Journal of Trauma and Injury

Original Articles

Changes in the clinical features and demographics of donors after brain death, before and after the establishment of a regional trauma center: 20 years of experience at a single center in Korea: Myung Jin Jang, Sang Tae Choi, Gil Jae Lee, Doo Jin Kim, Won Suk Lee; J Trauma Inj. 2025;38(1):14-21. Published online March 31, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.20408/jti.2024.0068

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Abstract PDF: Purpose
Organ transplantation is considered the definitive treatment for end-stage organ disease. However, the scarcity of donor organs compared to the number of patients awaiting transplants is a major barrier. This study aimed to assess the impact of a regional trauma center on organ procurement and to provide a basis for future collaboration between regional trauma centers and transplant centers.
Methods
This retrospective study analyzed organ donors after brain death over a 20-year period from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2022. It compared patients before and after the establishment of the regional trauma center, as well as trauma and nontrauma patients. The study investigated general patient characteristics and the number and types of donated organs.
Results
The average age of patients significantly increased from 37.75 years before the trauma center was established to 46.72 years after (t=–4.32, P<0.001). The organ acquisition rate significantly increased from 3.03 before to 3.47 after (t=–2.96, P=0.003). Suicide (t=6.52, P=0.011) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation cases were more common among nontrauma patients than among trauma patients (t=8.34, P=0.004). However, the organ acquisition rate was significantly higher among trauma patients than among nontrauma patients (3.53 vs. 3.21; t=2.04, P=0.004).
Conclusions
This study identified changes in the characteristics and donor organs of patients diagnosed with brain death after the establishment of a regional trauma center. Given the increase in the proportion of trauma patients and the rate of organ acquisition per capita post-establishment, efforts should be made to encourage organ donation from patients diagnosed with brain death through close collaboration between regional trauma centers and organ transplant centers.; Summary

Comparative Evaluation of Emergency Medical Service Trauma Patient Transportation Patterns Before and After Level 1 Regional Trauma Center Establishment: A Retrospective Single-Center Study: Hyeong Seok Lee, Won Young Sung, Jang Young Lee, Won Suk Lee, Sang Won Seo; J Trauma Inj. 2021;34(2):87-97. Published online March 24, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.20408/jti.2020.0021

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2 Citations

Purpose

This study examined emergency medical service (EMS) transportation patterns for adult trauma patients before and after establishing a level 1 regional trauma center (RTC) and to evaluate the transportation approach after prehospital severity screening.

Methods

This was a retrospective observational study of trauma patients aged ≥18 years admitted via EMS to the emergency department or a level 1 RTC, 1 year before to 3 years after RTC establishment. Patients with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) in the patient registration system were selected. Analyses were performed to determine transportation pattern changes by comparing patients pre- and post-RTC establishment and by yearly comparisons over the 4-year study period using the Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test.

Results

Overall, 3,587 patients were included. The mean ISS was higher in the post-RTC group (n=2,693; 10.63±8.90, median 9.00) than in the pre-RTC group (n=894; 9.44±8.20, median 8.00; p<0.001). The mean transportation distance (9.84±13.71, median 5.80 vs. 13.12±16.15 km, median 6.00; p<0.001) was longer in the post-RTC group than in the pre-RTC group. Furthermore, proportionally fewer patients were transported from an area in the same city as the RTC after establishment (86.1% vs. 78.3%; p<0.001). Yearly comparisons revealed a gradually increasing trend in the hospital death rate (p_trend=0.031).

Conclusions

After establishing a level 1 RTC, the EMS transportation of severe trauma patients increased gradually along with the long-distance transportation of minor trauma patients. Therefore, improved prehospital EMS trauma severity assessments and level 1 RTC involvement in patient classification in the prehospital phase are necessary.

Summary

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Establishment of Emergency Teaching Model and Optimization of Discrete Dynamic Calculation in Complex Virtual Simulation Environment
He Li, Yuansong Sun, Kai Song, Chunlin Yin, Gengxin Sun
Mathematical Problems in Engineering.2022; 2022: 1. CrossRef
Model for Predicting In-Hospital Mortality of Physical Trauma Patients Using Artificial Intelligence Techniques: Nationwide Population-Based Study in Korea
Seungseok Lee, Wu Seong Kang, Sanghyun Seo, Do Wan Kim, Hoon Ko, Joongsuck Kim, Seonghwa Lee, Jinseok Lee
Journal of Medical Internet Research.2022; 24(12): e43757. CrossRef

Comparison between Tissue Adhesive and Suture by Using Modified Hollander Score for Facial Wounds Treated in the Emergency Department: Suk Ho Hong, Young Mo Yang, Jang Young Lee, Won Suk Lee, Koung Nam Bark, Hee Bum Yang; J Korean Soc Traumatol. 2011;24(2):143-150.

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Abstract PDF: PURPOSE
The object of this study is to compare the patient satisfaction in the view of scarring, cost, and hospital stay between the conventional suture method and a method using Histoacryl(R) (2-N-butylcyanoacrylate) adhesive for treating facial lacerations in the emergency department.
METHODS
This study is a randomized prospective trial, which was conducted from December 2009 to January 2010. The participants include 109 patients who visited the emergency room in Deajon Eulji Medical Center. The ages ranged from 1 to 59 (mean age of 18.7), and all had facial lacerations of less than 3 cm. In order to treat the facial lacerations, an emergency medicine doctor used tissue adhesive (2-N-butylcyanoacrylate, Histoacryl(R)) for 41 patients in the experimental group, and a plastic surgeon performed conventional suturing for 68 patients in the control group. The ER-stay and the primary treatment fee were compared in the two groups, and the scarring was evaluated 10 to 11 months from suturing by using the Modified Hollander Method and the 10-cm scaled VAS (visual analogue scale: score 0=no scar, score 10=very severe scar).
RESULTS
The ER stay was 76 minutes for the experimental group and 107 minutes for the control group, showing that statistically significantly less time of 31 minutes was taken in the experimental group. The cost of the experimental group was 40000 won (50.1%) more expensive than the control group, with an average cost of 121900 won for the experimental group and 81200 won for the control group. As for scar evaluation, 10.56 months after suturing, the experimental group showed a better result with a score of 2.6 compared to a score of 3.4 in the control group; however, this difference was not statistically significant (p<0.05). As to a detailed evaluation of scar characteristics, the experimental group had a statistically significantly better result in scar elevation, with a score of 0.6 compared to a score of 1.65 for the control group.
CONCLUSION
If appropriate patients are selected, the method using tissue adhesive directly applied by an EM doctor not only decreases ER stay but also creates similar patients satisfaction, with statistically better result in scar elevation, compared to the conventional suture method; thus, ultimately general patient satisfaction is increased.; Summary

Experience with Operating a Trauma Team at a Local Private University Hospital: Yong Hwan Kim, Young Mo Yang, Jang Young Lee, Won Suk Lee, Won Young Sung, Koung Nam Bark; J Trauma Inj. 2013;26(3):99-103.

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Abstract PDF: PURPOSE
This hospital has operated a trauma system of the inclusive trauma system under the sponsorship of this hospital and with financial support from the government from 2011, and it has been designated as a specialized trauma center (candidate) since November 2008. Therefore, this emergency medical center evaluated the influence of the inclusive trauma system on the course of healing and on the results for trauma patients within the region.
METHODS
The medical records of all patients who were registered as trauma patients from among those who visited the emergency medical center of this hospital from April 2009 to May 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. The monthly and the annual averages of important indices, such as the time in the emergency room and preventable mortalities, were calculated, and patterns of change were sought. The preventable mortality rate was calculated by using the Trauma Injury Severity Score (TRISS) for each patient.
RESULTS
The total number of patients registered from April 2009 to May 2012 was 601, and male patients accounted for a larger proportion(432 males(71.88%) vs. 169 females(28.12%)). Their average age was 46.2 years, the average Revised Trauma Score (RTS) was 5.74 points, and the average Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 26.99 points. The preventable mortality rate during the entire period, which was calculated using the TRISS, appeared lower than the preventable mortality rates reported in past studies in the Republic of Korea.
CONCLUSION
These results for the operation of a new trauma system are limited in that they are only for a local private university hospital. However, results show greater changes and developments in and out of the hospital due to multilateral endeavors by the trauma team and the hospital. These endeavors include increased communications among the departments and development of a complementary patient registration system.; Summary

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