The Severely Injured Patient
Keywords:
Trauma Anaesthesia, Damage Control Resuscitation, Blood transfusion in Trauma
Abstract
The trauma epidemic sweeping the world continues to grow. Patients that are involved in a traumatic incident present to healthcare facilities on a daily basis, and may range from “bumps and bruises” to severely injured patients, requiring the co- ordinated care of several departments in the hospital. With the advent of several major military conflicts the world over, management of these severely injured patients, especially those with penetrating and blast injuries, has rapidly evolved, with concepts such as Damage Control Resuscitation, Damage Control Surgery, and high volume blood transfusions being better understood, and more widely practised. Furthermore, the pathophysiology of trauma is now also better understood, and interventions aimed at manipulating this physiology are now common. This focused review, will attempt to concisely explain the pathophysiology of trauma, as well as review the management of the modern trauma patient.
Section
Refresher Course
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