Table 4 An analysis of individual criteria applied for trauma team activation
From: Evaluation of a university hospital trauma team activation protocol
Criteria category | Criterion | Criterion applied to the patient (no. of patients) | Criterion applied to a severely injured patient (ISS>15), (no. of patients) | Criterion applied to a patient receiving an emergency procedure (no. of patients) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Vital functions | 1. Airway obstruction, stridor | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
2. Tachypnoe (adults, respiratory rate>30) | 11 | 7 (64%) | 6 (55%) | |
3. Respiratory rate <10 | 15 | 11 (73%) | 12 (80%) | |
4. Heart rate>130 (adults) | 5 | 4 (80%) | 4 (80%) | |
5. Systolic BP <90 mmHg | 26 | 23 (88%) | 21 (81%) | |
6. Lowered level of consciousness (GCS <13) > 5 min | 114 | 65 (57%) | 65 (57%) | |
7. Convulsions | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
8. Dilated or not responding pupils | 15 | 12 (80%) | 13 (87%) | |
Extent of injuries | 9. Flail chest | 6 | 3 (50%) | 4 (67%) |
10. Unstable fracture of the pelvis | 7 | 5 (71%) | 5 (71%) | |
11. Fracture in two or more long bones | 2 | 1 (50%) | 1 (50%) | |
12. Traumatic amputation or crush injury above wrist/ankle | 3 | 3 (100%) | 3 (100%) | |
13. Injury in two or more body regions (head/neck/chest/abdomen/pelvis/femur/back) | 121 | 46 (38%) | 46 (38%) | |
14. Paralysis | 14 | 10 (71%) | 6 (43%) | |
15. Penetrating injury of the head/neck/chest/abdomen/pelvis/groin/back) | 6 | 3 (50%) | 4 (67%) | |
16. 2. or 3. degree burn injury>15% body surface (children>10%) | 1 | 1 (100%) | 1 (100%) | |
17. Burn injury with inhalation injury | 1 | 1 (100%) | 1 (100%) | |
18. Hypothermia (core temperature <32°C) | 6 | 4 (67%) | 5 (83%) | |
Mechanism of injury | 19. Ejected from vehicle | 9 | 4 (44%) | 4 (44%) |
20. Co passenger dead | 6 | 6 (100%) | 5 (83%) | |
21. Trapped in wreck | 24 | 11 (46%) | 11 (46%) | |
22. Pedestrian or cyclist hit by motor vehicle | 38 | 14 (37%) | 14 (37%) | |
23. Motorcycle accident | 37 | 6 (16%) | 7 (19%) | |
24. Considerable deformation of vehicle passenger compartment | 71 | 12 (17%) | 12 (17%) | |
25. Traffic accident with speed>60 km/h | 137 | 26 (19%) | 25 (18%) | |
26. Fall from >5 m | 28 | 15 (54%) | 13 (46%) | |
27. Avalanche accident | 8 | 5 (63%) | 3 (38%) |