title: The effect of epidural placement in patients after blunt thoracic trauma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In studies of trauma patients with rib fractures, conclusions on the benefits derived from epidural analgesia are inconsistent. The purpose of this study was to further evaluate placement and efficacy of epidural analgesia nationwide.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective cohort study of prospectively gathered data from the National Study on Cost and Outcomes of Trauma database, a multisite prospective study of injured patients aged 18 years to 84 years. Patients were treated at 69 participating hospitals (18 Level I trauma centers and 51 nontrauma centers) across the United States. Our analysis was limited to patients with a blunt mechanism of injury and a thoracic maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale (MAXAIS) score of 2 or greater. Excluded were patients who were not potential candidates for epidural placement, such as patients with significant head and spine injuries (head MAXAIS score > 2 or spine MAXAIS score > 2), significant neurologic impairment (best motor Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] score < 4), unstable pelvic fractures, coagulopathy, or those who died within 48 hours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The National Study on Cost and Outcomes of Trauma database contains 5,043 patients, of whom 836 (16.5%) were identified as potential candidates for epidural placement. Of patients included in the study, 100 patients (12%) had epidural catheters placed. The likelihood of epidural catheter placement was significantly higher in trauma centers as compared with nontrauma centers (adjusted odds ratio, 3.06; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.80-5.22). In the epidural group compared with those not receiving a catheter, the adjusted (including trauma center status) odds of death in patients with three or more rib fractures at 30, 90, and 365 days was 0.08 (95% CI, 0.01-0.43), 0.09 (95% CI, 0.02-0.42), and 0.12 (95% CI, 0.04-0.42), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Trauma centers are more likely to place epidural catheter in patients with rib fractures. In this multicenter study, epidural catheter placement was associated with a significantly decreased risk of dying in patients with blunt thoracic injury of three or more rib fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapeutic study, level II.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Surgery (S.A., A.G.) and Pediatrics (F.R., J.W.), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; and Department of Surgery (G.J.J.), University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado.
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gage
authors.forename: Frederick
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rivara
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Jurkovich
authors.forename: Saman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arbabi
mesh_terms: D015998:Abbreviated Injury Scale; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012253:Rib Fractures; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000401:mortality; D014193:Trauma Centers; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000401:mortality; D055815:Young Adult