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16/05/2022
Cardiac Trauma – Blunt and Penetrating
29/04/2022
Geriatric Trauma Patient
With a rapidly aging population, increasing numbers of older adults sustain trauma. Most injuries are due to falls, but more older adults are also suffering from motor vehicle crashes, assaults, and burns. Age-related anatomic and physiologic changes alter older trauma patients’ clinical presentations and blunt their physiologic response to injury. As people age, their adaptive and homeostatic mechanisms change, contributing to a decreased physiologic reserve and reduced metabolic response to injury. Thus, seemingly minor injuries can be lethal and older injured patients are at greater risk for prolonged hospitalization, worsening disability, and functional dependence. Moreover, trauma is associated with increased mortality, relative to other non-injured older adults, for years after injury. Multidisciplinary and appropriate evaluation and management of older patients is necessary to improve clinical outcomes.
Initial Evaluation of the Trauma Patient
Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) was first developed in 1976 and is used globally as a framework for the systematic evaluation of trauma patients to optimize outcomes and reduce the risk of unidentified injuries(1). ATLS provides an easy-to-remember, algorithmic approach to the evaluation and initial management of the trauma patient, focusing on the greatest threat to life first, with the “ABCDE” approach to trauma management: Airway (with restriction of cervical spine motion), Breathing, Circulation (stop bleeding), Disability of neurologic status, and Exposure (undress) / Environment (temperature control). This chapter will outline the initial evaluation of the trauma patient using the ABCDE approach.
29/04/2022
Pelvic Binder Placement
Treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI) is performed to prevent secondary injury to the brain following the initial injury. The prevention of secondary injury to the brain involves avoiding systemic events such as hypotension, hypoxia, or hyperthermia. The assessment and treatment of military TBI is similar to the treatment of civilian TBI with a greater focus on blast-induced TBIs. With limited resources during wartime, efficient triage and logistics of clinical care delivery take on greater importance. During wartime, many subspecialty surgeons may be tasked to assist with trauma care, outside their area of expertise. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the initial evaluation, management, and stabilization of moderate to severe TBI patients to a non-neurosurgeon surgical audience in a limited resource setting with a focus on prevention of secondary injury.
29/04/2022
The Initial Management of Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury
Treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI) is performed to prevent secondary injury to the brain following the initial injury. The prevention of secondary injury to the brain involves avoiding systemic events such as hypotension, hypoxia, or hyperthermia. The assessment and treatment of military TBI is similar to the treatment of civilian TBI with a greater focus on blast-induced TBIs. With limited resources during wartime, efficient triage and logistics of clinical care delivery take on greater importance. During wartime, many subspecialty surgeons may be tasked to assist with trauma care, outside their area of expertise. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the initial evaluation, management, and stabilization of moderate to severe TBI patients to a non-neurosurgeon surgical audience in a limited resource setting with a focus on prevention of secondary injury.
29/04/2022Resources for Medical Professionals
Information for patients