Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:Between 1990 and 2003, there were 668 subway-related fatalities in New York City. However, subway-related trauma remains an understudied area of injury-related morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE:The objective of this study was to characterize the injuries and events leading up to the injuries of all patients admitted after subway-related trauma. METHODS:We conducted a retrospective case series of subway-related trauma at a Level I trauma center from 2001 to 2016. Descriptive epidemiology of patient demographics, incident details, injuries, and outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS:Over 15 years, 254 patients were admitted for subway-related trauma. The mean (standard error of the mean) age was 41 (1.0) years, 80% were male (95% confidence interval [CI] 74-84%) and median Injury Severity Score was 14 (interquartile range [IQR] 5-24). The overall case-fatality rate was 10% (95% CI 7-15%). The most common injuries were long-bone fractures, intracranial hemorrhage, and traumatic amputations. Median length of stay was 6 days (IQR 1-18 days). Thirty-seven percent of patients required surgical intervention. At the time of injury, 55% of patients (95% CI 49-61%) had a positive urine drug or alcohol screen, 16% (95% CI 12-21%) were attempting suicide, and 39% (95% CI 33-45%) had a history of psychiatric illness. CONCLUSIONS:Subway-related trauma is associated with a high case-fatality rate. Alcohol or drug intoxication and psychiatric illness can increase the risk of this type of injury.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to characterize variations in packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion practices in critically ill patients and to identify which factors influence such practices. We hypothesized that significant variation in transfusion triggers exists among acute care surgeons. METHODS: A survey of PRBC transfusion practices was administered to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma members. The scenarios examined hemoglobin thresholds for which participants would transfuse PRBCs. RESULTS: A hemoglobin threshold of less than or equal to 7 g/dL was adopted by 45% of respondents in gastrointestinal bleeding, 75% in penetrating trauma, 66% in sepsis, and 62% in blunt trauma. Acute care surgeons modified their transfusion trigger significantly in the majority of the modifications of these scenarios, often inappropriately so. CONCLUSIONS: This study documents continued evidence-practice gaps and wide variations in the PRBC transfusion practices of acute care surgeons. Numerous clinical factors altered such patterns despite a lack of supporting evidence (for or against).

Introduction: Disconjugate eye movements have been associated with traumatic brain injury since ancient times. Ocular motility dysfunction may be present in up to 90% of patients with concussion or blast injury. Methods: We developed an algorithm for eye tracking in which the Cartesian coordinates of the right and left pupils are tracked over 200 seconds and compared to each other as a subject watches a short film clip moving inside an aperture on a computer screen. We prospectively eye tracked 64 normal healthy non-injured control subjects and compared findings to 75 trauma subjects with either a positive head CT (n=13), negative head CT (n=39) or non-head injury (n=23) to determine whether eye tracking would reveal the disconjugate gaze associated with both structural brain injury and concussion. Tracking metrics were then correlated to the clinical concussion measure SCAT3 in trauma patients. Results: Five out of five measures of horizontal disconjugacy were increased in positive and negative head CT patients relative to non-injured control subjects. Only one of five vertical disconjugacy measures was significantly increased in brain injured patients relative to controls. Linear regression analysis of all 75 trauma patients demonstrated that three metrics for horizontal disconjugacy negatively correlated with SCAT3 symptom severity score and positively correlated with total Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC) score. Abnormal eye tracking metrics improved over time towards baseline in brain injured subjects seen in follow-up. Conclusions: Eye tracking may help quantify the severity of ocular motility disruption associated with concussion and structural brain injury.

BACKGROUND: Blunt abdominal aortic injury (BAAI) is a rare injury. The objective of the current study was to examine the presentation and management of BAAI at a multi-institutional level. METHODS: The Western Trauma Association Multi-Center Trials conducted a study of BAAI from 1996 to 2011. Data collected included demographics, injury mechanism, associated injuries, interventions, and complications. RESULTS: Of 392,315 blunt trauma patients, 113 (0.03%) presented with BAAI at 12 major trauma centers (67% male; median age, 38 years; range, 6-88; median Injury Severity Score [ISS], 34; range, 16-75). The leading cause of injury was motor vehicle collisions (60%). Hypotension was documented in 47% of the cases. The most commonly associated injuries were spine fractures (44%) and pneumothorax/hemothorax (42%). Solid organ, small bowel, and large bowel injuries occurred in 38%, 35%, and 28% respectively. BAAI presented as free aortic rupture (32%), pseudoaneurysm (16%), and injuries without aortic external contour abnormality on computed tomography such as large intimal flaps (34%) or intimal tears (18%). Open and endovascular repairs were undertaken as first-choice therapy in 43% and 15% of cases, respectively. Choice of management varied by type of BAAI: 89% of intimal tears were managed nonoperatively, and 96% of aortic ruptures were treated with open repair. Overall mortality was 39%, the majority (68%) occurring in the first 24 hours because of hemorrhage or cardiac arrest. The highest mortality was associated with Zone II aortic ruptures (92%). Follow-up was documented in 38% of live discharges. CONCLUSION: This is the largest BAAI series reported to date. BAAI presents as a spectrum of injury ranging from minimal aortic injury to aortic rupture. Nonoperative management is successful in uncomplicated cases without external aortic contour abnormality on computed tomography. Highest mortality occurred in free aortic ruptures, suggesting that alternative measures of early noncompressible torso hemorrhage control are warranted. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Epidemiologic study, level III; therapeutic study, level IV.

OBJECTIVE: Road safety constitutes a crisis with important health and economic impacts. In 2010, 11,000 pedestrians and 3500 bicyclists were injured by motor vehicles in New York City (NYC). Motor vehicle injuries represent the second leading cause of injury-related deaths in NYC children aged 5 to 14 years. To better target injury prevention strategies, we evaluated demographics, behaviors, environmental factors, injuries, and outcomes of pediatric pedestrians and bicyclists struck by motor vehicles in NYC. METHODS: Pediatric data were extracted from a prospectively collected database of pedestrians and bicyclists struck by motor vehicles and treated at a level I regional trauma center between December 2008 and June 2011. Patients, guardians, and first responders were interviewed and medical records were reviewed. Institutional review board approval was granted and verbal consent was obtained. RESULTS: Of the 1457 patients, 168 (12%) were younger than 18 years. Compared with injured adults, children were more likely to be in male sex (69% vs 53%), to have minor injuries (83% vs 73% for injury severity scores of <9), and to be discharged without admission (69% vs 67%). Midblock crossings were more common in children pedestrians than in adults (37% vs 19%), often despite supervision (48%). Electronic device use among teenagers aged 13 to 17 years was nearly 3 times that of adults (28% vs 11%). CONCLUSIONS: Risky behaviors are common among pediatric pedestrians and bicyclists injured by motor vehicles. Road safety education and prevention strategies must stress compliance with traffic laws, readdress the importance of supervision, and reinforce avoidance of common distractors including electronic devices.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to examine the characteristics of pedestrian and bicyclist collisions with motor vehicles within New York City's high-density hub. The primary objectives were to map crash locations and to identify hot spots within these injury clusters. The secondary objective was to quantify differences in injury severity based on road type and user behaviors. METHODS: Between December 2008 and June 2011, data were prospectively collected from pedestrians and bicyclists struck by motor vehicles and brought to Bellevue Hospital, a Level 1 trauma center in New York City. Behaviors by cohort (i.e., crossing patterns for pedestrians, riding patterns for bicyclists), Injury Severity Score (ISS), and collision locations were extracted from the database. Analyses of mean ISS were performed using a Student's t test with a p < 0.05 considered significant. Geomaps were created to identify clusters or "hot spots," where higher volumes of crashes occurred over time. Spatial analysis was performed to demonstrate whether these were random events. RESULTS: A total of 1,457 patients (1,075 pedestrians and 382 bicyclists) were enrolled. Collision locations were known for 97.5%. Of the injured pedestrians, those crossing avenues (n = 277) had higher ISSs than those crossing streets (n = 522) (p = 0.01) and were more likely to die (p = 0.002). Pedestrians crossing midblock (n = 185) had higher mean ISSs than those crossing with the signal in the crosswalk (n = 320) (8.12 vs. 5.01, p < 0.001). Based on density mapping, hot spots of pedestrian collisions were detected in midtown Manhattan, while hot spots for bicyclists were detected at bridge and tunnel portals. Spatial analysis indicates that these are not random events (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Pedestrians injured on avenues sustained more serious injuries than those injured on narrower streets. A better understanding of collision locations and features may allow for tailored injury prevention strategies. Trauma centers serve an important role in public health surveillance within their local communities. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Epidemiologic study, level III.

Tension pneumoperitoneum is a rare entity that occurs when free air under pressure accumulates in the abdominal cavity compromising visceral function and blood flow. The case of a 23-year-old man whose chest was run over by the wheels of a truck is presented. He arrived with a severely distended abdomen, significant thoracic trauma, hypoxemia, and elevated airway pressures following intubation. Imaging studies revealed massive intraperitoneal free air. He was treated with a decompressive laparotomy but was not found to have a hollow viscus nor diaphragmatic injury. We hypothesize a possible, as yet unpublished, mechanism: secondary to the patient's rib fractures and significant torso soft tissue shearing, a defect in the parietal pleura allowed air to track from the thorax inferiorly along subcutaneous and fascial planes, eventually entering into the peritoneal cavity through a violated parietal peritoneum. We present a review of the literature on tension pneumoperitoneum. 2013 The Author(s)

BACKGROUND: While the efficacy of helmet use in the prevention of head injury is well described, helmet use as it relates to bicyclists' behaviors and hospital resource use following injury is less defined. The objective of this study was to compare the demographics, behaviors, hospital workups, and outcomes of bicyclists based on helmet use. METHODS: This study was a subset analysis of a 2.5-year prospective cohort study of vulnerable roadway users conducted at Bellevue Hospital Center, a New York City Level 1 trauma center. All bicyclists with known helmet status were included. Demographics, insurance type, traffic law compliance, alcohol use, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, initial imaging studies, Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score, Injury Severity Score (ISS), admission status, length of stay, disposition, and mortality were assessed. Information was obtained primarily from patients; witnesses and first responders provided additional information. RESULTS: Of 374 patients, 113 (30.2%) were wearing helmets. White bicyclists were more likely to wear helmets; black bicyclists were less likely (p = 0.037). Patients with private insurance were more likely to wear helmets, those with Medicaid or no insurance were less likely (p = 0.027). Helmeted bicyclists were more likely to ride with the flow of traffic (97.2%) and within bike lanes (83.7%) (p < 0.001 and p = 0.013, respectively). Nonhelmeted bicyclists were more likely to ride against traffic flow (p = 0.003). There were no statistically significant differences in mean GCS score, AIS score, and mean ISS for helmeted versus nonhelmeted bicyclists. Nonhelmeted patients were more likely to have head computed tomographic scans (p = 0.049) and to be admitted (p = 0.030). CONCLUSION: Helmet use is an indicator of safe riding practices, although most injured bicyclists do not wear them. In this study, helmet use was associated with lower likelihood of head CTs and admission, leading to less hospital resource use. Injured riders failing to wear helmets should be targeted for educational programs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Epidemiologic study, level III.

Background: In 2009, the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM)/American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (A.S.P.E.N.) published "Guidelines for the Provision and Assessment of Nutrition Support Therapy in the Adult Critically Ill Patient." To improve our surgery residents' understanding of intensive care unit (ICU) nutrition, we developed a nutrition education program based on these guidelines. The purpose of this pilot study was to assess its effectiveness. We hypothesized that our nutrition education program would improve our residents' knowledge of ICU nutrition. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective observational pilot study performed in the surgical ICU of an academic medical center. Based on the SCCM/A.S.P.E.N. nutrition guidelines, we developed a nutrition education program (lectures covering selected guidelines and interactive case studies). Pre- and posttesting were performed to assess short-term comprehension. Long-term retention was assessed 3 months after the initial education program. The primary outcome measure was the change in ICU nutrition knowledge. Significance was set at P < .05. Results: Over 12 months, 8 surgery residents completed the nutrition education program. Their mean age was 27.8 +/- 1.2 years, and 50% were male. The mean test scores were as follows: pretest, 45% +/- 9%; posttest, 81% +/- 5%; and 3-month test, 65% +/- 8%. The differences between the pretest and both posttest scores were significant (P < .01). Conclusion: Residents have little understanding of ICU nutrition. This is confirmed by the pretest results of the current study. Our nutrition education program improved both short-term and long-term ICU nutrition knowledge of our surgery residents. Future studies should evaluate the effect such education has on the clinical outcomes of ICU patients.