Emergency and Critical Care of Severely Injured Patients

Book excerpt: Severe trauma is among the leading causes of death and morbidity in many age groups worldwide. The chain of survival in critically ill injured patients starts on the scene, continues in the emergency department, and carries on in the first surgical phase and the intensive care unit. The optimal care of such patients depends on both the medical treatment as well as the organizational management. Many medical problems in the care of severely injured patients might be similar in most parts of the world, while the organizational challenges on the trauma systems are quite diverse. Therefore, it appears essential to consider both the medical treatment and the organizational management to optimize the care of critically ill trauma patients in different world regions.