Evaluation of protocols for the initial management of severe maxillofacial trauma

Abstract

Introduction: due to its high incidence, maxillofacial trauma is one of the greatest challenges for public health services. Protocols improve the quality of care and reduce variation in clinical practice, hence the crucial importance of high-quality protocolization in the area of trauma care. Objective: evaluate the care protocols followed in the emergency management of polytrauma, maxillofacial polytrauma and severe maxillofacial trauma. Methods: a descriptive cross-sectional qualitative study was conducted from May to June 2015. An online search was carried out for protocols for the emergency management of polytrauma, maxillofacial polytrauma and severe maxillofacial trauma in Spanish, English and Portuguese. A parallel national search was performed by telephone and electronic mail. An evaluation tool was developed and an evaluation team was formed. Estimations were based on integers, indices and means. Results: the Protocol for Initial Management of Polytrauma scored 275 points, followed by Advanced Trauma Life Support with 229 (total difficulty index 0.93 and 0.70, respectively). The foreign maxillofacial protocol scored 150 points (total difficulty index 0.46). Item 2 scored 128 points (total difficulty index 1). The protocol from Calixto García Hospital scored 223 points (total difficulty index 0.73), and the ones from Matanzas and Villa Clara scored 120 each (total difficulty index 0.32). Item 4 had the highest score, with 74 points (total difficulty index 0.54). Conclusions: the highest quality foreign protocols were Initial Management of Polytrauma and Advanced Trauma Life Support, and the best developed item was number 2. The best national protocols were Management of Severe Trauma, from Calixto García Hospital, and the ones from the provinces of Villa Clara and Matanzas. The best developed item was number 4. Keywords: protocol; maxillofacial trauma; evaluation; polytrauma.