Early Care of Polytraumatized Patients: A Framework for Orthopaedic Surgeons

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• The role of orthopaedic surgeons in trauma activations is often underutilized.
• Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) provides a systematic framework for initial trauma patient evaluation and management.
• ATLS was developed by an orthopaedic surgeon to address suboptimal initial trauma care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To clarify the contributions of orthopaedic surgeons within the ATLS framework.
• To enhance the integration of orthopaedic assessments into trauma resuscitation.
• To introduce ATLS protocols and their benefits to orthopaedic surgeons.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) protocols and literature.
• Analysis of orthopaedic assessments within ATLS primary and secondary surveys.
• Examination of the impact of ATLS training on orthopaedic residency programs.

Main Results:

• Orthopaedic assessments are integral to ATLS surveys but their sequencing requires optimization.
• Understanding resuscitation parameters improves acute orthopaedic surgical decision-making.
• Standardization of ATLS training in orthopaedic residencies is lacking.

Conclusions:

• Enhanced understanding and application of ATLS by orthopaedic surgeons can improve trauma care.
• Defining emergent orthopaedic intervention indications facilitates multidisciplinary surgical planning.
• ATLS provides a valuable framework for orthopaedic surgeons in both surgical and non-surgical roles during trauma activations.