Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death and disability among those aged 1 to 44 years in the United States. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in those aged 10 to 34, and homicide is the third…
Injury is increasingly recognized as a disease, with predictable risk factors, treatment options, and outcomes. However, it is also often thought to be a comorbid condition of another disease, that being excessive alcohol use, illicit drug use, or misuse of…
The urge to prognosticate following trauma is as old as the practice of medicine. This is not surprising, because injured patients and their families wish to know if death is likely, and physicians have long had a natural concern not…
Formed in 1922 with a legacy as one of the oldest standing committees of the American College of Surgeons, the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma has vigorously advocated for improvements in care for the injured patient. In 1966,…
Modern trauma care consists of three primary components: prehospital care, acute surgical care or hospital care, and rehabilitation. Ideally, a society, through state (department, province, regional, etc.) government, should provide a trauma system that ensures all three components. The purpose…