Damage control thoracotomy trends, techniques, and outcomes: An EAST multicenter trial.

Background: Damage-control thoracotomy (DCT) lacks evidence regarding frequency of use, optimal technique, and outcomes. This Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma multicenter trial aimed to examine DCT usage over the last decade, evaluate types of temporary closure, and assess associated outcomes.

Methods: An international retrospective cohort study of thoracotomies from 2008 to 2020 at 25 centers was performed.

Pack the chest: Damage control strategy for management in thoracic trauma.

Background: Damage control surgery aims to control hemorrhage and contamination in the operating room (OR) with definitive management of injuries delayed until normal physiology is restored in the intensive care unit (ICU). There are limited studies evaluating the use of damage control thoracotomy (DCT) in trauma, and the best method of temporary closure is unclear.

Methods: A retrospective review of trauma patients at two level I trauma centers who underwent a thoracotomy operation was performed.

Caring for Incarcerated Patients: Can it Ever be Equal?

Background: Incarcerated patients represent one of the most vulnerable populations in the United States healthcare system. Studying disparities in care they receive, however, has been difficult due to a history of abuse at the hands of medical researchers rendering this population excluded from most current medical research. Due to incarceration, these patients are frequently maintained in shackles and under constant guard when receiving healthcare.