Mussel-inspired adhesion chemistry provides a useful alternative to the use of fibrin glues.

Lee JH, et al. J Gastric Cancer. 2010 Dec;10(4):182-187. http://dx.doi.org/10.5230/jgc.2010.10.4.182

Kwon J, et al. J Korean Med Sci. 2022 Nov;37(50):e349. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e349

Although South Korea is a high-income country, its trauma system is comparable to low- and middle-income countries with high preventable trauma death rates of more than 30%. Since 2012, South Korea has established a national trauma system based on the implementation of regional trauma centers and improvement of the transfer system; this study aimed to evaluate its effectiveness. We compared the national preventable trauma death rates, transfer patterns, and outcomes between 2015 and 2017. The review of preventable trauma deaths was conducted by multiple panels, and a severity-adjusted logistic regression model was created to identify factors influencing the preventable trauma death rate. We also compared the number of trauma patients transferred to emergency medical institutions and mortality in models adjusted with injury severity scores. The preventable trauma death rate decreased from 2015 to 2017 (30.5% vs. 19.9%,p< 0.001). In the severity-adjusted model, the preventable trauma death risk had a lower odds ratio (0.68, 95% confidence interval: 0.53–0.87,p= 0.002) in 2017 than in 2015. Regional trauma centers received 1.6 times more severe cases in 2017 (according to the International Classification of Diseases Injury Severity Score [ICISS]; 23.1% vs. 36.5%). In the extended ICISS model, the overall trauma mortality decreased significantly from 2.1% (1008/47 806) to 1.9% (1062/55 057) (p= 0.041). The establishment of the national trauma system was associated with significant improvements in the performance and outcomes of trauma care. This was mainly because of the implementation of regional trauma centers and because more severe patients were transferred to regional trauma centers. This study might be a good model for low- and middle-income countries, which lack a trauma system.

Lee SB, et al. J Gastric Cancer. 2010 Dec;10(4):219-225. https://doi.org/10.5230/jgc.2010.10.4.219

Introduction: Transarterial embolisation (TAE) is an effective intervention for management of arterial haemorrhage associated with pelvic fracture. However, its effects on survival and clinical outcomes are unclear. Methods: Trauma patients with survival data between November 2015 and December 2019 were identified using a trauma database. Patients were divided between TAE and non-TAE groups, and a propensity score was developed using multivariate logistic regression. Survival at 28 days was compared between the groups after propensity score matching. Results: Among 881 patients included in this study, 308 (35.0%) were treated with TAE. After propensity score matching, 130 pairs were selected. Survival at 28 days was significantly higher among patients treated with TAE than among those treated without TAE [122 (93.9%) vs. 112 (86.2%); odds ratio = 2.45; 95% CI 1.02–5.86; p = 0.039]. Conclusions: TAE use was associated with improved survival at 28 days in patients with pelvic fracture and should therefore be considered in the management of severely injured patients with pelvic fracture.