The daily interaction with a large number of severely injured patients admitted to the Trauma Center serves as the impetus for the SFIC investigators to continually re-evaluate methods of treating injuries, and to remain committed to injury prevention.
Brain injury is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality following trauma.
It is known that hypotension and hypoxia can cause secondary insults to the already vulnerable, traumatized brain. Control of secondary insults may lead to improved outcome after severe head injury. Previous studies have examined secondary insults occurring in the emergency department, operating room, or intensive care unit. However, the number and duration of secondary insults that occur in the prehospital setting have not been documented. The original project was divided into two phases.