{"title":"Improving care and equity in the American trauma system: past, present and future.","authors":"Sophia Smith, Dane R Scantling","doi":"10.1136/tsaco-2024-001729","DOIUrl":"10.1136/tsaco-2024-001729","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Trauma care in the USA is fragmented, unequal, and millions of people lack adequate access to a trauma center. These inequities are the result of historic precedent, racial and socioeconomic discrimination, and the economics of trauma care. The fixed location of trauma centers may also fail to meet the needs of moving and changing populations. Further, the current methods of trauma center formation perpetuate existing inequity by leaving the pursuit of trauma center creation up to hospitals, resulting in verification and designation processes that are mostly reliant on financial capability rather than community need. This particularly impacts those who are socioeconomically vulnerable, as existing trauma centers may not be accessible to their communities and new centers may not seek to serve them. On the contrary, already well-resourced communities increasingly receive duplicative care. A thorough understanding of the interplay between trauma center designation, socioeconomic and geographic disparities in trauma care-and potential levers for change-is crucial in trauma systems planning for more equitable trauma care.</p>","PeriodicalId":23307,"journal":{"name":"Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open","volume":"10 2","pages":"e001729"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12083362/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144095048","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Melike Harfouche, Kelsey Higgins, Elizabeth Waibel, Mark B Slidell, Isam Nasr, Gary W Nace, David Efron
{"title":"Who will be the bastions of pediatric trauma care?","authors":"Melike Harfouche, Kelsey Higgins, Elizabeth Waibel, Mark B Slidell, Isam Nasr, Gary W Nace, David Efron","doi":"10.1136/tsaco-2024-001573","DOIUrl":"10.1136/tsaco-2024-001573","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The 2024 American College of Surgeons Point Counterpoint conference held in Baltimore, Maryland included a panel on pediatric trauma. The panelists included pediatric surgeons, a pediatric trauma nurse practitioner, a trauma pharmacist and a trauma surgeon. The discussion focused on unique clinical considerations for pediatric abdominal trauma, pharmacologic best practices and optimizing care models to incorporate pediatric and trauma surgeons. Points raised during panel discussion will be highlighted and expanded on in the following article, which is by no means meant to be a comprehensive review of pediatric trauma management but rather a discussion of important topics within the field.</p>","PeriodicalId":23307,"journal":{"name":"Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open","volume":"10 Suppl 3","pages":"e001573"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12067932/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144029715","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anthony J DeSantis, Melike Harfouche, Nicholas Namias
{"title":"Are the life-saving interventions really life-saving?","authors":"Anthony J DeSantis, Melike Harfouche, Nicholas Namias","doi":"10.1136/tsaco-2024-001545","DOIUrl":"10.1136/tsaco-2024-001545","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Several interventions are generally thought to be 'life-saving' in the management and care of traumatically injured patients. The evidence supporting the utility of some interventions, however, is tenuous, if not outright contradictory to what occurs in the modern practice of trauma care. This was the topic of the Point Counterpoint 2024 Charles C. Wolferth lecture given by Nicholas Namias. This article will summarize his talk by highlighting multiple examples of interventions felt to be critical to the preservation of life in the trauma patient that, upon closer inspection, are not as well supported by evidence as one might think. These interventions include the expansion of trauma systems, sternotomy for hemopericardium, resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA), prehospital intubation, and needle decompression of traumatic pneumothorax. By discussing the controversy surrounding these interventions, we hope to prompt the reader to question not only the nature and utility of their continued use but also what other closely held ideas and interventions deserve renewed scrutiny.</p>","PeriodicalId":23307,"journal":{"name":"Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open","volume":"10 Suppl 3","pages":"e001545"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12067781/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144016102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Seema Anandalwar, Ziad Sifri, Mary Ann Hopkins, Daniel Whitley, Melike Harfouche, Mayur Narayan
{"title":"Evolution of global surgery: lessons learned and a look toward the future.","authors":"Seema Anandalwar, Ziad Sifri, Mary Ann Hopkins, Daniel Whitley, Melike Harfouche, Mayur Narayan","doi":"10.1136/tsaco-2024-001541","DOIUrl":"10.1136/tsaco-2024-001541","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Global surgery is focused on providing high-quality, sustainable surgical care to all people of the world. Over time, the emphasis has shifted from brief mission trips to collaborative partnerships and sustainable training programs that provide continuous access to surgical care. The evolution and future direction of global surgery were discussed by experts in the field at the 2024 Annual Point/Counterpoint Acute Care Surgery Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 2, 2024. The following article summarizes each of the experts' presentations and is followed by a summary of the evidence.</p>","PeriodicalId":23307,"journal":{"name":"Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open","volume":"10 Suppl 3","pages":"e001541"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12067821/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144025310","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Amanda Marsh, Rebecca Schwartz, Melike Harfouche, Jennifer M Gurney
{"title":"Crossing the thin RED line: where have we been and where should we go with whole blood?","authors":"Amanda Marsh, Rebecca Schwartz, Melike Harfouche, Jennifer M Gurney","doi":"10.1136/tsaco-2024-001594","DOIUrl":"10.1136/tsaco-2024-001594","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dr. Jennifer M. Gurney is an active-duty military surgeon who has been deployed seven times and serves as the Chief of the Joint Trauma System and the Chief of the Defense Committee on Trauma. Additionally, she is an accomplished researcher having authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications, the majority of which are aimed at improving combat casualty care. As the keynote speaker for this year's \"Sharon M. Henry Maryland Committee on Trauma State-of-the-Art Lecture,\" no one is more qualified to discuss the use of whole blood and its history in both military and civilian trauma resuscitation than JMG. However, her message ran deeper as she brought the audience on a journey through the history and future of trauma surgery across the \"thin <i><b>RED</b></i> line,\" urging us to continue to build <i><b>R</b></i> esilience, use our <i><b>E</b></i> xperience, and foster <i><b>D</b></i> edication to improve the care of the injured patient in an effort to be <i><b>R</b></i> eady <i><b>E</b></i> very <i><b>D</b></i> ay. The following is a review of JMG's lecture.</p>","PeriodicalId":23307,"journal":{"name":"Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open","volume":"10 Suppl 3","pages":"e001594"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12067834/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144038636","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"What we do matters.","authors":"John B Holcomb, Patrick Lee","doi":"10.1136/tsaco-2024-001578","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/tsaco-2024-001578","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Amidst all the bad news and divisiveness we are surrounded with every day, there are many reminders from our field that highlight that the things we do really do matter. The scope of this talk focuses on blood, but it is important to remember that the concepts discussed can be applied to all aspects of medical care. Level III evidence.</p>","PeriodicalId":23307,"journal":{"name":"Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open","volume":"10 Suppl 2","pages":"e001578"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12049956/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143988242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cutting without a knife: reflections of a surgeon in healing.","authors":"L J Punch, Patrick Lee","doi":"10.1136/tsaco-2024-001581","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/tsaco-2024-001581","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Traumatic injury imparts a physical and emotional response not only to the patients but also to the providers caring for this select population. The traumatic injuries to patients who require hospitalization are most often discussed, but there are a significant number of patients who experience bullet-related injuries that are seen at a trauma center but who do not have injuries that require intervention or hospitalization. Often, these patients are discharged and potentially followed up in the outpatient setting. There are a myriad of physical and emotional consequences to bullet-related injury that may go untreated or undertreated. Dr. LJ Punch discusses the experience transitioning from a surgeon who cuts to a surgeon who does not, and the move from Baltimore to St. Louis to create Power4STL to serve those at high risk for trauma-related physical and emotional challenges. Through focused efforts and multidisciplinary approaches, Dr. Punch and team effectively address patients' bullet-related injury and their trauma.</p>","PeriodicalId":23307,"journal":{"name":"Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open","volume":"10 Suppl 2","pages":"e001581"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12049983/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144028532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Patrick Lee, Melike Harfouche, Samuel M Galvagno, Benjamin Lawner
{"title":"Can heroic roadside care save lives?","authors":"Patrick Lee, Melike Harfouche, Samuel M Galvagno, Benjamin Lawner","doi":"10.1136/tsaco-2024-001504","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/tsaco-2024-001504","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Prehospital emergency care is an important part of trauma systems across the USA and the world. From a once 'load and go' service, the provider's skillsets and scope of practice have evolved to include multiple procedures that can be performed in the field. It is still debated if performing some prehospital procedures contributes to improved patient outcomes after traumatic injury and saves lives. The topic was debated at the 40th Annual Point/Counterpoint Acute Care Surgery Conference. Level of evidence: III.</p>","PeriodicalId":23307,"journal":{"name":"Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open","volume":"10 Suppl 2","pages":"e001504"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12049909/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144051623","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Appajosula Rao, Patrick Lee, Melike Harfouche, Susan Briggs, Adam Fox, Kiersten Henry, John B Holcomb, Thomas Kirsch, Janelle Martin
{"title":"Principles of humanitarian and disaster response for healthcare systems in the modern era.","authors":"Appajosula Rao, Patrick Lee, Melike Harfouche, Susan Briggs, Adam Fox, Kiersten Henry, John B Holcomb, Thomas Kirsch, Janelle Martin","doi":"10.1136/tsaco-2024-001552","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/tsaco-2024-001552","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The following manuscript is a condensed review of discussion points raised by a panel of experts at the 2023 American College of Surgeons Point Counterpoint conference on humanitarian and disaster response. The field of disaster management and humanitarian response has evolved significantly in the past several decades, as the scale and type of events, the scope of medical care, and the field of operations have changed. Limiting the extent of the injury and providing the greatest care to most individuals remains paramount. For teams to be successful, key principles include effective preparation and planning, adhering to ethical principles, and providing damage control surgical care. Within the hospital setting, trauma surgeons are well-equipped to triage patients while also providing essential surgical care. Humanitarian and disaster response teams must work closely with local government and other organizations to address shortages in staff, supplies, and other constraints.</p>","PeriodicalId":23307,"journal":{"name":"Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open","volume":"10 Suppl 2","pages":"e001552"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12049978/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144053128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Thomas K Duncan, Glen H Tinkoff, Anastasia Kunac, Anna Newcomb, Katherine Joseph, Peter Anziano
{"title":"Trauma Survivors Network: how does it really work?","authors":"Thomas K Duncan, Glen H Tinkoff, Anastasia Kunac, Anna Newcomb, Katherine Joseph, Peter Anziano","doi":"10.1136/tsaco-2024-001584","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/tsaco-2024-001584","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Trauma centers have the important task of navigating a patient through the complex process of obtaining services and tools for success and addressing important social determinants / drivers of health. This summary from the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) Prevention and Geriatric Committees focuses on the history, development, and patient empowerment of the Trauma Survivors Network (TSN), its importance in collaboration with palliative care teams, and the value of Trauma-informed Care. Palliative Care and Trauma-iInformed Care are principles thought to be important enough to include in the upcoming updated Advanced Trauma Life Support 11th edition course as stand-alone chapters. This publication provides a history of the TSN and how it developed from the grass roots, the core elements of the TSN, a patient experience with the program, a basic toolkit on implementation of the TSN, and the importance of the TSN working together with palliative care. It was presented as a lunch session at the AAST's 83rd Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, 2024. None of the authors have any financial relationships or conflicts of interest to any of the products discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":23307,"journal":{"name":"Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open","volume":"10 2","pages":"e001584"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12039043/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143983526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}