Pantaleone Placanica

Publications (2)0 Total impact

• Article: [Management of maxillofacial injuries in an emergency unit: our experience].

  Fausto Famà, Antonio Beccaria, Consolato Malara, Pantaleone Placanica, Francesco Cucinotta, Antonino Caruso, Concetta Estollere, Giuseppina Versace, Nadia Latorre, Donatella Foti, Roberto Falzea, Francesco De Ponte, Maria Antonietta Gioffrè-Florio
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  ABSTRACT: Maxillofacial injuries are relatively frequent. These may be complicated by cranioencephalic injuries or large facial wounds. We report our experience with the initial management of these lesions in an emergency unit setting. In 2007, we observed 105 patients with maxillofacial injuries. Maxillofacial injuries were associated with cranio-encephalic injuries in 69 patients (65.7%) and with polytrauma in 31(29.5%), while in 5 cases (4.8%) they were isolated. The main causes of trauma were motorcycle accidents (60%). All patients were treated in accordance with the Advanced Trauma Life Support guidelines and assessed by computed tomography. No mortality was observed after diagnosis in the emergency unit or in the month following the trauma. Seventy-seven patients (73.3%) were admitted and 28 (26.7%) were treated and discharged. Accurate diagnosis and appropriate initial management yield good clinical outcomes with functional restoration and fewer aesthetic complications.
  Chirurgia italiana 61(1):55-60.
• Article: [Management of polytrauma: our experience].

  Maria Gioffrè Florio, Fausto Famà, Grazia Gullo, Giancarlo Buccheri, Antonio Beccaria, Antonino Caruso, Francesco Cucinotta, Concetta Estollere, Consolato Malara, Marcello Mamo, Lauretta Manti, Pantaleone Placanica, Giuseppina Versace
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  ABSTRACT: In the advanced nations trauma represents the third cause of death after cardiovascular diseases and tumours. Recently, great importance has been given to the need to treat traumas as quickly as possible in order to reduce mortality and morbidity. Prompt management of is the gold standard in the emergency setting and the phrase "golden hour" is now commonly used. The authors report on their experience with the management of multiple trauma, through the study of 617 clinical cases. Patients were evaluated with the Revised Trauma Score (RTS), Injury Severity Score (ISS) and Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS). Of 420 (68%) cases of major trauma only one patient had ISS > 60. Patients were admitted on average after 47 +/- 18 min. Only two deaths occurred in the emergency unit. The task of the emergency unit is to stabilise the patients, anticipate the complications, including mainly shock and multiple organ failure, optimizing time, interventions and resources to reduce morbidity and mortality.
  Chirurgia italiana 57(4):485-9.