Managing moderately injured pediatric patients without immediate surgeon presence: 10 years later

Beginning in 2003, the pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physician replaced the surgeon as the team leader for all level II trauma resuscitations at a busy pediatric trauma center. The purpose was to review the outcomes 10 years after implementing this practice change.

Trauma registry data for all level II activations requiring admission were extracted for the 21 months (April 1, 2001-December 31, 2002) prior to policy change (period 1, **n=627) and compared to the admitted patients from the 10 subsequent years (2003-2013; period 2, n=2694). Data included demographics, length of stay (LOS), injury severity score (ISS), readmissions, complications, and mortality.

Mean ISS scores for admitted patients during period 1 (8.5) were higher than during period 2 (7.8). During period 1, 53.6% of patients underwent abdominal CT versus 41.8% in period 2 (p<.001), and the median ED LOS was 135 versus 191 minutes in period 2. From 2000 to 2003, 91% of patients seen as level II trauma alerts were admitted compared to 56.6% of patients in period 2 (p<0.001). There were no missed abdominal injuries identified, and readmission rate was low.

We conclude that level II trauma resuscitations can be safely evaluated and managed without immediate surgeon presence. Although ED LOS increased, admission rate and CT scan usage decreased significantly without an increase in missed injuries.