Granstrom et al reported a protocol for triaging a trauma patient in the Emergency Department. This can help to decide whether to activate the full or limited trauma team. The authors are from the Karolinska University Hospital and Insitutet in Stockholm.
Patient selection: trauma patient in the Emergency Department
Activates full team - one or more of the following:
(1) airway obstruction
(2) intubated
(3) systolic blood pressure < 90 mm Hg
(4) blood pressure unstable
(5) Glasgow coma scale < 14 or reduced consciousness
(6) penetrating injury to head, neck, torso, upper extremity proximal to elbow, lower extremity proximal to knee
(7) number of proximal long bone fractures >= 2
(8) suspected pelvic fracture
(9) flail chest
(10) extremity paralysis caused by trauma
(11) amputation proximal to wrist or ankle
(12) combination of trauma AND (burns OR drowning OR hypothermia)
Activates limited team (if full team not activated) - one or more of the following:
(1) car crash > 70 km per hour with seat belt or air bag deployed
(2) car crash > 50 km per hour without seat belt OR air bag deployed
(3) motorcycle accident
(4) patient stuck in car AND car turned over
(5) patient ejected OR death in same vehicle
(6) run over by motor vehicle (pedestrian OR bicyclist)
(7) fall > 3 meter
(8) crush injury to torso
