Influence of hypocalcemia on the prognosis of patients with multiple trauma

BACKGROUND Hypocalcemia is highly common in hospitalized patients,especially in those with trauma,On the other hand,abnormal calcium metabolism is an important metabolic challenge;however,it is often neglected and untreated,and certain factors may induce serious neurological and cardiovascular complications.AIM To retrospectively analyze the impact of hypocalcemia on the prognosis of patients with multiple traumas.METHODS The study was conducted from January 2020 to December 2021.Ninety-nine patients with multiple injuries were treated at the critical care medicine department of Fuyang People’s Hospital.The selected indicators included sex,age,and blood calcium and hematocrit levels.Many indicators were observed,including within 24 h of hospitalization,and the prognosis was collected after 28 d.Based on the blood calcium levels,the patients were divided into the following two groups:Normocalcemia and hypocalcemia.Of the 99 patients included,81 had normocalcemia,and 18 had hypocalcemia.Separate experiments were conducted for these two groups.RESULTS There was an association between serum calcium levels and the prognosis of patients with polytrauma.CONCLUSION Clinically,the prognosis of patients with multiple traumas can be preliminarily evaluated based on serum calcium levels.

C-reactive Protein/Albumin Ratio as a Prognostic Indicator in Posttraumatic Shock and Outcome of Multiple Trauma Patients

Objective C-reactive protein(CRP)/albumin ratio(CAR)is a new inflammation-based index for predicting the prognosis of various diseases.The CAR determined on admission may help to predict the prognostic value of multiple trauma patients.Methods A total of 264 adult patients with severe multiple trauma were included for the present retrospective study,together with the collection of relevant clinical and laboratory data.CAR,CRP,albumin,shock index and ISS were incorporated into the prognostic model,and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was drawn.Then,the shock index for patients with different levels of CAR was analyzed.Finally,univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the independent risk factors for the 28-day mortality of multiple trauma patients.Results A total of 36 patients had poor survival outcomes,and the mortality rate reached 13.6%.Furthermore,after analyzing the shock index for patients with different levels of CAR,it was revealed that the shock index was significantly higher when CAR was≥4,when compared to CAR<2 and 2≤CAR<4,in multiple trauma patients.The multivariate logistic analysis helped to identify the independent association between the variables CAR(P=0.029)and shock index(P=0.019),and the 28-day mortality of multiple trauma patients.Conclusion CAR is higher in patients with severe multiple trauma.Furthermore,CAR serves as a risk factor for independently predicting the 28-day mortality of multiple trauma patients.The shock index was significantly higher when CAR was≥4 in multiple trauma patients.

Altered Nutrition State in the Severe Multiple Trauma Patients Undergoing Adjuvant Recombinant Human Growth Hormone Nutritional Support Therapy

In order to observe the nutrition state in the severe multiple trauma patients undergoing adjuvant recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) nutritional support therapy, 45 patients with severe multiple traumas (ISS>25) were randomly divided into 3 groups. All the 3 groups had been supplied with nitrogen and caloricity according to the need of patients for 16 days. The rhGH therapy started 48 h after surgery and lasted for 14 days in two rhGH-treated groups in which rhGH was 0.2 and 0.4 U/(kg·d) respectively, and the resting group served as control one. The levels of nitrogen balance, prealbumin and safety variables (blood sugar, Na+, TT3 and TT4) were observed and com- pared among the three groups. The levels of nitrogen balance on the postoperative day (POD) 3 and 5 in the rhGH-treated groups were -1.28±3.19, 5.45±2.00 and -0.18±2.55, 6.11±1.60, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the control group (-5.17±1.68 and -1.08±3.31, P<0.01). The values of prealbumin on the POD 3 and 5 in the rhGH-treated groups were 180.19±27.15, 194.44±50.82 and 194.94±29.65, 194.11±16.17, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the control group (117.42±19.10 and 135.63±28.31, P<0.01). There was no sig- nificant difference between the rhGH 0.2 U/(kg·d) group and rhGH 0.4 U/(kg·d) group in both of the levels of nitrogen balance and prealbumin. It is concluded that the nutritional support therapy with adjuvant rhGH which starts 48 h after surgery improves the nutrition state of the patients with severe multiple trauma. It is safe for severe multiple trauma patients who accept rhGH at the dose of 0.2 and 0.4 U/(kg·d).

Early changes in white blood cell,C-reactive protein and procalcitonin levels in children with severe multiple trauma

BACKGROUND:To analyze early changes in white blood cells(WBCs),C-reactive protein(CRP)and procalcitonin(PCT)in children with multiple trauma,before secondary inflammation develops.METHODS:This single-center retrospective study collected data from patients with blunt traumatic injury admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit(PICU).According to the prognostic outcome of 28 d after admission to the PICU,patients were divided into survival group(n=141)and non-survival group(n=36).Characteristics between the two groups were compared.Receiver operation characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was conducted to evaluate the capacity of different biomarkers as predictors of mortality.RESULTS:The percentages of children with elevated WBC,CRP,and PCT levels were 81.36%,31.07%,and 95.48%,respectively.Patients in the non-survival group presented a statistically significantly higher injury severity score(ISS)than those in the survival group:37.17±16.11 vs.22.23±11.24(t=6.47,P<0.01).WBCs were also higher in non-survival group than in the survival group([18.70±8.42]×109/L vs.[15.89±6.98]×109/L,t=2.065,P=0.040).There was no significant difference between the survival and non-survival groups in PCT or CRP.The areas under the ROC curves of PCT,WBC and ISS for predicting 28-day mortality were 0.548(P=0.376),0.607(P=0.047)and 0.799(P<0.01),respectively.CONCLUSIONS:Secondary to multiple trauma,PCT levels increased in more patients,even if their WBC and CRP levels remained unchanged.However,early rising WBC and ISS were superior to PCT at predicting the mortality of multiple trauma patients in the PICU.

Effect of ω-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid on Toll-like Receptors in Patients with Severe Multiple Trauma

This study examined the effects of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid（ω-3PUFA） on the expression of toll-like receptor 2（TLR2）,toll-like receptor 4（TLR4） and some related inflammatory factors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells（PBMCs） of patients with early-stage severe multiple trauma.Thirty-two patients who were admitted to the Department of Traumatic Surgery,Tongji Hospital（Wuhan,China） between May 2010 and November 2010,and diagnosed as having severe multiple trauma with a injury severity score（ISS） no less than 16,were enrolled in the study and divided into two groups at random（n=16 in each）：ω-3PUFA group and control group in which routine parenteral nutrition supplemented with ω-3PUFA or not was administered to the patients in two groups for consecutive 7 days.Peripheral blood from these patients was collected within 2 h of admission（day 0）,and 1,3,5 and 7 days after the nutritional support.PBMCs were isolated and used for detection of the mRNA and protein expression of TLR2 and TLR4 by using real-time PCR and flow cytometry respectively,the levels of NF-κB by quantum dots-based immunofluorescence assay,the levels of TNF-α,IL-2,IL-6 and COX-2 by ELISA,respectively.The results showed that the mRNA and protein expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in PBMCs was significantly lower in ω-3PUFA group than in control group 5 and 7 days after nutrition support（both P0.05）.The levels of TNF-α,IL-2,IL-6 and COX-2 were found to be substantially decreased in PBMCs in ω-3PUFA group as compared with control group at 5th and 7th day（P0.05 for all）.It was concluded that ω-3PUFA can remarkably decrease the expression of TLR2,TLR4 and some related inflammatory factors in NF-κB signaling pathway in PBMCs of patients with severe multiple trauma,which suggests that ω-3PUFA may suppress the excessive inflammatory response meditated by the TLRs/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Clinical features of multiple trauma patients combined with spine and spinal cord injuries

Objective To analyze the clinical features of the multiple trauma patients combined with spine and spinal cord injuries.Methods A retrospective study was performed in143multiple trauma patients combined with spine and spinal

Advantage of surgical intensive care unit(SICU)predominant by cardiothoracic surgeons in multiple trauma management in a primary hospital

Purpose It is a challenge for the primary hospitals to manage multiple trauma patients.In this article,we explored the advantage of establishing a surgical intensive care unit(SICU)predominant by cardiothoracic surgeons in the early management of multiple trauma.Methods This was a retrospective study and patients with multiple trauma in our hospital were collected and divided into two groups,based on time period and treat modes:group A(retrospective observation group)where patients were treated with the traditional treatment mode from January 2017 to December 2017 and group B(study group)where patients were treated in the SICU predominant by cardiothoracic surgeons from January 2018 to December 2018.Clinical data including demographics,injury severity score(ISS),causes of injury,time intervals from reception to entering SICU or operating room and mortality three days after injuries were collected.Data were analyzed by SPSS 20.0 software.Categorical variables were presented as number and/or frequency and continuous variables as mean±SD.Results Altogether 406 patients were included in this study,including 217 patients in group A and 189 patients in group B.General data between the two groups revealed no significant difference:mean age(years)(35.51±12.97 vs.33.62±13.61,p=0.631),gender distribution(mean/female,130/87 vs.116/73,p=0.589)and ISS(15.92±7.95 vs.16.16±6.89,p=0.698).Fall from height were the dominant mechanism of injury,with 135 cases in group A(71.4%)and 121 cases in group B(55.8%),followed by traffic accidents.Injury mechanism showed no significant differences between two groups(p=1.256).Introduction of the SICU significantly improved the care of trauma patients,regarding speed and mortality.Time intervals between reception and entering SICU or operating room was(108.23±6.72)min and(45.67±7.96)min in group A and B,respectively(p=0.001).Mortality three days after injuries was 13.89%and 5.53%in group A and B,respectively(p=0.005).Conclusion Establishing a SICU predominant by cardiothoracic surgeons can reduce the early mortality rates in multiple trauma patients.

Epidemiology of pelvic and acetabular fractures across 12-mo at a level-1 trauma centre

BACKGROUND Despite motor-vehicle safety advancements and increasingly rigorous workplace safety regulations,trauma/suicide remains the leading cause of death under the age of 45 in the United Kingdom.To promote centralisation of care and optimisation of major trauma outcomes,in 2012 the National Health Service introduced the Trauma Network System.To our knowledge,this is the first study to analyse the epidemiology of pelvic and acetabular trauma over a one-year period at a level-1 trauma centre in the United Kingdom,since nationwide introduction of the Trauma Network System.AIM To characterize the epidemiology of high-energy pelvic and acetabular fractures over a one-year period at a level-1 trauma centre,and explore both resources required to care for these patients and opportunities for future research and injury prevention initiatives.METHODS 227 consecutive patients at a level-1 trauma centre with pelvic and acetabular fractures were analysed between December 2017-December 2018.Paediatric patients(<18 years)and fragility fractures were excluded,leaving 175 patients for inclusion in the study.Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables.RESULTS 72%of pelvic and acetabular fractures occurred in male patients at a median age of 45 years.15%were the result of a suicide attempt.48%of patients required pelvic or acetabular surgery,with 38%undergoing further surgery for additional orthopaedic injuries.43%of patients were admitted to intensive care.The median inpatient stay was 13 days,and the 30-day mortality was 5%.Pelvic ring trauma was more commonly associated with abdominal injury(P=0.01)and spine fractures(P<0.001)than acetabular fractures.Vertical shear pelvic ring fractures were associated with falls(P=0.03)while lateral compression fractures were associated with road traffic accidents(P=0.01).CONCLUSION High energy pelvic and acetabular fractures are associated with concomitant orthopaedic fractures(most commonly spine and lower limb),intensive care admission and prolonged inpatient stays.Most pelvic ring injuries secondary to road traffic accidents are lateral compression type,demonstrating the need for future research to drive advancements in lateral impact vehicle safety along with mental health surveillance for those deemed to be potential suicide risks.

Neutrophil kinetics and function after major trauma:A systematic review

BACKGROUND Immune dysfunction following major traumatic injury is complex and strongly associated with significant morbidity and mortality through the development of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome(MODS),persistent inflammation,immunosuppression,and catabolism syndrome and sepsis.Neutrophils are thought to be a pivotal mediator in the development of immune dysfunction.AIM To provide a review with a systematic approach of the recent literature describing neutrophil kinetics and functional changes after major trauma in humans and discuss hypotheses as to the mechanisms of the observed neutrophil dysfunction in this setting.METHODS Medline,Embase and PubMed were searched on January 15,2021.Papers were screened by two reviewers and those included had their reference list hand searched for additional papers of interest.Inclusion criteria were adults>18 years old,with an injury severity score>12 requiring admission to an intensive care unit.Papers that analysed major trauma patients as a subgroup were included.RESULTS Of 107 papers screened,48 were included in the review.Data were heterogeneous and most studies had a moderate to significant risk of bias owing to their observational nature and small sample sizes.Key findings included a persistently elevated neutrophil count,stereotyped alterations in cell-surface markers of activation,and the elaboration of heterogeneous and immunosuppressive populations of cells in the circulation.Some of these changes correlate with clinical outcomes such as MODS and secondary infection.Neutrophil phenotype remains a promising avenue for the development of predictive markers for immune dysfunction.CONCLUSION Understanding of neutrophil phenotypes after traumatic injury is expanding.A greater emphasis on incorporating functional and clinically significant markers,greater uniformity in study design and assessment of extravasated neutrophils may facilitate risk stratification in patients affected by major trauma.

Acute celiac artery occlusion secondary to blunt trauma:Two case reports

BACKGROUND Acute celiac artery(CA)injuries are extremely rare but potentially life-threatening and are more often caused by a penetrating injury rather than a blunt injury.The clinical manifestation of CA injuries is usually atypical,which easily causes missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis.Currently,there are only a few reports of acute traumatic occlusion of CA.The CA artery gives off branches to dominate the liver,stomach.and spleen;however,occluded CA did not cause significant organ ischemia,and the compensatory blood flow from the superior mesenteric artery(SMA)played a pivotal role.CASE SUMMARY Herein,we report two cases of acute CA occlusion secondary to severe blunt trauma.Case one was a 19-year-old male,suffered from a motorcycle crash.He complained of dyspnea,and the closed drainage was performed soon after the hemopneumothorax was confirmed by ultrasound.Computed tomography(CT)scan revealed hemopneumothorax,multiple rib fractures,right scapular fracture,and liver rupture.Reexamination with contrast-enhanced CT suggested perihepatic fluid was significantly increased,and CA was occluded.Because the hepatic hemorrhage is associated with hepatic artery injury,the CA was retrogradely opened through the SMA,and then,the right hepatic artery was embolized with coils successfully through the conventional pathway.Stent implantation was not performed,and the CA occlusion was managed by conservative treatment.A follow-up CT scan 3 mo after discharge showed the origin of CA remained occluded.Case two was a 37-year-old man,suffered injury from fall from height.He complained of lower back and bilateral heel pain.Contrast-enhanced CT examination revealed multiple rib fractures,bilateral pneumothorax,fourth lumbar(L4)vertebral burst fracture,and pelvic fractures.Furthermore,a small high-density mass in a lesser peritoneal sac and in front of the abdominal aorta was detected.The reexamination 14 h after admission showed the CA was occluded.The patient was conservatively treated.The symptoms of nausea after meals disappeared about 4 wk later,and abdominal distension was significantly relieved after 6 wk.The abdominal CT angiography at 60 d showed that the CA thrombus was not recanalized.CONCLUSION Patients with CA occlusion will have different clinical manifestations,and the dominant organ will not have obvious ischemia.Conservative treatment is safe,and the patient’s symptoms will be improved with the establishment of collateral circulation.

Hypopituitary syndrome with pituitary crisis in a patient with traumatic shock:A case report

BACKGROUND Shock is among the most common conditions that clinicians face in intensive care unit(ICU),of which hypovolemic shock is encountered most frequently;some patients instead suffer from neurogenic,cardiogenic,or infectious forms of shock.However,there are additional types of shock from unusual causes that are often undiagnosed.Here,we report the case of a patient who was initially misdiagnosed with hypovolemic shock,but exhibited persistent hypotension because of continuous fluid replacement and vasoactive drug administration,and was eventually diagnosed with hypopituitarism with crisis.CASE SUMMARY A 73-year-old Chinese man was admitted to the neurosurgery department following injury caused by a heavy object with symptoms of anemia and high fever.He was transferred to the ICU on the fourth day after hospitalization because of hypotension and unconsciousness.Blood analysis indicated that the patient was suffering from anemia and thrombocytopenia.Ultrasonography showed that there was no apparent abnormality in the cardiac structure but there was mild tricuspid regurgitation.Computed tomography revealed that there were signs of hemorrhage at the right basal ganglia;accordingly,hypovolemic shock,possibly septic shock,was initially considered.Even after routine treatment for shock,the hypotension remained severe.The patient was again thoroughly examined to investigate the underlying cause.The antishock therapy was supplemented with corticosteroids to counter potential hypopituitarism.The patient made a full recovery,and the blood pressure returned to normal.CONCLUSION A case of pituitary adenoma with multiple injuries was identified.Because of hypopituitarism,functionality of the corresponding endocrine system was restricted,with the most pronounced manifestation being unstable blood circulation requiring hormone replacement therapy.Such cases are relatively rare but may occur if multiple injuries are sustained.The present case represents a reference for the clinical treatment of patients with multiple injuries.

Treatment strategy on traumatic mid-lumbar spondyloptosis with concomitant multiple injuries:A case report and literature review

Spondyloptosis in the clinic is rarely reported.We herein present a 47-year-old female,who suffered from a crush injury directly by a heavy cylindrical object from the lateral side.She was diagnosed to have traumatic L3 spondyloptosis with multiple traumas.Staged surgical procedures were conducted and a three-year follow-up was obtained.Eventually,normal spinal alignment was restored,and neurological deficits were gradually improved.At three years follow-up,the motor strength scores and function of the sphincters were incompletely improved.Previously published reports on traumatic lumbar spondyloptosis were reviewed and several critical points for management of this severe type of spinal injury were proposed.First,thoracolumbar and lumbosacral junction were mostly predilection sites.Second,numerous patients involving traumatic lumbar spondyloptosis were achieved to American Spinal Injury Association grade A.Third,lumbar spondyloptosis was commonly coupling withcauda equina injury.Finally,the outcomes were still with poorly prognosis and recovery of patients was correlation to spondyloptosis severity.Based on this case report and literatures review,we highlighted that the spinal alignment restoration relying on staged operations and following rehabilitation hereof are both important once facing with multiple traumas.Furthermore,we suggested to perform routine CT angiography during lumbar spondyloptosis to justify whether there are large vessel compression or injury.

Application of revised trauma evaluation program in emergency treatment of multiple injuries

Recently, with the rapid development of highway ,and high-rise buildings, trauma shows a tendency to increase continuously. The proportion of trauma patients with multiple injuries has increased and trauma arising from multiple injuries has become ＂the first public hazard＂.

Diverse coagulopathies in a rabbit model with different abdominal injuries

BACKGROUND: Although coagulopathy can be very common in severe traumatic shock patients, the exact incidence and mechanism remain unclear. In this study, a traumatic shock rabbit model with special abdomen injuries was developed and evaluated by examining indicators of clotting and fi brinolysis.METHODS: Forty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into four groups: group 1(sham), group 2(hemorrhage), group 3(hemorrhage-liver injury), and group 4(hemorrhage-liver injury/intestinal injury-peritonitis). Coagulation was detected by thromboelastography before trauma(T0), at 1 hour(T1) and 4 hours(T2) after trauma.RESULTS: Rabbits that suffered from hemorrhage alone did not differ in coagulation capacity compared with the sham group. The clot initiations(R times) of group 3 at T1 and T2 were both shorter than those of groups 1, 2, and 4(P<0.05). In group 4, clot strength was decreased at T1 and T2 compared with those in groups 1, 2, and 3(P<0.05), whereas the R time and clot polymerization were increased at T2(P<0.05). The clotting angle signifi cantly decreased in group 4 compared with groups 2 and 3 at T2(P<0.05).CONCLUSION: This study suggests that different abdominal traumatic shock show diverse coagulopathy in the early phase. Isolated hemorrhagic shock shows no obvious effect on coagulation. In contrast, blunt hepatic injury with hemorrhage shows hypercoagulability, whereas blunt hepatic injury with hemorrhage coupled with peritonitis caused by a ruptured intestine shows a tendency toward hypocoagulability.

Tropical cyclone Fani-perspective from the trauma and emergency department of an affected tertiary hospital

Purpose:To explore the epidemiological and clinical profile of patients admitted to the trauma and emergency department(TED)of a tertiary care hospital due to tropical cyclone Fani and highlight the challenges faced by the hospital in this natural disaster.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted in the TED in the affected zone.Data of all victims affected by the cyclone Fani on May 3,2019 were obtained from disaster records and medical case sheets.All patients except death on admission were included.Clinical variables included anatomical sites and severity of injuries which was assessed by revised trauma score(RTS)and injury severity score(ISS).Trauma injury severity score(TRISS)was also calculated.Results:Of 75 patients,74 were included and the other one was brought dead and thus excluded.The age,median±interquartile range(IQ),was 41.0(27.7-53.0)years.The male to female ratio was 2:1.Most of the wounded were transported by the police control room vans on day 1:first 10 h,50.0%;10-24 h,20.3%.The median±IQ range of RTS,ISS and TRISS were 20(14-28),7.84(7.841-7.841),and 97.4(91.6-98.9),respectively.Simple external injury was the dominant injury type.Polytrauma(ISS>15)was seen in 67%cases and spine injury in 14%cases(7%cervical and 7%thoracolumbar).Injury causes included sharp flying objects(broken pieces of glasses and asbestos)in 31%cases,followed by fall of trees in 20.3%.Twenty-four patients were discharged after primary treatment,30 admitted to the indoor-trauma ward or intensive care unit and 20 deferred or transferred to another center.There was no in-house mortality.Challenges were related to electricity failure,mobile network breakdown,infrastructure collapse,and delay in expertise repair from outside due to airport/railway closure.Conclusion:In cyclonic storm like Fani,sharp flying objects,fall of trees/poles and collapsing walls constitute the common mode of injuries causing harm to more than one body regions.Polytrauma was seen in the majority of patients though external injury was the commonest.The affected hospital had the uphill task of treating hospitalized patients as well as disaster victims.

New perspectives of volemic resuscitation in polytrauma patients:a review

Nowadays,fluid resuscitation of multiple trauma patients is still a challenging therapy.Existing therapies for volume replacement in severe haemorrhagic shock can lead to adverse reactions that may be fatal for the patient.Patients presenting with multiple trauma often develop hemorrhagic shock,which triggers a series of metabolic,physiological and cellular dysfunction.These disorders combined,lead to complications that significantly decrease survival rate in this subset of patients.Volume and electrolyte resuscitation is chal enging due to many factors that overlap.Poor management can lead to post-resuscitation systemic inflammation causing multiple organ failure and ultimately death.In literature,there is no exact formula for this purpose,and opinions are divided.This paper presents a review of modern techniques and current studies regarding the management of fluid resuscitation in trauma patients with hemorrhagic shock.According to the literature and from clinical experience,al aspects regarding post-resuscitation period need to be considered.Also,for every case in particular,emergency therapy management needs to be rigorously respected considering al physiological,biochemical and biological parameters.

Evaluating mechanism and severity of injuries among trauma patients admitted to Sina Hospital,the National Trauma Registry of Iran

Purpose:Injuries are one of the leading causes of death and lead to a high social and financial burden.Injury patterns can vary significantly among different age groups and body regions.This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between mechanism of injury,patient comorbidities and severity of injuries.Methods:The study included trauma patients from July 2016 to June 2018,who were admitted to Sina Hospital,Tehran,Iran.The inclusion criteria were all injured patients who had at least one of the following:hospital length of stay more than 24 h,death in hospital,and transfer from the intensive care unit of another hospital.Data collection was performed using the National Trauma Registry of Iran minimum dataset.Results:The most common injury mechanism was road traffic injuries(49.0%),followed by falls(25.5%).The mean age of those who fell was significantly higher in comparison with other mechanisms(p<0.001).Severe extremity injuries occurred more often in the fall group than in the vehicle collision group(69.0%vs.43.5%,p<0.001).Moreover,cases of severe multiple trauma were higher amongst vehicle collisions than injuries caused by falls(27.8%vs.12.9%,p=0.003).Conclusion:Comparing falls with motor vehicle collisions,patients who fell were older and sustained more extremity injuries.Patients injured by motor vehicle collision were more likely to have sustained multiple trauma than those presenting with falls.Recognition of the relationship between mechanisms and consequences of injuries may lead to more effective interventions.

Secondary definitive surgery for multiple injuries from Wenchuan earthquake in China

Objective: To investigate the opportune time of sec-ondary definitive surgery for patients with multiple injuries from earthquakes based on the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) score and the principles of damage control.Methods: Twenty-one patients with critical earthq-ake injuries were treated with damage control strategies, fol-lowed by medical support and surgical intervention to re-store their physical potential in the intensive care unit (ICU). Successive APACHE Ⅱ scoring was adopted to evaluate the patients' physiological status, and then, internal fixa-tion of fractures and other definitive operations were performed.Results: All the patients were effectively treated with few complications, low deformity rate and no death.Conclusions: Appropriate evaluation of patients' physi-ological potential, right decision on surgical time and proper operative method can reduce the rates of complications, disability and death for patients with critical earthquake injuries.