Adult Trauma Guidelines

Patients with cardiac tamponade following trauma require an urgent thoracotomy. If this is not immediately available, pericardiocentesis might be considered as a temporising measure, however it will not address the cause of bleeding and the patient will rapidly destabilise again.   Pericardiocentesis is more typically performed in medical causes of Read more

Extended Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma The aim of eFAST is to rapidly identify life-threats in unstable trauma patients as part of the primary survey. Ultrasound is increasingly being performed on stable patients – this can confirm clinical impressions, aid in early identification of issues in patients who remain Read more

  Indications   Indications for intubation in patients with trauma include: Loss of airway patency Airway burns Facial/neck trauma Foreign material in airway (teeth, vomit, blood) Loss of airway protection Decreased GCS Respiratory/cardiac arrest Poor oxygenation or ventilation Hypoventilation with hypoxia Traumatic brain injury High spinal trauma Severe chest trauma Read more