Publications (2)2.48 Total impact
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Article: Necrotizing soft tissue infections: delayed surgical treatment is associated with increased number of surgical debridements and morbidity.
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ABSTRACT: Early surgical treatment is crucial in the management of necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTI), a severe, potentially life threatening, rapidly progressive infection. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of surgical procedure timing on the number of surgical debridements required. A retrospective study including 47 patients with the diagnosis of NSTI admitted to a large academic hospital from December 2004 to December 2010 was conducted. Demographics, basic laboratories on admission, medical comorbidities, site of infection, and intraoperative culture results were compared between patients with early (≤12 hour) and late (>12 hour) surgical treatment. The x-y plot for the study population and linear regression analyses were used to define the time cut point. Outcomes included the total number of debridements, mortality, hospital length of stay, and complications. Adjustment for confounding factors was done with binary regression logistic model for categorical outcomes and analysis of covariants for continuous outcomes. Overall mortality was 17.0%. The average number of surgical debridements in patients with delay surgical treatment >12 hours from the time of emergency department admission was significantly higher than those who had an operation within 12 hours after admission (7.4 ± 2.5 vs. 2.3 ± 1.2; p < 0.001). Delayed surgical debridement was associated with significantly higher mortality, higher incidence of septic shock and renal failure, and more surgical debridements than patients with early surgical debridements. After adjusting for possible confounding factors, the average number of surgical debridements and the presence of septic shock and acute renal failure were still significantly higher in patients in whom surgery was delayed >12 hours. In patients with NSTI, a delay of surgical treatment of >12 hours is associated with an increased number of surgical debridements and higher incidence of septic shock and acute renal failure.The Journal of trauma 07/2011; 71(5):1400-5. · 2.48 Impact Factor -
Article: Fatalities of the 2008 Los Angeles train crash: autopsy findings.
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ABSTRACT: Train crashes represent a devastating multicasualty event. The purpose of this study was to analyze the injury severity, specific organ injuries, and cause of death in the fatalities of the 2008 Chatsworth, Los Angeles train crash. This is a review of the medical examiner records of the 25 fatalities in the train crash. The Injury Severity (ISS) Score, body area with severe injuries (Abbreviated Injury Scale [AIS] > or = 4), specific organ injuries, and causes of death were recorded. The immediate cause of death was determined to be the most severe or most rapidly fatal injury in the opinion of the reviewers. A total of 25 fatalities occurred, including 24 victims who were pronounced dead at the accident scene and one who died 4 days later in the hospital. One victim did not undergo full autopsy. All of the decedents were located in the locomotive or in the passenger car immediately behind the locomotive. Overall, 15/24 decedents (63 percent) sustained unsurvivable injuries to at least one body region rendering an ISS of 75. The chest was the most severely injured body area (AIS > or = 4; 18/24, 75 percent), followed by the head (13/24, 54 percent), the extremities (11/24, 46 percent), and the abdomen (7/24, 29 percent). Spinal fractures were recorded in 17/24 (71 percent), and the cervical spine was the most commonly injured site. Thoracic aortic rupture was found in eight cases (33 percent) and cardiac ruptures in five cases (21 percent). The Metrolink train crash in 2008 in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, was the worst train crash in the history of California with 25 fatalities. The most common cause of death was due to chest injury (cardiac and aortic laceration) followed by head injury. This review could aid in improving passenger protection from head-on collision and in further development of head protection in train seats, as well as be useful in disaster planning and a benchmark for future rescue and triage operations.American journal of disaster medicine 6(2):127-31.
