POLYTRAUMA THE PUZZLE

Treatment

Patients With Multiple Complex Injuries

Of Trauma

Polytrauma is a specific medical term that describes the condition of someone who has sustained injuries to multiple body parts and organ systems. For instance, in a car crash, an individual may suffer serious burns over large portions of his or her body in addition to broken bones or a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The critical nature of an injury is evaluated in the U.S. medical community through a scale referred to as the Injury Severity Score (ISS). Polytraumas have scores of 16 or greater on this scale.

Causes Of Polytrauma

Motor vehicle accidents are a major cause of polytrauma among civilians. The high speeds and sudden impacts that occur in many types of car crashes often lead to disastrous outcomes. The U.S. military has used the medical designation of polytrauma to categorize injuries sustained by military personnel during conflicts. Military personnel are subject to some of the most serious threats of polytrauma injuries, including blasts from explosive devices.

Beyond serious motor vehicle accidents and militaryrelated incidents, causes of polytrauma can also include knife wounds, physical altercations, gunshot wounds, fire-related injuries, and falls from elevated heights. Polytrauma often involves a combination of TBI with other debilitating injuries such as serious eye damage, hearing damage, amputations, spinal cord injury, and severe burns. In addition, some individuals experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Historically, polytrauma survival rates have been low, however, with advances in medical technology these statistics have greatly improved.

Treatment Of Polytrauma Patients With Tbi

In medical terms, the presence of TBI in a polytrauma patient is referred to as Polytrauma and Concomitant Traumatic Brain Injury. According to the Journal of Neurosurgery, clinicians face unique challenges from decision-making and