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- Title
Management of penetrating chest trauma in the context of major trauma networks.
- Authors
Stretch, Benjamin; Kyle, Amy; Patel, Mihir
- Abstract
Major trauma networks reduce mortality in critically injured patients. Trauma patients should be appropriately triaged straight from the scene of injury, avoiding secondary transfer from a trauma unit. Selection criteria in regionally agreed triage tools are designed to identify which patients should be taken directly to the major trauma centre. Patients with life-threatening injuries still arrive at 'trauma units' in circumstances such as self-presentation, under triage, physiological instability or long journey time to the major trauma centre. This article presents a theoretical case of a haemodynamically unstable patient with penetrating injuries, and discusses the management of chest trauma, including diagnosis of life-threatening injuries, resuscitation strategies and definitive surgical management. Secondary transfer to the major trauma centre should be considered after instituting the minimal life-saving interventions. What constitutes a life-saving intervention requires an individual dynamic risk assessment and an understanding of major trauma networks.
- Subjects
PENETRATING wounds; MEDICAL triage; TRAUMA centers; THORACIC surgery; CHEST injuries; CRITICAL care medicine; RESUSCITATION; WOUND care; ADOLESCENCE
- Publication
British Journal of Hospital Medicine (17508460), 2022, Vol 83, Issue 10, p1
- ISSN
1750-8460
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.12968/hmed.2022.0002