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HOME > J Trauma Inj > Volume 30(1); 2017 > Article
The Impact of Trauma Center Establishment on Laparotomy Patterns and Outcomes in Severe Hemoperitoneum Patients
Min A Lee, Jungnam Lee, Min Chung, Giljae Lee, Jaejeong Park, Kangkook Choi, Byung Chul Yoo
Journal of Trauma and Injury 2017;30(1):6-11
DOI: https://doi.org/10.20408/jti.2017.30.1.6
Published online: March 31, 2017
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Department of Surgery, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University, Incheon, Korea. kane2123@gilhospital.com
Received: 9 November 2016   • Revised: 13 February 2017   • Accepted: 1 March 2017
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PURPOSE
The establishment of the trauma system has changed the quality of trauma care in many countries. As one of the first designated level I trauma centers in Korea, we hypothesized that there were changes in laparotomy patterns and subsequent survival rates after the center was established.
METHODS
This was a 5-year retrospective study of all severe hemoperitoneum patients who were transfused with more than 10 units of packed red blood cells (RBCs) within 24 h of hospitalization. Variables related to trauma were collected throughout the study period, and the patients admitted before (period 1) and after (period 2) the establishment of a trauma center were compared.
RESULTS
Forty-five patients were managed from January 2009 to March 2015. The baseline patient characteristics of the two groups, including age, Injury Severity Score, blood pressure, and hemoglobin levels, were similar. The time to the operating room (OR) was 144.3±51.5 min (period 1) and 79.9±44.1 min (period 2) (p<0.0001). Damage control surgery (DCS) was performed in 17% of patients during period 1 and in 73% during period 2. The number of actual survivors (n=10) was higher than expected (n=8) in period 2.
CONCLUSION
This is the first study analyzing the impact of a trauma center on the management of specific injuries, such as severe hemoperitoneum, in patients in Korea. During the study, the time to OR was shortened and DCS was used to a greater extent as a surgical procedure.

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