Stefan Schulz-Drost1,2, David Merschin3, Denis Gümbel3,4, Gerrit Matthes3,4, Friedrich Frank Hennig5, Axel Ekkernkamp3,4, Rolf Lefering6, Sebastian Krinner5. 1. Department for Trauma Surgery and Orthopaedics, BG Klinikum Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin gGmbH, Warener Str. 7, 12683, Berlin, Germany. Stefan.schulz-drost@gmx.de. 2. Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Krankenhausstr. 12, 91054, Erlangen, Germany. Stefan.schulz-drost@gmx.de. 3. Department for Trauma Surgery and Orthopaedics, BG Klinikum Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin gGmbH, Warener Str. 7, 12683, Berlin, Germany. 4. Centre of Orthopaedics, Trauma Surgery and Rehabilitative Medicine, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, 17475, Greifswald, Germany. 5. Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Krankenhausstr. 12, 91054, Erlangen, Germany. 6. Faculty of Health, Department of Medicine, Institute for Research in Operative Medicine (IFOM), University Witten-Herdecke, Ostmerheimer Straße 200, 51109, Cologne, Germany.
Abstract
AIM OF THE STUDY: Emergency department thoracotomy (EDT) may be the last chance for survival in some severe thoracic trauma. This study investigates a representative collective with the aim to compare the findings in Europe to the international experience. Moreover, the influence of different levels of trauma care is investigated. METHODS: All emergency thoracotomies in patients with an ISS ≥ 9 from TR-DGU (2009-2014) within the first 60 min after arrival were identified. EDTs were identified separately, and mini thoracotomies and drainage systems were excluded. RESULTS: 99,013 patients with sufficient data were observed. 1736 (1.8%) received thoracotomy during their hospital stay. 887 patients had a thoracotomy within the first hour in the emergency department (ED). 52.5% were treated in supraregional trauma centers (STC), 36.4% in regional (RTC) and 11.0% in local trauma centers (LTC). The mortality rates were 39.4% (STC), 20.9% (RTC) and 20.8% (LTC). The overall mortality rate showed no significant differences for blunt (28.2%) and penetrating trauma (31.3%). In case of cardiac arrest in the ED, a survival rate of 4.8% for blunt trauma and 20.7% for penetrating trauma was determined if EDT was carried out. Those patients showed a higher rate in severe thoracic organ injuries due to penetrating trauma but less extrathoracic injuries. CONCLUSION: Just over half of EDTs were performed in STC. Emergency room resuscitation followed by EDT had survival rates of 4.8% and 20.7% for blunt and penetrating trauma patients, respectively.
AIM OF THE STUDY: Emergency department thoracotomy (EDT) may be the last chance for survival in some severe thoracic trauma. This study investigates a representative collective with the aim to compare the findings in Europe to the international experience. Moreover, the influence of different levels of trauma care is investigated. METHODS: All emergency thoracotomies in patients with an ISS ≥ 9 from TR-DGU (2009-2014) within the first 60 min after arrival were identified. EDTs were identified separately, and mini thoracotomies and drainage systems were excluded. RESULTS: 99,013 patients with sufficient data were observed. 1736 (1.8%) received thoracotomy during their hospital stay. 887 patients had a thoracotomy within the first hour in the emergency department (ED). 52.5% were treated in supraregional trauma centers (STC), 36.4% in regional (RTC) and 11.0% in local trauma centers (LTC). The mortality rates were 39.4% (STC), 20.9% (RTC) and 20.8% (LTC). The overall mortality rate showed no significant differences for blunt (28.2%) and penetrating trauma (31.3%). In case of cardiac arrest in the ED, a survival rate of 4.8% for blunt trauma and 20.7% for penetrating trauma was determined if EDT was carried out. Those patients showed a higher rate in severe thoracic organ injuries due to penetrating trauma but less extrathoracic injuries. CONCLUSION: Just over half of EDTs were performed in STC. Emergency room resuscitation followed by EDT had survival rates of 4.8% and 20.7% for blunt and penetrating traumapatients, respectively.