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Paul J Schenarts

Publications and source records attributed to Paul J Schenarts.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Rural trauma recidivism: a different disease.

HYPOTHESIS: Unlike the well-characterized urban trauma recidivist (RC), factors associated with the rural RC remain undefined. In an attempt to devise preventative strategies, we theorized that the rural RC profile would be similar to that of urban counterparts. DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: Rural, university-affiliated, level I trauma center. PATIENTS: All trauma patients admitted between January 1, 1994, and December 30, 2002. INTERVENTIONS: Identification and characterization of rural trauma RCs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Trauma recidivism incidence, risk factors, and cost. RESULTS: Of 15 370 consecutive admissions, 528 (3.4%) were RCs. Demographic comparisons to a non-RC cohort demonstrated rural RCs to be significantly older (mean +/- SD age, 55.9 +/- 24.8 vs 39.7 +/- 24.1 years), disproportionately white (65.2% [344/528] vs 56.5% [8386/14 842]), and more likely female (49.1% [259/528] vs 37.3% [5537/14 842]) (P<.001 for all). Clinical comparisons revealed significant associations between recidivism and substance abuse. The percentage of positive blood ethanol screen results (58.7% [310/528] vs 39.9% [5923/14 842]) and the mean +/- SD blood ethanol content (132.1 +/- 139.9 mg/dL [28.7 +/- 30.4 mmol/L] vs 69.5 +/- 114.4 mg/dL [15.1 +/- 24.8 mmol/L]) were higher for RCs (P<.001 for both). In addition, cocaine use was significantly higher in the RC cohort (6.4% [34/528] vs 4.1% [607/14 842]; P=.02). The total cost for all RC admissions exceeded $7 million. CONCLUSIONS: The rural RC profile is strikingly different from urban counterparts. The common feature seems to be substance abuse. Correspondingly, prevention strategies for recidivism must be considerably different among rural and urban populations.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Predicting the need for early tracheostomy: a multifactorial analysis of 992 intubated trauma patients.

BACKGROUND: Tracheostomy has few, severe risks, while prolonged endotracheal intubation causes morbidity. The need for tracheostomy was assessed, based on early clinical parameters. METHODS: Adult trauma patients (January 1994-August 2004), intubated for resuscitation, ventilated >24 hours, were retrospectively evaluated for demographics, physiology, brain, and pulmonary injury. Tracheostomy patients were compared with those without. Chi-square, Mann-Whitney, and multivariate logistic regression were used with statistical significance at p < 0.05.* RESULTS: Of 992 patients, 430 (43%) underwent tracheostomy at 9.22 +/- 5.7 days. Risk factors were age (45.6* +/- 18.8 vs. 36.7 +/- 15.9, OR: 2.1 (18 years increments), ISS (30.3* +/- 12.5 vs. 22.0 +/- 10.3, OR: 2.1 (12u increments), damage control (DC) [68%*(n = 51) vs. 32%*(n = 51), OR: 3.8], craniotomy [70%*(n = 21) versus 30%(n = 9), OR: 2.6], and intracranial pressure monitor (ICP) [65.4%*(n = 87) vs. 34.6%(n = 46), OR: 2.1]. A 100% tracheostomy rate (n = 30, 3.0%) occurred with ISS (injury severity score) = 75, ISS >or=50, and age >or=55, admit/24 hour GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale) = 3 and age >or=70, AIS abdomen, chest or extremities >or=5 and age >or=60, bilateral pulmonary contusions (BPC) and >or=8 rib fractures, craniotomy and age >or=50, craniotomy with intracranial pressure (ICP) and age >or=40, or craniotomy and GCS or=90% (n = 105, 10.6%) was found with ISS >or=54, ISS >or=40, and age >or=40, admit/24 hour GCS = 3 and age >or=55, paralysis and age >or=40, BPC and age >or=55.A tracheostomy rate >or=80% (n = 248, 25.0%) occurred with ISS >or=38, age >or=80, admit/24 hour GCS = 3 and age >or=45, DC and age >or=50, BPC and age >or=50, aspiration and age >or=55, craniotomy with ICP, craniotomy with GCS or=90% risk undergo early tracheostomy and that it is considered in the >or=80% risk group to potentially decreased morbidity, increased patient comfort, and optimize resource utilization.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome: Turning minor injuries into a major problem.

BACKGROUND: Abrupt cessation of chronic drinking patterns places hospitalized patients at risk for alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of AWS on length of stay, morbidity, mortality, and cost in low injury acuity trauma patients. METHODS: A retrospective review of the National Trauma Registry of the American College of Surgeons database from July 1999 to February 2004 was performed. All patients 15 years or older admitted to our Level I trauma center with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) <16 were included. AWS patients were compared with those without AWS. Demographics, mechanism of injury (MOI), ISS, revised trauma score, Glasgow Coma score, hospital course, morbidity, requirement of additional procedures, mortality, and cost were compared. Analysis was done with chi2 test and Student's t test. A p value of < or =0.05 determined significance. RESULTS: Of 6,431 patients, 55 (0.9%) developed AWS. AWS patients were likely men (p < 0.001); had a higher ISS (p = 0.001) and lower Glasgow Coma score (p = 0.01); had more ventilator days (p = 0.008), intensive care unit days (p < 0.0001), and hospital days (p < 0.0001); suffered more complications, including respiratory failure (p < 0.0001), pneumonia (p < 0.0001), urinary tract infection (p = 0.0005), sepsis (p < 0.0001), tracheostomy (p < 0.0001), and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (p < 0.0001); and had higher cost (p < 0.0001). Mortality was similar (p = 0.38) among groups. CONCLUSIONS: Low injury acuity patients with AWS have increased morbidity, leading to increased hospital stay and cost. To allow minor injuries to remain minor problems, the best modality to identify patients at risk and to achieve AWS prophylaxis require further investigation.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Language barrier leads to the unnecessary intubation of trauma patients.

Airway evaluation in trauma patients is performed immediately upon patient contact, with communication being a vital component to this exam. Language and communication barriers may lead to the unnecessary placement of an artificial airway with resultant patient risk and elevation of health care costs. The objective of our study was to evaluate potentially preventable intubations in Spanish-speaking patients. A 9-year retrospective review was performed using the National Trauma Registry for The American College of Surgeons (NTRACS) database. We evaluated patients intubated on arrival to the trauma center and remaining intubated for less than 48 hours. Deaths were excluded. Patients who typically speak English were compared with patients who typically speak Spanish. Mechanism of injury (MOI), hypotension during resuscitation (HDR), illicit substance use, alcohol use, mean Glasgow Coma Score (GCS), mean Injury Severity Score (ISS), payer source, and hospital cost were compared. Forty-nine per cent and 38 per cent of Spanish and English speaking individuals, respectively, were intubated for less than 48 hours (P = 0.072). MOI, HDR, ISS, illicit substance use, alcohol use, and payer source were similar. GCS was statistically higher in the Spanish-speaking group (14 vs 12; P = 0.004). Language and communication barriers lead to potentially preventable intubations in trauma patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Clinical predictors of subtherapeutic aminoglycoside levels in trauma patients undergoing once-daily dosing.

BACKGROUND: After publication of the Hartford nomogram in 1995, conflicting data have emerged regarding the use of once-daily aminoglycoside (ODA) regimens in critically ill patients. The purpose of this study was to characterize a trauma patient population with low 10-hour aminoglycoside levels (THL) within the Hartford ODA protocol. METHODS: Patients admitted to a Level I trauma center who received aminoglycosides were eligible for study. Clinical and demographic data were prospectively collected. Patients were dosed according to the Hartford protocol and a THL was obtained. Patients with THL < 2.0 microg/mL (OFF cohort) were compared with those falling within the nomogram (ON cohort). RESULTS: Of 79 patients receiving ODA therapy, 46 (58.2%) patients fell off the nomogram. The OFF cohort was associated with younger age and higher creatinine clearance, and related inversely to net resuscitative volume. CONCLUSION: Trauma patients undergoing ODA therapy with low THL are younger and exhibit less net preaminoglycoside resuscitative volume and higher creatinine clearance. These findings may have important clinical implications regarding antibiotic efficacy in these select patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Popliteal artery trauma in a rural level I trauma center.

Popliteal vascular trauma has historically been an urban phenomenon. We hypothesized that rural popliteal artery injury would result more often from blunt mechanisms of injury (MOI), have a longer time to operation, and result in a higher amputation rate. We retrospectively reviewed all cases of popliteal artery injury from December 1994 to May 2001 at our rural trauma center. Age, gender, Injury Severity Score (ISS), MOI, scene transport versus transfer from a referring hospital, time to operation, and operative times were studied. Significance was determined by Student's t test with a P value < or = 0.05. Thirty-two popliteal artery injuries were found. Blunt trauma accounted for 50 per cent of the injuries. Eighty-eight per cent of the patients were transferred from a referring hospital. Patients transported directly from the scene had a higher ISS. Longer operative times translated into an increased need for fasciotomy. The amputation rate was 19 per cent. This is the first attempt to delineate the specific nature of rural popliteal artery trauma. The amputation rate was not different between the two different MOI and was independent of the time to operation. Of those patients receiving an amputation 83 per cent were transferred from another hospital and despite a statistically lower ISS still required an amputation.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

The relationship of Injury Severity Score and Glasgow Coma Score to rehabilitative potential in patients suffering traumatic brain injury.

The predictive utility of the Injury Severity Score (ISS) and Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) in relation to rehabilitative potential and functional outcome in traumatic brain injury (TBI) is untested. The purpose of this study was to define the relationship of ISS and GCS to rehabilitative potential using the functional independence measure (FIM) score. Trauma and inpatient rehabilitation (IR) registries were queried for demographic, disposition, and injury scoring data. FIM scores at admission (A) and discharge (D) were assessed including IR FIM gain (G). Analysis of variance was used to examine the relationship of ISS and GCS to FIM with predictive utility investigated through bivariate analysis. Of 5488 patients admitted to a Level I trauma center (1999-2000) 1437 suffered TBI with 285 (20%) entering IR. Compared with low-ISS patients the high-ISS patients had significantly lower FIM-A and FIM-D, but FIM-G was static. GCS results were similar, excluding FIM-G which was significantly higher for GCS < or = 8 compared with GCS > 8. Bivariate analysis revealed no ISS correlation with FIM-G (r = 0.16) and a weak GCS correlation (FIM-G r = -0.15). As prospective predictive measures ISS and GCS correlate weakly with rehabilitative potential in TBI patients. Severely injured patients including those with severe TBI have a rehabilitative gain toward functional independence that is similar to that of when compared with those less severely injured.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Effects of manganese superoxide dismutase, when given after inhalation injury has been established.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether treatment with manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), given intravenously after inhalation injury has been established, improves oxygenation and lung fluid balance. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled intervention trial. SETTING: University research laboratory. SUBJECTS: Twenty-four chronically instrumented awake ewes with lung lymph fistulas. INTERVENTIONS: After smoke inhalation with 48 breaths of cotton smoke, the animals were assigned randomly to a control group (n = 6) or a treatment group, receiving 1000 units of MnSOD/kg (n = 6), 3000 units of MnSOD/kg (n = 6), or 9000 units of MnSOD/kg (n = 6) intravenously 1 hr after smoke inhalation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Different from the other three groups, in the group that received 3000 units of MnSOD, cardiac output and Pao2/Fio2 ratio did not significantly decrease throughout the experimental period. Apart from higher oxygen consumption in the group receiving 3000 units of MnSOD 24 hrs after smoke inhalation (263 +/- 44 mL/min vs. 182 +/- 36 mL/min; p < 0.05), no significant differences between treatment groups and control group were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with MnSOD given after smoke inhalation seems to be less effective then pretreatment with MnSOD, which was reported in previous studies to reduce the degree of inhalation injury.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Low-dose dopamine: a physiologically based review.

BACKGROUND: In an attempt to prevent or alter the course of acute renal failure, many surgeons continue to use low-dose dopamine. This article critically reviews the physiologic reasons why low-dose dopamine is not clinically efficacious. METHODS: A critical review of English language literature. RESULTS: The effect of dopamine on renal blood flow remains controversial. If dopamine does increase renal blood flow, the vascular anatomy of the kidney would limit its effectiveness. Rather than improving renal function, dopamine has been shown to impair renal oxygen kinetics, inhibit feedback systems that protect the kidney from ischemia, and may worsen tubular injury. Dopamine has not been proven useful in the prevention or alteration of the course of acute renal failure as a result of heart failure, cardiac surgery, abdominal aortic surgery, sepsis, and transplantation. Dopamine has been associated with multiple complications involving the cardiovascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and immune systems. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the anatomy and physiology of the kidney, low-dose dopamine would not be expected to improve renal failure and this has been demonstrated by the lack of efficacy in clinical trials.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Myths and realities of the 80-hour work week.

BACKGROUND: Myths are so ingrained into cultural traditions that emotion frequently overshadows a rational evaluation of the facts. The reduction in resident work hours has resulted in the formation of several myths. The purpose of this review is to examine the published data on resident work hours to separate out myth from reality. METHODS: An electronic database was searched for publications related to resident training, work-hours, continuity of care, sleep deprivation, quality of life, patient safety, clinical/operative experience, faculty work hours, and surgical education. RESULTS: Sleep deprivation has been shown to be harmful, and residents played a role in advocating for work-hour limits. Surgical residents have seen a less dramatic improvement in quality of life compared with other disciplines. Work-hour reductions have decreased participation in clinic but have not resulted in a significant decline in clinical or operative exposure. Limiting resident work hours will unlikely result in a decrease health-care cost. Reduction in resident work hours has not resulted in an improvement or deterioration in patient outcome. Reduction of work hours has not increased faculty work hours nor made surgery a more attractive career choice. CONCLUSIONS: Despite strongly held opinions, resident work-hour reduction has resulted in little significant change in lifestyle, clinical exposure, patient well-being, faculty work hours, or medical student recruitment.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A collaborative systems approach to rural burn care.

A collaborative systems approach was created between the regional verified burn center (BC) and the rural verified Level 1 trauma center (TC) to treat minor burns. This study assesses the feasibility of providing outpatient burn care at the TC. A retrospective review was performed from January 2000 to June 2005 of burn patients seen at the TC. Seven trauma/critical care surgeons and a dedicated burn nurse staffed the clinic twice a week. Burn surgeons from the BC provided consultation via email and telephone links and served as the regional resource. In the TC clinic, 314 injuries occurred in 311 patients. 196 patients were male with an average age of 34.5 +/- 1.1 years. The mean burn TBSA was 2.9 +/- 0.2%. Fourteen patients (4%) required skin grafts. Patients averaged 3.5 +/- 0.1 clinic visits over a mean follow-up period of 42.9 +/- 7.4 days from initial injury. There were 1252 scheduled appointments during the study period. Silver sulfadiazine or triple antibiotic ointment was applied in the majority of the cases. Thirty-one patients (9.9%) were documented to have complications, most of which were local wound infections. Long-term sequelae (scarring, chronic pain, and contractures) occurred in 13.4% of patients. Clinical success in outpatient burn care can be achieved at a non burn center with dedicated personnel. The successful collaboration between the BC and TC can unload some minor burn care from the burn center, while providing good clinical care to the local rural population.

Adolescent↗