Journal Club Series
Share Your Best* Cases with Colleagues from Around the World
*Best = Challenging, interesting, stupefying, and more!
Learning is the process by which experience is
transformed into recognition [1]
Please join us online for a case review series presented by your chest wall injury health care colleagues, moderated by Joseph D. Forrester, MD, MSc - dedicated CWIS Education Committee member and Assistant Professor of Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University & Associate Trauma Medical Director, Stanford Healthcare.
Keeping you up-to-date with current literature, the EAST Monthly Literature Review
Through active presentation and participation in this completely online Journal Club, we educate vascular surgical trainees in the interpretation of high-level clinical and basic science articles and how to appropriately apply the information to clinical practice and future research.
Format:
- Online via Zoom, recorded
- Monthly (second Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday of each month)
- Two articles, both contemporaneous from the Journals of Vascular Surgery
- Format for each article presentation
- Introductory comments by the hosting faculty member
- Presentation by the hosting vascular resident/fellow
- Discussion led by faculty member/authors/nationally-recognized guests
For the remainder of 2020, CWIS will host the Case Review Series on a monthly basis - and each activity will include a discussion of 3 cases, approximately 10 minutes each (5 minutes of the planned case presentation and 5 minutes of audience Q&A). The series will always be held on the fourth Wednesday of the month and the times will rotate to facilitate attendees in various time zones, including the following dates in 2021:
- June 9 at 1300 MDT: Register here
- July 14 at 1600 MDT
- August 11 at 0800 MDT
- September 8 at 1300 MDT
- October 13 at 1600 MDT
- November 10 at 0800 MST
- December 8 at 1300 MST

Archive of previously recorded case review activities
- September 2020
Dr. Christopher Janowak presented about management of an empty hemothorax after trauma pneumonectomy associated with severe chest wall deformity. Dr. Peter Cole presented a lively case of a severe chest wall injury likened to a crushed "bag of Fritos" requiring multi-disciplinary. Dr. Matthew Wi presented a challenging case of sternal fixation after a clamshell incision for trauma.
- October 2020
Dr. Brian Crosser presented a unique case of traumatic rib fractures after inhaling difluoroethane (keyboard cleaner) with associated severe hypocalcemia. Dr. Patel and Dale presented a case of staged chest wall reconstruction in a patient with multiple medical co-morbidities with chronic chest wall instability. Finally, Dr. Matthew Wi presented on delayed rib fixation and VATS in a 90-year old male, highlighting some of the unique challenges and benefits of rib fixation in the geriatric patient population.
Dr. Wesley Vanderlan highlighted his posterior thoracic paraspinal approach to rib fractures close to the spine. Dr. Richard Miskimins provided an engaging talk on management of bear-associated chest wall injury - showcased by a unique black bear attack victim he managed. Drs. Brett Chapman and Patrick Greiffenstein presented a case of traumatic biliothorax, and how they managed to fix and stabilize associated rib fractures.
Dr. Adam Kaye discussed a patient with a delayed hemothorax requiring operation, and how he manages patients with delayed complications of rib fractures. Dr. Schulz-Drost described his minimally invasive techniques he employed to stabilize the chest of a patient who developed bilateral anterolateral flail chest after a crush injury. Finally, Drs. Matthew Wi and Eric Lau discussed their early experience with intrathoracic plating and got some great tips and tricks on intra-thoracic plating.
Dr. William Long III presented a challenging case of a shotgun blast to the chest with defects that required spanning large rib defects, unique mechanical ventilation techniques, and treatment for lead poisoning. Dr. Tom White described a fascinating case of first rib non-union which he repaired with the assistance of 3D printing and a pre-bent plate, with excellent functional results.
Dr. Zach Warriner presented a challenging case of a patient with broken ribs after getting kicked in the side by a horse who later developed intercostal nerve entrapment with subsequent intercostal neuralgias. Dr. Steve Briggs discussed a clinical conundrum he was faced with - of a patient with multiple prior sternal surgeries for a congenital abnormality with a fractured sternal plate and ongoing pain. Finally, Dr. Tony Bacon provided a top-notch presentation on a tough non-union and chest wall hernia case which necessitated a modified Edwards Quilt repair.
Dr. Richard Miskimins presented a difficult case of sternal non-union after osteomyelitis from an infected traumatic sternal fracture. Drs. Mark Kryskow and Riann Robbins presented a case of traumatic lung herniation through disrupted a costochondral junction requiring repair. Dr. Colby Elder presented a unique repair of a traumatic diaphragmatic hernia which also disrupted the chest wall.
Dr. Gerard Bulter presented a patient who experienced blunt cardiac injury, an unstable spine fracture, and sternal and rib fractures that required SSRF before spine fixation. Medical student (and 2021 CWIS research presentation award winner) presented a challenging case of hardware failure after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Dr. Jeff Choi presented a frail patient with extensive medical comorbidities who benefited from SSRF, and showed us the real-world application of the rib fracture frailty index.
Dr. Kovi Bessoff presented a case of an octogenarian with bad COPD with flail segments requiring stabilization. Dr. Evert Eriksson presented a challenging case of a patient with spastic cerebral palsy who had undergone shoulder arthroplasty who subsequently developed rib non-unions and debilitating radicular pain at the chest wall. Dr. Eriksson is seeking additional feedback from the case - if you have additional comments please email him at evert.eriksson@gmail.com.
- Kolb DA: Den erfaringsbaserede læringsproces [the experience based learning process]. Tekster om læring. Edited by: Illeris K. 2000, Roskilde, Roskilde Universitetsforlag, 47-66.