Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2011

Mentor: Joseph P. Minei, MD                     
Department:   Surgery (Burn/Trauma/Critical Care Division)      
Room number: E 5.514       
Mail Code:     9158  
Phone number: 214-648-7295       
E-mail: joseph.minei@utsouthwestern.edu                       
Project title:    Analysis of Injury Patterns After Suicidal Hanging Attempt         

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):       Pending (Chart Review Expedited Process)
Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):       N/A

Project Type (patient-based research, animal-based research, or basic research; this characterization is only to permit a general classification for grouping similar types of projects)  Patient Based Research

Brief Description of Project: 

Patients who attempt suicide hanging are often brought to the ED for evaluation of possible neck injuries including spinal column, spinal cord, airway and cervical vasculature injuries.  Many patients arrive in the ED fully awake and alert without obvious signs of injury.  This study will attempt to correlate the degree of neck injury with patient presentation in an effort to develop a treatment algorithm for care. The Parkland Trauma Registry will be utilized to examine the records of all attempted hanging patients from the last 5 years.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students: