Early management of the severely injured major trauma patient

Editors’s key points † The trauma teammust function as a unit with effective leadership and a clear understanding by teammembers of their roles. † Repeated briefing and review maintains clinical through the numerous transitions involved in the care of trauma patients. † A higher rate of failed intubation is seen in trauma patients than in other groups. † During intra-operative care, the patient’s status should be reviewed every 10–30 minutes and the surgical plan modified if necessary. The major trauma team relies on an efficient, communicative team to ensure patients receive the best quality care. This requires a comprehensive handover, rapid systematic review, and early management of life- and limb-threatening injuries. These multiple injured patients often present with complex conditions in a dynamic situation. The importance of team work, communication, senior decision-making, and documentation cannot be underestimated