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BACKGROUND: Data on duration of antibiotics in patients managed with an open abdomen (OA) due to intra-abdominal infection (IAI) are scarce. We hypothesized that patients with IAI managed with OA rather than closed abdomen (CA) would have higher rates of secondary infections (SIs) independent of the duration of the antibiotic treatment. METHODS: This was an observational, prospective, multicenter, international study of patients with IAI requiring laparotomy for source control. Demographic and antibiotic duration values were collected. Primary outcomes were SI (surgical site, bloodstream, pneumonia, urinary tract) and mortality. Statistical analysis included ANOVA, chi-square/Fisher’s exact test, and logistic regression. RESULTS: Twenty-one centers contributed 752 patients. The average age was 59.6 years, 43.6% were women, and 43.9% were managed with OA. Overall mortality was 16.1%, with higher rates among OA patients (31.6% vs 4.4%, p < 0.001). OA patients had higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (4.7 vs 1.8, p < 0.001), American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status (3.6 vs 2.7, p < 0.001), and APACHE II scores (16.1 vs 9.4, p < 0.001). The mean duration of antibiotics was 6.5 days (8.0 OA vs 5.4 CA, p < 0.001). A total of 179 (23.8%) patients developed SI (33.1% OA vs 16.8% CA, p < 0.001). Longer antibiotic duration was associated with increased rates of SI: 1 to 2 days, 15.8%; 3 to 5 days, 20.4%; 6 to 14 days, 26.6%; and more than 14 days, 46.8% (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with IAI managed with OA had higher rates of SI and increased mortality compared with CA. A prolonged duration of antibiotics was associated with increased rates of SI. Increased antibiotic duration is not associated with improved outcomes in patients with IAI and OA.

Abstract Background: The use of cold whole blood (WB) is rapidly resurging as one of the treatment modalities of choice for the initial resuscitation of civilian trauma patients across the United States. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of cold whole blood (WB) as compared to blood component therapy (BCT) in resuscitation of civilian trauma patients. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of trauma patients who received at least one unit of WB transfusion during emergent resuscitation between November 2015 and October 2019 at a level I trauma center. Primary outcome was mortality up to 30 days after trauma. Secondary outcomes included overall blood product utilization and incidence of transfusion reactions. Outcomes were compared between patients who received WB and a cohort receiving BCT who did not receive WB matched for age, sex, mechanism of injury, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, Glasgow Coma Scale, injury severity score, and FAST results. Results: We included 78 patients who received WB transfusion and 78 matched controls. Within 30 days of injury, there were 19 deaths (24.4%) in the WB cohort and 28 (35.9%) deaths in controls (hazard ratio 0.62, 95% CI 0.33 to 1.15, p = 0.086). Patients in the WB cohort received as many units of blood products as controls (median number of units was 10 (IQR 6, 20) vs. 12 (IQR 6, 23), p = 0.43). The incidence of any transfusion reactions was similar between groups (7.7% in WB vs 9.0% in controls, p = 0.78). Life-threatening reactions did not occur in any of the groups. Conclusions: There was no mortality difference between patients receiving cold WB and BCT. Cold WB was safe in this cohort with no life-threatening transfusion reactions.

Background The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) has developed a grading system for emergency general surgery (EGS) conditions. We sought to validate the AAST EGS grades for patients undergoing urgent/emergent colorectal resection. Methods Patients enrolled in the “Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma Multicenter Colorectal Resection in EGS—to anastomose or not to anastomose” study undergoing urgent/emergent surgery for obstruction, ischemia, or diverticulitis were included. Baseline demographics, comorbidity severity as defined by Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), procedure type, and AAST grade were prospectively collected. Outcomes included length of stay (LOS) in-hospital mortality, and surgical complications (superficial/deep/organ-space surgical site infection, anastomotic leak, stoma complication, fascial dehiscence, and need for further intervention). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to describe outcomes and risk factors for surgical complication or mortality. Results There were 367 patients, with a mean (± SD) age of 62 ± 15 years. 39% were women. The median interquartile range (IQR) CCI was 4 (2-6). Overall, the pathologies encompassed the following AAST EGS grades: I (17, 5%), II (54, 15%), III (115, 31%), IV (95, 26%), and V (86, 23%). Management included laparoscopic (24, 7%), open (319, 87%), and laparoscopy converted to laparotomy (24, 6%). Higher AAST grade was associated with laparotomy ( P = .01). The median LOS was 13 days (8-22). At least 1 surgical complication occurred in 33% of patients and the mortality rate was 14%. Development of at least 1 surgical complication, need for unplanned intervention, mortality, and increased LOS were associated with increasing AAST severity grade. On multivariable analysis, factors predictive of in-hospital mortality included AAST organ grade, CCI, and preoperative vasopressor use (odds ratio (OR) 1.9, 1.6, 3.1, respectively). The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma emergency general surgery grade was also associated with the development of at least 1 surgical complication (OR 2.5), while CCI, preoperative vasopressor use, respiratory failure, and pneumoperitoneum were not. Conclusion The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma emergency general surgery grading systems display construct validity for mortality and surgical complications after urgent/emergent colorectal resection. These results support incorporation of AAST EGS grades for quality benchmarking and surgical outcomes research.

Background There are limited studies regarding the impact of post-operative leak on perforated peptic ulcer disease (PPUD) and conflicting results regarding routine drain placement in operative repair of PPUD. This study aims to identify risk factors for gastrointestinal leak after operative repair of PPUD to better guide intra-operative decisions about drain placement. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study at a tertiary care center from 2008 to 2019, identifying 175 patients who underwent operative repair of PPUD. Results Patients who developed a leak (17%) were compared to patients who did not. Both hypoalbuminemia (albumin < 3.5 g/dL) ( P = .03) and duodenal ulcers ( P < .01) were identified as significant risk factors for leak. No significant difference was found between leak and no leak groups for AAST disease severity grade, repair technique, or pre-operative use of tobacco, alcohol, or steroids. Post-operative leaks were associated with prolonged hospital stay (29 days compared to 10, P < .01), increased complication rates (77% compared to 48%, P < .01), and increased re-operation rates (73% compared to 26%, <0.01). No difference was identified in patient characteristics or operative leak rates between patients who had drains placed at the index operation and those that did not. Discussion Leak after operative PPUD repair is associated with significant post-operative morbidity. Hypoalbuminemia and duodenal perforations are significant risk factors for post-operative leaks.

Background To describe the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency general surgery operative volumes during governmental shutdowns secondary to the pandemic and characterize differences in disease severity, morbidity, and mortality during this time compared to previous years. Methods This retrospective cohort study compares patients who underwent emergency general surgery operations at a tertiary hospital from March 1st to May 31st of 2020 to 2019. Average emergent cases per day were analyzed, comparing identical date ranges between 2020 (pandemic group) and 2019 (control group). Secondary analysis was performed analyzing disease severity, morbidity, and mortality. Results From March 1st to May 31st, 2020, 2.5 emergency general surgery operations were performed on average daily compared to 3.0 operations on average daily in 2019, a significant decrease ( P = .03). No significant difference was found in presenting disease severity, morbidity, or mortality between the pandemic and control groups. Discussion This study demonstrates a decrease of 65% in emergency general surgery operations during governmental restrictions secondary to the COVID-19 pandemic. This decrease in operations was not associated with worse disease severity, morbidity, or mortality.

AbstractBackgroundComprehensive analysis of trauma care between high‐, middle‐, and low‐income countries (HIC/MIC/LIC) is needed to improve global health. Comparison of HIC and MIC outcomes after damage control laparotomy (DCL) for patients is unknown. We evaluated DCL utilization among patients treated at high‐volume trauma centers in the USA and South Africa, an MIC, hypothesizing similar mortality outcomes despite differences in resources and setting.MethodsPost hoc analysis of prospectively collected trauma databases from participating centers was performed. Injury severity, physiologic, operative data and post‐operative outcomes were abstracted. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to assess differences between HIC/MIC for the primary outcome of mortality.ResultsThere were 967 HIC and 602 MIC patients who underwent laparotomy. DCL occurred in 144 MIC patients (25%) and 241 HIC (24%) patients. Most sustained (58%) penetrating trauma with higher rates in the MIC compared to the HIC (71 vs. 32%, p = 0.001). Between groups, no differences were found for admission physiology, coagulopathy, or markers of shock except for increased presence of hypotension among patients in the HIC. Crystalloid infusion volumes were greater among MIC patients, and MIC patients received fewer blood products than those in the HIC. Overall mortality was 30% with similar rates between groups (29 in HIC vs. 33% in MIC, p = 0.4). On regression, base excess and penetrating injury were independent predictors of mortality but not patient residential status.ConclusionUse and survival of DCL for patients with severe abdominal trauma was similar between trauma centers in HIC and MIC settings despite increased penetrating trauma and less transfusion in the MIC center. While the results overall suggest no gap in care for patients requiring DCL in this MIC, it highlights improvements that can be made in damage control resuscitation.

Abstract Background The pediatric resuscitation and trauma outcome (PRESTO) model was developed to aid comparisons of risk‐adjusted mortality after injury in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs). We sought to validate PRESTO using data from a middle‐income country (MIC) trauma registry and compare its performance to the Pediatric Trauma Score (PTS), Revised Trauma Score, and pediatric age‐adjusted shock index (SIPA). Methods We included children (age < 15 years) admitted to a single trauma center in South Africa from December 2012 to January 2019. We excluded patients missing variables necessary for the PRESTO model—age, systolic blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation, neurologic status, and airway support. Trauma scores were assigned retrospectively. PRESTO's previously high‐income country (HIC)‐validated optimal threshold was compared to MIC‐validated threshold using area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC). Prediction of in‐hospital death using trauma scoring systems was compared using ROC analysis. Results Of 1160 injured children, 988 (85%) had complete data for calculation of PRESTO. Median age was 7 (IQR: 4, 11), and 67% were male. Mortality was 2% ( n = 23). Mean predicted mortality was 0.5% (range 0–25.7%, AUROC 0.93). Using the HIC‐validated threshold, PRESTO had a sensitivity of 26.1% and a specificity of 99.7%. The MIC threshold showed a sensitivity of 82.6% and specificity of 89.4%. The MIC threshold yielded superior discrimination (AUROC 0.86 [CI 0.78, 0.94]) compared to the previously established HIC threshold (0.63 [CI 0.54, 0.72], p < 0.0001). PRESTO showed superior prediction of in‐hospital death compared to PTS and SIPA (all p < 0.01). Conclusion PRESTO can be applied in MIC settings and discriminates between children at risk for in‐hospital death following trauma. Further research should clarify optimal decision thresholds for quality improvement and benchmarking in LMIC settings.