Failure to recognize popliteal artery injury and restore vessel continuity of flow after blunt trauma is a major cause of lower extremity amputation and morbidity. A high index of suspicion and early recognition of the injury are paramount for limb salvage. We experienced a rare case of poplitial artery occlusion with the presence of arterial pulses due to collateral circulation after blunt tra...

INTRODUCTION Electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities in patients with blunt chest trauma are diverse and non-specific, but may be indicative of potentially life-threatening conditions. CASE PRESENTATION We report a rare case of pneumopericardium with extreme ECG abnormalities after blunt chest trauma in a 22-year-old male. The diagnosis was confirmed using computed tomography (CT) scanning. The...

T raumatic blunt injury to the thoracic aorta is a devastating condition that can lead to immediate death at the time of injury in the majority of cases, due in part to either aortic transection or acute rupture.1 Although blunt aortic injury accounts for fewer than 1% of all adult level I trauma center admissions, this condition represents the second most common cause of death due to blunt inj...

INTRODUCTION — Blunt chest trauma puts multiple structures at risk of injury. In addition to direct trauma, rapid deceleration and other mechanisms can cause injury to thoracic structures. Major concerns include chest wall injury, such as rib fractures or flail chest, cardiovascular injury, such as blunt aortic injury or cardiac contusion, and pulmonary injury, such as contusions or lacerations...

BACKGROUND Major bile leak after blunt liver trauma is rare but challenging. It usually requires endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) for management. However, there is still lack of specific indications. The aim of this study is to elucidate risk factors for major bile leak and indications for early ERC after blunt liver trauma. METHODS The trauma registry of a level I trauma center in...

BACKGROUND Canadian trauma units have relatively little experience with major cardiac trauma (disruption of a cardiac chamber) so injury outcome may not be comparable to that reported from other countries. We compared our outcomes to those of other centers. METHODS Records of patients suffering major cardiac trauma over a nine-year period were reviewed. Factors predictive of outcome were anal...

Background Currently, almost all patients with probable abdominal injury undergo urinalysis in emergency department (ED). The present survey was conducted with the aim of assessing the diagnostic values of urinalysis compare with abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan with contrast for predicting possible intra-abdominal injuries in children affected by blunt trauma. Materials and Methods: The...

Blunt trauma is uncommonly followed by intracardiac valvar injuries. The resulting valvar insufficiency rapidly or progressively leads to congestive heart failure or death unless surgically corrected. Three patients with sustained blunt chest trauma were found to have two aortic valve and one mitral valve ruptures. They had variable clinical courses. However, after the diagnosis was established...

Over the past 15 years, there have been dramatic changes in the management of blunt hepatic trauma, specifically in the imaging techniques, and in the non-operative management. Actually, in more than 80% of blunt hepatic trauma, non operative management is used. In the last 20% the surgical option has to be taken without delay, sometimes in extreme emergency, using the adapted surgical techniqu...