Trauma Management

Key points

• The cornerstone of trauma management is embodied in the principles of ATLS. Following trauma there is a trimodal death distribution:
• Immediately following injury. Typically as result of brain or high spinal injuries, cardiac or great vessel damage. Salvage rate is low.
• In early hours following injury. In this group deaths are due to phenomena such as splenic rupture, sub dural haematomas and haemopneumothoraces
• In the days following injury. Usually due to sepsis or multi organ failure. Aspects of trauma management
• ABCDE approach.