A selection of trauma papers from 2016–17 explores whole-body CT, traumatic brain injury, coagulopathy, cardiac arrest and airway care. This Trauma Care conference companion weighs findings against study limitations and asks which results might meaningfully change emergency practice.
Does intubation during in-hospital cardiac arrest improve survival? This 2017 appraisal examines a large US registry study that found an association with poorer outcomes, then considers confounding, missing procedural information and why observational data cannot settle the airway decision.
How well do SOFA, qSOFA and SIRS predict outcomes in patients with suspected infection? This 2017 review examines a large intensive-care database study, highlighting missing data, sensitivity and specificity, and the limits of applying ICU findings to the emergency department.
Does diazepam add anything to naproxen for acute low back pain? This 2017 trial appraisal examines the lack of additional benefit in a selected group without radicular symptoms, alongside questions about blinding, follow-up and how well the results fit everyday ED patients.
Anand Swaminathan revisits his SMACCDub argument for considering thrombolysis in selected patients with submassive pulmonary embolism. This 2017 opinion piece weighs possible functional benefits against major bleeding, emphasising patient selection, shared decisions and the uncertainty in the evidence available then.
Moving a critically ill patient from the ED can be a high-risk part of their care. Natalie May and Simon Carley’s podcast notes explore patient preparation, equipment, team selection and handover, with contingency plans for delays, deterioration and airway problems.
Practical perspectives on trauma care and team leadership.
Explore the series →