title: The role of early postmortem CT in the evaluation of support-line misplacement in patients with severe trauma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to retrospectively assess the role of early postmortem CT in evaluating support-line misplacement to improve future treatment in the trauma setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included all postmortem CT examinations that were performed for trauma patients within the 1st hour after declaration of death in our tertiary medical center between August 1, 2008, and August 31, 2013. Correct placement of the following support lines was evaluated: endotracheal tubes (ETTs), chest drains, central venous catheters (CVCs), and nasogastric tubes (NGTs). Prehospital resuscitation efforts were started in all cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Early postmortem CT was performed on average 22 minutes after declaration of death in 25 consecutive patients with severe trauma. Overall, 14 subjects (56%) had suboptimal or misplaced support lines. Of ETTs inserted into 18 trauma victims; three (17%) were mislaid in the right main bronchus and five (28%) were near or at the level of the carina. Of chest drains inserted into 13 subjects, 10 were suboptimally positioned (77%). Of CVCs inserted into eight subjects (seven femoral and one brachiocephalic), one femoral CVC (13%) was malpositioned in the soft tissues of the pelvis. Of NGTs inserted in five trauma victims, one was folded within the pharynx.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early postmortem CT for patients who have experienced severe poly-trauma can be of important educational value to radiologists and the trauma teams, providing immediate feedback regarding the location of the support lines and possibly contributing to improved training and command of the learning curve by medical staff.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, Ramat-Gan 52621, Israel.
authors.forename: Eyal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lotan
authors.forename: Orith
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Portnoy
authors.forename: Eli
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Konen
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: Larisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guranda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods*; D062905:Central Venous Catheters; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy
keywords: CT; endotracheal tubes; postmortem CT; support lines; trauma