ABSTRACT Background Lower extremity blast injuries are frequent in Colombia as a result of the ongoing internal conflict. General anesthesia has been the preferred method of anesthesia for the surgical treatment of these injuries; spinal anesthesia is a safe alternative, which allows hemodynamic management. Design A retrospective cross-sectional trial was designed, reviewing clinical charts of patients with lower extremity blast injuries in a military hospital in Villavicencio, Colombia, from June 2005 to June 2012. Descriptive and bivariate analysis was performed. Chi-square or Fisher's exact test or Student's t-tests were used to establish statistical significance when p < 0.05. Results The medical records of 63 male patients were included for analysis. The average age was 25 years; the majority were professional soldiers, who had selective (unilateral) spinal anesthesia. Additionally, 39 of them received sedation with midazolam. Hypotension was observed in 36% of the patients. This was easily handled with crystalloids and in 5% of the cases with vasopressors. None of the patients required postoperative admission to the intensive care unit. The patients that received blood transfusions had more infections than those patients who did not receive blood transfusions (47 vs 26%). However, the risk of infection was lower when preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis, that included penicillin and amikacin, was utilized (17 vs 33%). The difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion Spinal anesthesia is a safe technique in lower extremity blast injuries. Transfusion might be restricted, and the incidence of infection might be lowered when a regimen of preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis with penicillin and amikacin is utilized. How to cite this article Velez-Escobar CE, Muñoz-Barrios DM, Perez N. Regional Anesthesia for Antipersonnel Landmines: A Military Hospital Experience in Colombia. Panam J Trauma Crit Care Emerg Surg 2014;3(3):132-138.
Tópico:
Trauma, Hemostasis, Coagulopathy, Resuscitation
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FuentePanamerican Journal of Trauma Critical Care & Emergency Surgery