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Splenic artery embolization (SAE) in the presence of contrast blush (CB) has been recommended to reduce the failure rate of nonoperative management. We hypothesized that the presence of CB on computed tomography has minimal impact on patient outcomes. A retrospective review was conducted of all children (<18 years) with blunt splenic trauma over a 10-year period at a level 1 pediatric trauma center. Data are presented as mean ± standard error of mean. Seven hundred forty children sustained blunt abdominal trauma, of which 549 had an identified solid organ injury. Blunt splenic injury was diagnosed in 270 of the 740 patients. All patients were managed nonoperatively without SAE. CB was seen on computed tomography in 47 patients (17.4%). There were no significant differences in the need for blood transfusion (12.5% vs 11.1%) or length of stay (3.1 vs 3.3 days) or need for splenectomy when compared in children with or without CB. Pediatric trauma patients with blunt splenic injuries can be safely managed without SAE and physiologic response and hemodynamic stability should be the primary determinants of appropriate management.

Introduction In trauma patients with pelvic fractures, computed tomography (CT) scans are a critical tool to evaluate life-threatening hemorrhage. Contrast extravasation, or “blush”, on CT may be a sign of bleeding, prompting a consult for angiography and possible embolization. However, the utility of blush on CT is controversial. We sought to evaluate our experience with patients who sustained pelvic fractures and had blush on CT. Method A retrospective review was performed for all patients with blunt pelvic fractures between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2018. Demographic, clinical, radiographic, and injury data were obtained. Comparison of mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS), and intensive care unit (ICU) LOS was performed for 3 subgroups: angio versus no angio; embo versus no embo; prophylactic embo versus therapeutic embo. We also calculated the sensitivity, specify, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of CT blush to predict the need for embolization. Results 889 patients were found to have a blunt pelvic fracture. 51 patients had blush on CT scan. 29 (56.9%) underwent angiography. 17 (58.6%) of these 29 patients were found to have extravasation and were embolized. 12 patients had an angio with no extravasation, and 6 of these patients (50%) underwent prophylactic embolization. No significant difference was found for hospital LOS, ICU LOS, or mortality in our 3 groups. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV for CT blush were 74%, 96%, 33%, 99%, respectively. Conclusion Patients with active extravasation undergoing embolization had similar outcomes to patients without active extravasation. Blush on CT scan had low sensitivity and low PPV but high specificity and high NPV. Future studies need to include careful attention to the CT protocol utilized as well as patient selection.

BackgroundPatients with blunt chest trauma have a high mortality rate. The assessment of blush in hepatic and splenic trauma is important for determining the need for emergency hemostatic interventions. However, the frequency and importance of blush in lung contusions are unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the frequency of blush in patients with lung contusions and elucidate the relationship between blush and the clinical outcomes of patients with blunt chest trauma.Materials and MethodsIn this retrospective observational study, we enrolled patients with an injury severity score of 16 or higher and a chest abbreviated injury scale (AIS) score of 3 or higher who were admitted to the emergency department of Hokkaido University Hospital from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2016. Blush was defined as active extravasation of an intravascular contrast agent recognized on contrast-enhanced computed tomography. The date of trauma, trauma severity, treatments, and outcomes were obtained from the patients’ electronic medical records.ResultsDuring the study period, 83 patients had severe lung contusions and 13 had blush. In-hospital mortality of patients with blush was significantly higher than that of patients without blush (53 vs. 10%, P < 0.001). Patients with blush required thoracic drainage more frequently (100 vs. 71%, P < 0.001) and support through mechanical ventilation more often (100 vs. 64%, P < 0.001) and for a longer duration (median duration, 0 vs. 25 days, P = 0.001) than patients without blush.ConclusionsOur study revealed that blush in lung contusions was not rare and was associated with a high risk of mortality in patients with severe blunt chest trauma. Clinicians should not hesitate to intervene if blush is detected in a lung contusion of a patient with blunt chest trauma.

Assessment of myocardial “blush” by either Myocardial Blush Grade or TIMI Myocardial Perfusion Grade, is the angiographic method currently preferred to confirm myocardial tissue-level perfusion after primary percutaneous intervention. This review focuses on the utility of angiographic “blush” as a simple, widely available, and virtually costless technique for the immediate diagnosis of microvascular impairment at the time of acute catheterization. We comprehensively outline the available evidence behind the “blush,” its use in clinical practice, and draw comparisons with other new technologies for assessment of microvascular integrity.

Background: Angiographic flow measurements do not define perfusion accurately at a microvascular level, so other techniques which assess flow at a tissue level are to be preferred. Objectives: To compare intravenous myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) with other methods of assessing microvascular reperfusion for their ability to predict left ventricular function at one month after acute myocardial infarction. Design: 15 patients underwent primary percutaneous coronary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction, with restoration of TIMI grade 3 flow. Corrected TIMI frame count (cTFC), myocardial blush grade (MBG), and percentage ST segment resolution at 90 and 180 minutes were recorded. Baseline regional wall motion score index (WMSI) and regional contrast score index (RCSI) were obtained 12–24 hours after the procedure, with a final regional WMSI assessment at one month. Results: Mean (SD) cTFC was 27 (9.4), and ST segment resolution was 69 (22)% at 90 minutes and 77 (20)% at 180 minutes. MBG values were 0 in six patients, 2 in two, and 3 in seven. Baseline regional WMSI, RCSI, and follow up WMSI were 2.7 (0.71), 1.5 (0.71), and 1.6 (0.73), respectively. The correlation coefficient between RCSI and follow up WMSI was 0.82 (p = 0.0012). Peak CK correlated with follow up WMSI (R = 0.80). None of the other reperfusion assessment techniques correlated significantly with follow up WMSI. Multiple regression analysis showed that a perfused hypokinetic or akinetic segment was 50 times more likely to recover function than a non-perfused segment. MCE predicted segmental myocardial recovery with a sensitivity of 88%, a specificity of 74%, and positive and negative predictive values of 83% and 81%, respectively. Conclusions: MCE is currently the best and most accurate measure of reperfusion at a microvascular level and an excellent predictor of left ventricular function at one month following acute myocardial infarction.

Background Currently, evidence of contrast extravasation on computed tomography (CT) scan is regarded as an indication for intervention in splenic injuries. In our experience, patients transferred from other institutions for angioembolization have often resolved the blush upon repeat imaging at our hospital. We hypothesized that not all splenic blushes require intervention. Methods During a 10-year period, we reviewed all patients transferred with blunt splenic injuries and contrast extravasation on initial postinjury CT scan. Results During the study period, 241 patients were referred for splenic injuries, of whom 16 had a contrast blush on initial CT imaging (88% men, mean age 35 ± 5, mean ISS 26 ± 3). Eight (50%) patients were managed without angioembolization or operation. Comparing patients with and without intervention, there was a significant difference in admission heart rate (106 ± 9 vs 83 ± 6) and decline in hematocrit following transfer (5.3 ± 2.0 vs 1.0 ± 0.3), but not in injury grade (3.9 ± 0.2 vs 3.5 ± 0.3), systolic blood pressure (125 ± 10 vs 115 ± 6), or age (38.5 ± 8.2 vs 30.9 ± 4.7). Of the 8 observed patients, 3 underwent repeat imaging immediately upon arrival with resolution of the blush. In the intervention group, 4 patients had ongoing extravasation on repeat imaging, 2 patients underwent empiric embolization, and 2 patients underwent splenectomy for physiologic indications. Conclusions For blunt splenic trauma, evidence of contrast extravasation on initial CT imaging is not an absolute indication for intervention. A period of observation with repeat imaging could avoid costly, invasive interventions and their associated sequelae.

A thirty-year-old male underwent Tc-99m diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid renal scintigraphy for evaluation of gross hydronephrosis of left kidney. The perfusion phase revealed an intense vascular blush in left renal fossa. The uptake phase of scintigraphy revealed the absence of tracer uptake in left kidney. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) was performed for evaluating the cause of vascular blush. CECT demonstrated features suggestive of acute pyelonephritis (APN) involving lower pole of the hydronephrotic left kidney, corresponding to the site of vascular blush seen on renal scintigraphy. The postnephrectomy specimen confirmed the diagnosis of APN suggested on CECT.