@article{ref1,
title="Could bystander first-aid prevent trauma deaths at the scene of injury?",
journal="Emergency medicine Australasia",
year="2007",
author="Ashour, Amer and Cameron, Peter and Bernard, Stephen and Fitzgerald, Michael and Smith, Kersha and Walker, Tristan",
volume="19",
number="2",
pages="163-168",
abstract="Objective: To identify potentially preventable prehospital deaths following traumatic cardiac arrest. Methods: Deaths following prehospital traumatic cardiac arrest during 2003 were reviewed in the state of Victoria, Australia. Possible survival with optimal bystander first-aid and shorter ambulance response times were identified. Injury Severity Scores (ISS) were calculated. Victims with an ISS &lt;50 and signs of life were reviewed for potentially preventable factors contributing to death including signs of airway obstruction, excessive bleeding and/or delayed ambulance response times. Results: We reviewed 112 cases that had full ambulance care records, hospital records and autopsy details in Victoria 2003. Most deaths involved road trauma and 55 victims had an ISS &lt;50. Twelve patients received first-aid from bystanders. Ambulance response times &gt;10 min might have contributed to five deaths with an ISS &lt;25. Conclusion: Five (4.5%) potentially preventable prehospital trauma deaths were identified. Three deaths potentially involved airway obstruction and two involved excessive bleeding. There is a case for increased awareness of the need for bystander first-aid at scene following major trauma.   <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1742-6731",
doi="10.1111/j.1742-6723.2007.00948.x",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1742-6723.2007.00948.x"
}