Trauma Anesthesia

A lmost one out of every 10 deaths in the world is the result of injury. In the United States, trauma is the leading cause of death among children, adolescents, and young adults, and accounts for more years of potential life lost than cancer and heart disease combined. Although few anesthesiologists care exclusively for trauma patients, most care for trauma patients at one time or another in their clinical practice. This chapter provides a concise review of the essential elements in the management of the severely injured trauma patient and identifies new trends in trauma and anesthesiology practice that impact their care. INITIAL EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT