイタルサインや意識レベルの記載が新書式タッグ群では全例行われていたが,消防庁書式タッグ群では低頻度であった。トリアージの正確性については,一次トリアージでは新書式タッグ群のほうがより高頻度に正答していたが,二次トリアージでは有意な差は認めなかった。訓練後のアンケートでは,新書式タッグの使用感の評価が高かった。今回の検討から,トリアージ方法を標準化したうえで新書式タッグを使用することによって,消防庁書式タッグに比べてより的確な重症度評価ができるようになり,さらにバイタルサインなどの傷病者情報の把握が容易となることが明らかとなった。

Purpose: Effective hepatic blood flow (EHBF) is thought to reflect splanchnic perfusion and the metabolic state of the liver. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between cardiac output (CO) and EHBF using pulse dye-densitometry (PDD) in nonseptic and septic patients, and to assess the prognostic value of this relationship. Methods: The subjects were 33 critically ill patients, 16 of whom met the criteria for sepsis. Indocyanine green (ICG) was given via a central venous catheter to each patient. CO (l/min) and EHBF (l/min) were assessed with PDD. Results: CO and EHBF were significantly correlated in the nonseptic patients (r = 0.92, P < 0.001), but not in the septic patients (r = 0.38, P = 0.15). The ratio of EHBF to CO (EHBF/CO) in the septic patients was significantly lower than that in the nonseptic patients (0.08 ± 0.04 vs 0.22 ± 0.05; P < 0.001). Moreover, in the septic patients, the EHBF/CO ratios of nonsurvivors were significantly lower than those of survivors (0.06 ± 0.04 vs 010 ± 0.02; P < 0.01). Conclusions: In nonseptic patients, the EHBF decreased in relation to the CO. However, the EHBF/CO ratio of septic patients was lower than that of nonseptic patients, suggesting that inadequate splanchnic perfusion or metabolic change occurs in septic patients. Furthermore, the lower EHBF/CO ratio was related with a fatal outcome in septic patients. PDD could be a clinically useful method of assessing splanchnic conditions in critically ill patients.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the traditional criteria of chest tube output are useful indicators for urgent thoracotomy in patients with blunt chest trauma.Data were collected retrospectively from our trauma registry of 542 blunt chest trauma patients (Chest Abbreviated Injury Scale score of 3 or greater) over a 10-year period (2000-2010). The 1-h chest tube output was calculated from chest tube output and time after admission, and the results were compared between patients who underwent thoracotomy for hemorrhage and those who did not.Data were available for 24 patients who underwent thoracotomy for hemorrhage and 93 patients who did not undergo thoracotomy. The 1-h chest tube output between the groups was significantly different (708.0 ± 258.3 mL versus 108.9 ± 222.9 mL). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of the predictive value of 1-h chest tube output for thoracotomy was conducted. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.98, and the cutoff 1-h chest tube output value for predicting thoracotomy was 404 mL (sensitivity, 87.5%; specificity, 96.8%).The 1-h chest tube output of patients who underwent thoracotomy was lower than the thresholds traditionally reported as indications for urgent thoracotomy. High chest tube output as a traditional indicator for thoracotomy may not apply to patients with blunt chest trauma.

Whether sex affects the mortality of trauma patients remains unknown. The hypothesis of this study was that sex was associated with altered mortality rates in trauma.A retrospective review of trauma patients' records in the Japan Trauma Data Bank was conducted (n = 80,813) from 185 major emergency hospitals across Japan. The primary outcome variable was in-hospital mortality within 28 days. Secondary outcome variables included serious injuries to different body regions with an Abbreviated Injury Scale of ≥3.In the analysis of 80,813 trauma patients, males had significantly greater 28-day mortality compared to females (adjusted p = 0.0072, odds ratio [OR] = 1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06 to 1.23) via logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, mechanism, Injury Severity Score, Revised Trauma Score, and potential preexisting risk factors. Of 10 injury categories examined, sex significantly affected in-hospital 28-day mortality rate in falls (adjusted p 0.0001, OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.19 to 1.52). Further analysis of three fall subcategories by falling distance revealed that male patients who fell from ground level had significantly higher 28-day mortality (adjusted p 0.0001, OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.43 to 2.14) and a significantly greater frequency of serious injury to the head, thorax, abdomen, and spine, but a lower frequency of serious injury to the extremities, compared to female patients.Compared to female trauma patients, male trauma patients had greater 28-day mortality. In particular, ground-level falls had a significant sex difference in mortality, with serious injury to different body regions. Sex differences appeared to be important for fatalities from ground-level falls.

Although studies have shown that induction of the heat shock proteins (HSPs), such as HSP-70, has various beneficial effects after ischemia-reperfusion, it remains unknown whether prior induction of HSP-70 has any salutary effects on cardiovascular and hepatocellular functions after trauma-hemorrhage and resuscitation. Male rats were exposed to heat stress (41 degrees C, 15 min) and then allowed to recover for 24 h at room temperature (21 degrees C). The rats then underwent laparotomy (i.e., trauma induced) and were bled to and maintained at a mean arterial pressure of 40 mmHg until 40% of the maximal shed blood volume was returned in the form of Ringer lactate. Animals were then resuscitated with four times the volume of shed blood with Ringer lactate over 60 min. The maximal rate of the left ventricular pressure increase or decrease was measured up to 4 h after resuscitation. Cardiac output, hepatocellular function, plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were determined at 4 h after resuscitation. Cardiac and hepatic tissue were examined for HSP-70 by Western blot analysis. Left ventricular performance, cardiac output, and hepatocellular function decreased significantly following trauma-hemorrhage. Plasma levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 were also significantly increased. However, prior heat stress attenuated cardiovascular and hepatocellular dysfunction, decreased circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines following trauma-hemorrhage, and was associated with an increased abundance of HSP-70 in the heart and liver. Our data, therefore, suggest that preinduction of HSP-70 protects cardiovascular and hepatocellular functions following trauma-hemorrhage and resuscitation.

This study was undertaken to define the factors that affected the final outcome of trauma patients in the Hanshin-Awaji earthquake.Medical records of patients admitted to 95 hospitals within or surrounding the affected area during the first 15 days after the quake were reviewed.There were 2,702 traumatized patients. One-third of the patients were transported to hospitals in the surrounding area and had a mortality rate of 3%. The remainder, who were treated in the affected hospitals, showed a significantly higher mortality rate (8%; p0.05). Intensive care was provided for 513 patients, most of whom suffered from crush syndrome or from injuries to vital organs; these patients had a high mortality rate. Patients with other types of injuries had a lower mortality rate.Crush syndrome and injuries to vital organs were potentially life-threatening. We believe that early transportation of such patients to undamaged hospitals with the ability to provide intensive care would have improved the survival rate.

Background: Crush syndrome is a form of traumatic rhabdomyolysis characterized by systemic involvement, in which acute renal failure is potentially life-threatening. Methods: Clinical and laboratory data of 14 crush-syndrome patients transferred to a tertiary emergency department after the Hanshin-Awaji earthquake were analyzed. The patients were buried under collapsed houses for the average of 6.7 ± 5.7 (SD) hours (range, 1 to 24 hours). They were referred to us 6 to 250 hours after the earthquake. Results: Of those who arrived at our institution within 40 hours, 25% (two of eight) developed renal failure, whereas all six patients who arrived after 40 hours developed renal failure. Peak serum creatine kinase ranged from 6,677 to 134,200 U/L (51,674 ± 41,776). Renal failure was highly associated with massive muscle damage (serum creatine kinase above 25,000 U/L) and insufficient initial fluid resuscitation (below 10,000 mL/2 days). Conclusions: Prompt and adequate, if not massive, fluid resuscitation is the key to preventing renal failure after such injury.

A 37-year-old pregnant woman at 35 weeks gestation was admitted to the OB-GYN service because of fever and sore throat. During hospitalization, she underwent artificial abortion because of fetal death. Since renal failure developed in addition to fever and sore throat, she was transferred to our hospital. After she receiving parenteral fluids and diuretics, her renal failure improved. Seizures and unconsciousness developed, however, in spite of improvement of renal function. Blood chemistry data showed that the serum calcium and magnesium values decreased to 2.6mEq/l and 1.2mg/dl respectively. The serum calcium did not return to normal even after administration calcium gluconate and magnesium supplementation (MgSO4; Mg 480mg/day) was initiated which resulted in cessation of seizure activity and return of lucidity. This report emphasizes the role of hypomagnesemia in causing seizures and disturbance of consciousness during pregnancy.