OBJECTIVE This study aims to review a series of deaths by trauma in a large metropolis. The intention is to identify preventable causes of death. METHODS We prospectively studied 500 unselected and consecutive cases of death associated with trauma. The study variables were: mechanism of injury, etiology, site of injury, surgical intervention, medical malpractice, damaged organs and the preven...

T is a recommended algorithm of the Western Trauma Association for the management of penetrating neck trauma that has penetrated the platysma muscle of the neck. Because of the paucity of recent prospective randomized trials on the evaluation and management of penetrating neck injury, the current algorithm and recommendations are based on available published prospective cohort, observational, a...

Principles of penetrating head trauma management were established by Harvey Cushing in relation to the management of penetrating brain injuries of World War One. Cushing radically debrided the scalp and skull and aggressively irrigated wound tracks to remove foreign bodies. He would then obtain water-tight closure. Cushing significantly decreased infection rates which reportedly limited the maj...

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare intra-abdominal malignancy. Its aetiology has been thought to be due to either inhalation or ingestion of asbestos particles. We present a case of peritoneal mesothelioma developing as a result of a novel third route and the inoculation of fibres into the peritoneal cavity by penetrating trauma and direct transport. This case report highlights the important lon...

T is a recommended algorithm of the Western Trauma Association for the acute management of penetrating chest injury. Because of the paucity of recent prospective randomized trials on the evaluation and management of penetrating chest injury, the current algorithms and recommendations are based on available published cohort, observational and retrospective studies, and the expert opinion of the ...

Hemothorax is defined as a bleeding into pleural cavity. Hemothorax is a frequent manifestation of blunt chest trauma. Some authors suggested a hematocrit value more than 50% for differentiation of a hemothorax from a sanguineous pleural effusion. Hemothorax is also often associated with penetrating chest injury or chest wall blunt chest wall trauma with skeletal injury. Much less common, it ma...

This is a case report about the anterior segment findings of epithelial ingrowth in a young female patient after penetrating trauma. The patient underwent multiple surgeries after penetrating trauma and epithelial ingrowth was noted on regular follow-up. Epithelial ingrowth was noted along the inner surface of corneal endothelium along with the presence of cysts. These findings suggest that epi...

Non-penetrating chest trauma commonly causes a wide variety of cardiac injuries. Disruption of the aortic valve with resultant aortic regurgitation is not uncommon; conversely, a sinus of Valsalva-right atrial fistula, in the absence of a congenital sinus of Valsalva aneurysm, has been reported only once previously. This report describes the detection by preoperative cardiac catheterisation of ...

Foreign body migration into the vasculature and subsequent embolization is a rare complication of both medical procedures and penetrating trauma. Endovascular filters, wires, and pins have been found to travel through the vasculature resulting in a variety of complications, including death [1]. In the case of penetrating trauma, the incidence of bullet migration into the vasculature is approxim...

Penetrating abdominal trauma often causes bowel injuries which may lead to "short bowel syndrome" which is a potential indication for bowel transplantation. Posttraumatic pseudoaneurysms of abdominal arteries are often a result of penetrating abdominal trauma. We report a successful embolisation of posttraumatic superior mesenteric artery (SMA) branch pseudoaneurysm using microcoil, in a patien...