Can helicopter emergency medical services improve survival after traumatic cardiac arrest? This 2019 appraisal examines a retrospective UK cohort, distinguishing procedures and return of circulation from survival to hospital discharge, and questioning what a small, uncontrolled dataset can tell us about benefit.
JC: Can HEMS improve patient outcome in Traumatic Cardiac Arrest? St Emlyn’s Read More
How should we interpret survival improvements after changes to UK trauma services? This appraisal examines TARN data from 2008–2017, considering regional trauma networks alongside changing patient populations, case identification and missing data. It also highlights the challenge of recognising serious injury in older people.
Trauma in the UK, who cares? Read More
Why did mortality remain so high among hypotensive patients needing emergency trauma laparotomy? Rich Carden’s 2018 discussion examines earlier studies, delays to surgery and damage control care, then explains the need for more detailed data and the planned TELA audit.
What’s the bleeding problem with trauma laparotomies?! Read More
Can some traumatic pneumothoraces and haemothoraces be managed without a chest drain? This 2018 appraisal examines a UK observational study, including patients receiving positive-pressure ventilation. It considers selection bias, the limits of a single-centre dataset and the importance of monitoring when conservative management is chosen.
JC: Conservative management of chest trauma. St Emlyn’s Read More
Why return to whole blood in major trauma? Zaf Qasim reviews the military experience, early civilian studies and practical challenges of introducing a whole-blood programme. This 2018 overview considers compatibility, storage and transfusion risks while acknowledging the limits of the evidence for civilian patients.
Whole Blood in Major Trauma – Everything old is new again Read More
Simon Carley shares highlights from the 2018 BASICS North West conference, spanning prehospital care, sepsis, stroke research and support for clinicians. The report ends with his torso trauma discussion, covering changing interventions, paediatric injuries, assessment of shock and the challenges of care across the patient journey.
Torso Trauma tips and the BASICS North West conference 2018. St Emlyn’s Read More
Should police transport patients with penetrating trauma when an ambulance is unavailable? This 2018 review explores Philadelphia’s experience, weighing speed and access against the absence of care en route, unpredictable arrivals and wider trauma-system risks. It considers why coordination between police, EMS and hospitals matters.
JC: “To Protect and Serve…and Drop Off”. Penetrating Trauma in Philadelphia. St Emlyn’s Read More
Simon Carley selects ten trauma papers for the 2018 Trauma Care UK conference, focusing on questions that might change bedside practice. Topics range from imaging and transport to brain injury, pneumothorax and team performance, with critical discussion of study limitations and the challenges of translating evidence into care.
Top 10 trauma papers 2017-2018 for @traumacareUK conference. St Emlyn’s Read More
