Trauma Management

Patients presenting as an emergency often have injuries to more than one body system i.e. head injury and other injuries. When faced with patients with life-threatening trauma, a systematic approach is needed. First life threatening injuries need to be quickly identified and treated.    

The causes of adult trauma include gunshot wounds, road/traffic accidents, stabbings, and industrial accidents, also sport, recreational and domestic accidents.

Figure 1 - Example of Trauma

THE GOLDEN HOUR

The concept of the golden hour has come from the fact that where the ATLS guidelines have been followed following trauma, preventable death has decreased markedly - from 14% to 3%.

The standard approach to trauma includes:

• Primary survey
• Secondary survey
• Definitive care.  

Primary survey