Lower Mortality for Torso Stab Wounds Treated at Level I Trauma Centers

To test whether outcomes for torso stab wounds are better at Level I than Level II trauma centers, these authors queried the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) database to identify adult patients (age >18 years) with isolated torso stab wounds from 2010 to 2016.

Among more than 17,000 patients identified, 73% were treated at Level I trauma centers, and 27% were treated at Level II trauma centers. Patients in the two groups had similar injury severity scores (median, 10), demographics, comorbidities, and organ injury locations. Patients treated at Level I centers had a moderately higher rate of laparotomy (26% vs. 21% at Level II trauma centers) and thoracotomy (5% vs. 4%) and had modestly shorter median ti…