TRAUMA

• Primary survey
  • Primary goal: identify and prioritize the most life-threatening injuries
  • Includes: Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure
• Secondary Survey
  • Identify and address all other injuries
• Diagnostic testing options
  • Bedside ultrasound (FAST examination)
    The focused assessment with sonography in trauma (FAST) examination for the evaluation of injured patients is not sensitive enough to exclude all intra-abdominal injuries. Patients with small amounts of free fluid may have false-negative FAST examination.[ii]
  • CT scan
    Should be obtained only in hemodynamically stable patients in whom there is no apparent indication for an emergent laparotomy.
  • Potential useful laboratory tests
    • CBC, CMP, lipase, UA
      • Laboratory evaluation is generally of limited value and should be considered as an adjunct to the clinical assessment.