The Interface of Trauma Surgery and Interventional Radiology: The Trauma Surgeon's Perspective

Trauma remains a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, responsible for over 4.4 million deaths annually. Advances in imaging and technology have shifted modern trauma care toward the increased use of nonoperative management. This review explores the evolving collaboration between trauma surgery and interventional radiology (IR), presenting the trauma surgeon's perspective of this multidisciplinary collaboration. IR offers minimally invasive, organ-preserving interventions, which reduce the morbidity associated with open surgery and improve patient outcomes. The article reviews standardized trauma assessment protocols, the utility of imaging modalities such as FAST and CT, and the role of efficient multidisciplinary collaboration. It emphasizes the importance of institutional protocols to streamline communication, reduce time to intervention, and ensure timely IR activation. Key IR procedures, such as transarterial embolism (TAE), balloon occlusion, and stent or stent-graft placement, are explored in the context of managing solid organ injuries (spleen, liver, kidney), pelvic fractures, and vascular and extremity trauma. Despite these advances, challenges persist, including resource availability and inconsistent protocol adherence. Future efforts must focus on enhancing training, improving communication, and data-driven protocol refinement to guide nonoperative management. Strengthening this interdisciplinary collaboration is critical to optimizing patient outcomes and advancing evidence-based, nonsurgical trauma care.