Annales françaises d'anesthèsie et de rèanimation
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Jul 2013
ReviewThe initial management of trauma patients is an especially relevant setting to evaluate professional practice patterns.
The initial management of trauma patients in a dedicated location is a crucial step in the treatment of these patients. The characteristics of this phase are such that they meet all the criteria for a professional practice patterns evaluation (PPPE or PPE): formalized protocols, clear-cut timeframes, specific roles of different stakeholders, and multidisciplinary medical and paramedical team. In addition, the expected result of the PPE approach, improved care, will have a direct impact on patient outcomes. ⋯ Following the analysis produced by a representative group of actors, a multidisciplinary discussion of the results should be followed by proposals for simple changes approved by everyone. After a few months of implementation, the impact of the proposed improvement measures will be assessed by a new survey. This approach, in addition to improving the quality of care, allows better team stress management and greater work enjoyment.
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Jul 2013
ReviewUpdate on prehospital emergency care of severe trauma patients.
The prognosis of severe trauma patients is determined by the ability of a healthcare system to provide high intensity therapeutic treatment on the field and to transport patients as quickly as possible to the structure best suited to their condition. Direct admission to a specialized center ("trauma center") reduces the mortality of the most severe trauma at 30 days and one year. Triage in a non-specialized hospital is a major risk of loss of chance and should be avoided whenever possible. ⋯ However, it does not help predict the need for urgent resuscitation procedures. Hemodynamic management is central to the care of hemorrhagic shock and severe head trauma. Transport helicopter with a physician on board has an important role to allow direct admission to a specialized center in geographical areas that are difficult to access.
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Severity assessment in trauma patients is mandatory. It started during initial phone call that alerts emergency services when a trauma occurred. On-call physician assesses severity based on witness-provided information, to adapt emergency response (paramedics, emergency physicians). ⋯ Whatever the way triage is performed, triage tools are based on mortality as main judgement criterion. Other criteria should be considered, such as therapeutics requirements. The benefit of biomarkers of ultrasonography at prehospital setting remains to be assessed.
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Hemorrhage is the leading cause of death in trauma patients who arrive alive at hospital. This type of hemorrhage has a "coagulopathic" component, specific to major trauma and associated with poor outcomes. ⋯ However, early identification of coagulopathic patients requiring aggressive hemostatic resuscitation remains challenging, with an increasing role of point of care devices for hemostatic diagnosis and monitoring. Efforts have to be focused on the early diagnosis of coagulopathy for immediate delivery of blood products and coagulation factors to the right, accurately screened patients through pre-established protocols within the golden hour.