A multicenter trial of the efficacy of nimodipine on outcome after severe head injury: The European Study Group on Nimodipine in Severe Head Injury J Neurosurg 80:797–804 Apr 1994
✍ Scribed by P. Matthew Grandstaff
- Publisher
- Elsevier Science
- Year
- 1994
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 115 KB
- Volume
- 24
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1097-6760
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
This study was undertaken to determine the outcome of patients treated for traumatic aortic transection by designated thoracic trauma surgeons (BE[S) compared with that of patients treated by a boardcertified general/thoracic surgeon (GTS). Over a 56-month period, 27 patients with blunt aortic transection received operative repair at a Level I trauma center. Fifteen patients received care from 1 of 2 DTTS. The other 12 were treated by 1 of 10 6TS. The average age, sex, Injury Severity Score, and predicted survival were similar between patient groups. Time from injury to repair, method of repair, units of blood transfused, aortic cross-clamp time, complications, and mortality were compared. One patient from the DTTS group died (7%) compared to 6 patients (50%) of the other group. Patients in the DTIS group also had significantly lower aortic cross-clamp times (21.3 versus 35.9 minutes), less blood loss (2,066 versus 4,455 mL), and a lower postoperative incidence of renal failure (7% versus 42%). The authors conclude that patient outcome is improved when surgeons with highly significant technical skills and particular interest in thoracic trauma surgery provide treatment. [Editor's note: Although the number of patients is small, the results are similar to other studies that have shown that the more often a complex procedure is done, the better the outcome will be.]