IT’S TRAUMA TUESDAY

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Article of the Week

SCI: Current Management and Emerging Therapies

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) remains a life-altering diagnosis with significant long-term implications for patients. Despite continued advancements in clinical care and a growing understanding of the underlying pathophysiology, meaningful functional recovery remains limited for most individuals.

This article offers an updated overview of current management strategies for traumatic SCI, emphasizing emerging therapeutic interventions that may shape the future of care and improve patient outcomes.

Mensah EO, Chalif JI, Johnston BR, et al. Traumatic spinal cord injury: a review of the current state of art and future directions - what do we know and where are we going? N Am Spine Soc J. Jun 2025;22:100601.

Trauma Happenings

A promising new adjunct for treating severe blood loss

A groundbreaking study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the IDF Medical Corps has identified a novel treatment that could significantly improve survival rates in patients with severe blood loss. By activating a protein called PKC-ε shortly after hemorrhage, researchers tripled survival rates in animal models—from 25% to 73%—and preserved critical organ function by boosting cellular energy levels.

The treatment also helped stabilize key cardiovascular indicators such as blood pressure and cardiac output, enhancing early physiological resilience. While these findings are promising, many further clinical trials will be necessary before this therapy can be implemented in trauma care settings. Read more at the link below.

How Long Does It Take to Complete a TCAR or PCAR Course?

TCAR and PCAR contain 12-13.25 hours of didactic videos, a pre-course survey, many mandatory interactions, three tests, and an evaluation. So, how long does it take to finish the entire course?

To answer this question, we timed two nurses who offered to be our TEP guinea pigs. The first has a master's degree in nursing and over 10 years of trauma care experience. She completed the course in 16 hours and 30 minutes. The second RN graduated from a BSN program just one year ago. He required 17 hours and 20 minutes.

Despite significantly different experience levels, there was only a 50-minute variation between the two learners. These findings were important for validating the 18 ANCC NCPD or CPD hours awarded for course completion.

You can reveal a letter or the entire word if you get stuck

A, B, AB, O, Gwanda…..what is your blood type?

A 68-year-old French surgical patient was found to have a unique blood type- Gwanda negative. Routine pre-operative blood tests could not identify her blood type or any compatible matches. Further research confirmed that the woman carried a previously unknown blood type thanks to a genetic mutation. Bad luck if you need a transfusion! Read more at the link below.

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