TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1996//
TI  - Rural trauma care: role of the general surgeon
JO  - Journal of trauma
A1  - Bintz, M.
A1  - Cogbill, T. H.
A1  - Bacon, J.
SP  - 462
EP  - 464
VL  - 41
IS  - 3
N2  - BACKGROUND: Care of the patient injured in the rural setting poses many unique challenges. This report profiles the experience of a solo, rural general surgeon with patients with multiple injuries during a 7-year period. METHODS: Emergency department (ED) contact sheets for 43,308 patients treated from September 1, 1988 through August 31, 1995 were reviewed. Eighty-four patients met selection criteria based on injuries with Abbreviated Injury Scale score > or = 3 in a single body region or > or = 2 in two or more body regions. Prehospital and hospital records were reviewed. RESULTS: Injury Severity Score ranged from 8 to 43 (mean, 16). Four patients died in the ED, 54 (64%) were transferred to a referral trauma center, and 26 (31%) were admitted to the community hospital. CONCLUSIONS: Roles of the general surgeon in the management of multiple trauma in the rural hospital are: (1) to coordinate trauma care in the community, including educational and organizational efforts; (2) to perform the necessary techniques in the ED to achieve optimal resuscitation and stabilization; (3) to rationally prioritize patients for transfer to a referral trauma center based upon assessment of patient injuries and institutional capabilities; and (4) to provide definitive care for a subset of patients with no need for subspecialty intervention.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0022-5282
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -