Trauma call and Code Crimson Protocol

A “trauma call” should standardise the in-hospital response to trauma patients. A trauma team is mobilised to receive the patient. Other services (eg: radiology, blood bank etc) may also be notified.

 

Adult trauma call 

 

The following is the regionally agreed trauma call criteria for adults

 

criteria adults

 

 

 

 

Adult Code Crimson

‘Code Crimson’ is a term that has commonly been used by hospital-based teams managing trauma patients with life-threatening haemorrhage that is refractory to resuscitation. The aim of the trauma Code Crimson activation is to get senior decision makers and facilitators to the patient in the resuscitation room to facilitate rapid access to theatre for rapid surgical control of haemorrhage in hospitals that have this capacity.

 

Criteria for Activation

A trauma Code Crimson call is made either by HEMS, ambulance paramedics, or once the patient is in ED and assessed as potentially requiring surgical intervention to control haemorrhage post trauma.

Assessment is based on the four parameters of the Assessment of Blood Consumption score (ABC). This assessment is made after initial resuscitation with intravenous fluids and or blood.

1. Penetrating mechanism of injury
2. Systolic Blood pressure of 90 mmHg or less
3. Pulse of 120/ min or more
4. Positive trauma E-FAST ultrasound scan

1 point is scored for each parameter met.

If the patient scores ≥ 2 points they meet the criteria for Code Crimson activation.

 

Code Crimson activation alerts senior decision makers (eg Surgical, ED, Anaesthetic SMO) in addition to standard Trauma Team members.  It also activates hospital MHP protocols and alerts radiology of the arriving patient.  The goal is that senior decision makers are present and involved on the arrival of a shocked patient and make a rapid decision to either take the patient to OT for control of haemorrhage or to continue to CT.

 

Paediatric trauma call and code crimson

 

Starship 777 Trauma Calls