title: Diagnosis of carotid arterial injury in major trauma using a modification of Memphis criteria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Incidence of Blunt Cerebrovascular Injuries (BCVI) after head injury has been reported as 0.5-1% of all admissions for blunt trauma, with a high stroke and mortality rate. The purpose of this study is to evaluate if a modification of Memphis criteria could improve the rate of BCVI diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Trauma patients consecutively admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) from Jan 2008 to Oct 2009 were considered for the study. Memphis criteria comprehend: basilar skull fracture with involvement of the carotid canal, cervical spine fracture, neurological exam not explained by brain imaging, Horner's syndrome, LeFort II-III fractures, and neck soft tissue injury. As single criteria modification, we included all patients with petrous bone fracture, even without carotid canal involvement. In all patients at risk of BCVI, 64-slice angio-CT-scans was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 266 patients were admitted to the ICU for blunt major trauma. Among them, 162 presented traumatic brain injury or cervical spine fracture. In accordance with the proposed modified-Memphis criteria, 53 patients showed risk factors for BCVI compared to 45 using the original Memphis criteria. Among the 53 patients, 6 resulted as having carotid lesions (2.2% of all blunt major traumas; one patient more than when using Memphis criteria). Anticoagulant therapy with low molecular weight heparin was administered in all patients. No stroke or hemorrhagic complications occurred. Clinical examination at 6-months showed no central neurological deficit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A modification of a single criteria of Memphis screening protocol might permit the identification of a higher percentage of BCVI. Limited by sample size, this study needs to be validated.
authors.affiliation: Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit of Emergency Department, Careggi Teaching Hospital, Largo Brambilla 3, 50139, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciapetti
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Circelli
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zagli
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Migliaccio
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Spina
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alessi
authors.forename: Manlio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Acquafresca
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bartolini
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D020212:Carotid Artery Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D017985:Dalteparin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007558:Italy; D007902:Length of Stay; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010579:Petrous Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D017985:Dalteparin