OBJECTIVES Diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL) is used to detect intraperitoneal bleeding in patients sustaining blunt and penetrating abdominal trauma. The procedure should be performed by an experienced general surgeon, and the fluid obtained analysed by haematology technicians. Current Advanced Trauma Life Support guidelines are very clear on what constitutes a positive result, mandating lapa...

The purpose of this study was to examine the acute outcomes and mortality rates of an Advanced Trauma Life Support guideline approach for managing hemodynamically unstable pelvic ring injuries. We retrospectively reviewed the acute outcomes of 48 consecutive patients with hemodynamically unstable pelvic fractures. Patients underwent treatment via the advanced trauma life support protocol, with ...

STUDY TYPE  Case series Introduction:  Craniocervical dissociation (CCD) is an uncommon and frequently fatal injury with few reports in the literature of survivors. Advances in automobile safety and improved emergency medical services have resulted in increased survival. Timely diagnosis and treatment are imperative for optimal outcome. Regrettably, the presence of multiple life threatening inj...

BACKGROUND Discrepancy between X-ray readings of emergency physicians (EPs) versus radiologists was reported between 0.95% and 16.8% in different studies. The discordance was even higher when specific studies such as chest X-rays (CXR) were probed. OBJECTIVES This prospective study was conducted to assess the discrepancies between emergency and radiology departments with respect to interpreta...

Unstable pelvic fractures very frequently occur with haemorrhage, not only from the broken pelvis but from the presacral venous plexus and/or iliac arterial or venous branches which may cause hypotension and increases the mortality rate. Very often this type of injury is concurrent with injuries in other organ systems. The compounded nature of these injuries makes it necessary for doctors who m...

To cite: Gouk C, Mohanakrishnan N, Keen EJ. BMJ Case Rep Published online: [please include Day Month Year] doi:10.1136/ bcr-2015-210155 DESCRIPTION A 44-year-old man was brought to the hospital by ambulance with a severely deformed right femur following a motorbike accident. The initial deformity was reduced on-site, but the ambulance crew provided a pre-reduction photograph (figure 1). The pat...