17 Oct 2023 • Here's a wake - up call🚨

4,12,432 Road Accidents

3,84,448 Injured

1,53,972 Deaths

These were the appalling numbers recorded in the 'Road Accidents in India 2021', giving us a brutal and a rather petrifying insight into the casualties occurring as a result of Trauma.😱

As clinicians we really can't do much to reduce accidents however we can learn more and train harder, so that our initial assessment and management of the injured victims can be potentially life-saving for them.🚑

Certain injuries like Anoxic and Vascular injuries can kill immediately, however certain other injuries like crush injuries, cardiac tamponade and spinal cord injuries can be treated, with meticulous initial evaluation and management.👩🏻‍⚕

So, Initial Assessment is critical, which includes:

• Preparation
• Triage
• Primary survey (ABCDEs): Immediate resuscitation of patients with life - threatening injuries
• Consideration of the need for patient transfer
• Secondary survey (head-to-toe evaluation and patient history)
• Continued post resuscitation monitoring and re-evaluation.
• Definitive care

This is the essence of ATLS or Advanced Trauma Life Support.

Do you know the story behind ATLS?🤷‍♂️

Unfortunately, the establishment of ATLS was preceded by a Tragedy.😔

Over 40 years ago, the family of an orthopaedic surgeon, James K. Styner, was involved in an airplane crash. His wife, Charlene was killed instantly and Dr. Styner along with his four children were injured—three of them were critical and one sustained minor injuries.

The accident and the treatment his family received, sparked a flame in Dr. Styner and his colleagues, resulting in what eventually became the Advanced Trauma Life Support program.💁‍♂️

This World Trauma Day, let us remind ourselves that we are capable of saving more lives, provided we train better and harder.

So what are you waiting for?!

Get started now with Dr. Ashima Sharma!🤗

🔗Click here to watch Initial Trauma Assessment – The Primary Survey by Dr. Ashima Sharma right here on Medflix💛