The Management of Traumatic Hemothoraces

Thoracic Injuries Clinical Trial

— HemoTxRCT  

Official title:

The Management of Traumatic Hemothoraces in Blunt Thoracic Injured Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT03050502
• Other study ID #: REB16-1056
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: February 1, 2018
• Est. completion date: December 2025

Study information

• Verified date: February 2023
• Source: University of Calgary
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Chest injuries are common in patients with polytrauma and are responsible for approximate 25% of all trauma-related mortalities. Traumatic injuries to the thorax often result in the accumulation of blood within the chest (i.e. a hemothorax (HTX)). The management of HTX remains a clinical dilemma when the volume of blood is small to moderate and the patient is hemodynamically stable. The East American Association of Trauma guidelines suggest that all HTXs should be considered for chest tube drainage. However, a prospective observational study suggested small to moderate HTXs could be absorbed without intervention. Although HTXs are effectively managed with chest tube drainage of the blood (i.e. tube thoracostomy), this intervention is associated with numerous potential major complications, including injury and infection in up to 22% of patients. The purpose of this study is therefore to conduct a randomized controlled study to compare patients with traumatic HTX managed by chest tube drain or expectant management (close monitoring), to determine when a chest tube is needed and when it is not to treat hemothoraces. The results from this study will inform the care of future trauma patients who present with this common injury throughout the globe.

Description:

Chest injuries are common in patients with polytrauma and are responsible for approximate 25% of all trauma-related mortalities. Traumatic injuries to the thorax often result in the accumulation of blood within the pleural space (i.e. a hemothorax (HTX)). The management of HTX remains a clinical dilemma when the volume of blood is small to moderate and the patient is hemodynamically stable. Prior to the ubiquitous use of chest computed tomography (CT), diagnosing quantities of blood <1000 mL was challenging (especially given inherent limitations in the standard chest radiograph (CXR)). With the widespread adoption of CT ''pan-scanning'' however, significantly more HTXs are being detected. The clinical significance and optimal treatment of these small to moderate HTXs remains unknown. Although HTXs are effectively managed with tube thoracostomy (TT) drainage of the pleural space (i.e. chest tube placement), this intervention is associated with numerous potential major complications, including iatrogenic injury, retained HTX, and empyema in up to 22% of patients. The East American Association of Trauma guidelines suggest that all HTXs should be considered for TT drainage. However, a prospective observational study suggested small to moderate HTXs could be absorbed without intervention. Classic studies from the 1960's also indicate that much larger quantities of blood can be reabsorbed without intervention as well. As a result, it is unclear if chest tubes are being over-utilized in patients who may not actually require them. Retrospective data from over 2,000 patients also suggests that many traumatic HTXs can be managed expectantly without TT drainage. Finally many small or occult HTXs (those not diagnosed by CXR, but later detected by CT scan) may also be safely observed, thus supporting the concept of expectant management (EM) for many HTXs with the goal of minimizing patient morbidity. The Foothills Medical Centre recently reported a retrospective study including 635 patients with traumatic HTXs. Overall, 491 (66%) HTXs were drained while 258 (34%) were managed expectantly. Independent predictors of TT placement included concomitant ipsilateral flail chest or pneumothorax. It also became evident that clinical practice was not directly dependent on the specific size of the HTX. Although the adjusted odds of mortality were not significantly different between groups (OR 3.99; 95% CI 0.87-18.30; p = 0.08), TT was associated with a 47.14% (95% CI, 25.57-69.71%; p < 0.01) adjusted increase in hospital length of stay. Empyemas (n = 29) also only occurred among TT patients. The authors concluded that expectant management of traumatic HTX was associated with a shorter length of hospital stay, no empyemas, and no increase in mortality. Although EM of small HTXs appears safe and optimal, these findings must be confirmed by a larger randomized controlled trial. The purpose of this study is therefore to conduct a randomized controlled study to compare patients with traumatic HTX managed by TT or EM. Characterization of those HTXs that require pleural drainage versus those that can be managed conservatively will be optimally defined. The results from this study will inform the care of future trauma patients who present with this common injury throughout the globe.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 200
• Est. completion date: December 2025
• Est. primary completion date: March 2025
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 100 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age >= 18 years

2. Blunt thoracic injury

3. CT detected hemothorax

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Hemodynamic instability that is related to HTX in the judgment of the attending clinician

2. Any scenario where the clinician mandates urgent TT placement

3. Penetrating thoracic injury

4. Respiratory distress that is related to HTX in the judgment of the attending clinician

5. Chest tube already in-situ (eg. Prior to transfer of care to the FMC)

6. >24 h after admission

7. Ipsilateral flail chest fracture pattern

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Hemothorax
• Thoracic Injuries

Intervention

Device:
• Chest tube drain
This group will have an intra-pleural catheter placed with the intent of draining all intra-pleural blood (HTX). The size and nature of the catheter, manner of placement, and timing of removal will be at the discretion of the attending clinician.

Other:
• Expectant management
This group will not have an intra-pleural catheter placed on the basis of the HTX, but will undergo standard observation/conservative management by the trauma service. Intra-pleural catheters may be placed after enrollment at the attending clinician's discretion.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Canada	Foothills Medical Centre	Calgary	Alberta
Canada	Foothills Medical Centre, Faculty of Medicine	Calgary	Alberta

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Calgary	Alberta Health services

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Canada, 

References & Publications (10)

Ball CG, Lord J, Laupland KB, Gmora S, Mulloy RH, Ng AK, Schieman C, Kirkpatrick AW. Chest tube complications: how well are we training our residents? Can J Surg. 2007 Dec;50(6):450-8. — View Citation

Bilello JF, Davis JW, Lemaster DM. Occult traumatic hemothorax: when can sleeping dogs lie? Am J Surg. 2005 Dec;190(6):841-4. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2005.05.053. — View Citation

Bradley M, Okoye O, DuBose J, Inaba K, Demetriades D, Scalea T, O'Connor J, Menaker J, Morales C, Shiflett T, Brown C. Risk factors for post-traumatic pneumonia in patients with retained haemothorax: results of a prospective, observational AAST study. Inj — View Citation

DuBose J, Inaba K, Demetriades D, Scalea TM, O'Connor J, Menaker J, Morales C, Konstantinidis A, Shiflett A, Copwood B; AAST Retained Hemothorax Study Group. Management of post-traumatic retained hemothorax: a prospective, observational, multicenter AAST — View Citation

DuBose J, Inaba K, Okoye O, Demetriades D, Scalea T, O'Connor J, Menaker J, Morales C, Shiflett T, Brown C, Copwood B; AAST Retained Hemothorax Study Group. Development of posttraumatic empyema in patients with retained hemothorax: results of a prospectiv — View Citation

Khandhar SJ, Johnson SB, Calhoon JH. Overview of thoracic trauma in the United States. Thorac Surg Clin. 2007 Feb;17(1):1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.thorsurg.2007.02.004. — View Citation

Kulshrestha P, Munshi I, Wait R. Profile of chest trauma in a level I trauma center. J Trauma. 2004 Sep;57(3):576-81. doi: 10.1097/01.ta.0000091107.00699.c7. — View Citation

Mowery NT, Gunter OL, Collier BR, Diaz JJ Jr, Haut E, Hildreth A, Holevar M, Mayberry J, Streib E. Practice management guidelines for management of hemothorax and occult pneumothorax. J Trauma. 2011 Feb;70(2):510-8. doi: 10.1097/TA.0b013e31820b5c31. No ab — View Citation

Stafford RE, Linn J, Washington L. Incidence and management of occult hemothoraces. Am J Surg. 2006 Dec;192(6):722-6. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2006.08.033. — View Citation

Wells BJ, Roberts DJ, Grondin S, Navsaria PH, Kirkpatrick AW, Dunham MB, Ball CG. To drain or not to drain? Predictors of tube thoracostomy insertion and outcomes associated with drainage of traumatic hemothoraces. Injury. 2015 Sep;46(9):1743-8. doi: 10.1 — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	The numbers of hemothoraces that require thoracic interventions.	The rate of hemothoraces that require thoracic interventions in patients of both groups.	1 year after patient recruited in the study
Secondary	The days of mechanical ventilation in intensive care unit	The median length of days of mechanical ventilation needed by the patients in both groups	30 days after patients recruited in the study
Secondary	The days of intensive care unit stay	The median length of days in ICU needed by patients in both groups	30 days after patients recruited in the study