Trauma team activation: Not just for trauma patients

Abstract

Specialized trauma teams have been shown to improve outcomes in critically injured patients. At our institution, an the American College of Surgeons Committee on trauma level I Trauma center, the trauma team activation (TTA) criteria includes both physiologic and anatomic criteria, but any attending physician can activate the trauma team at their discretion outside criteria. As a result, the trauma team has been activated for noninjured patients meeting physiologic criteria secondary to nontraumatic hemorrhage. We present two cases in which the trauma team was activated for noninjured patients in hemorrhagic shock. The utilization of the TTA protocol and subsequent management by the trauma team are reviewed as we believe these were critical factors in the successful recovery of both patients. Beyond the primary improved survival outcomes of severely injured patients, trauma center designation has a “halo effect” that encompasses patients with nontraumatic hemorrhage.

Keywords

• Hemorrhagic shock
• postpartum hemorrhage
• trauma protocol
• trauma team activation