TY - JOUR PY - 2010// TI - Seriously injured patients transferred from local hospitals to a university hospital JO - Tidsskrift for den Norske Laegeforening A1 - Dehli, Trond A1 - BÄgenholm, Anna A1 - Johnsen, Liv-Hege A1 - Osbakk, Svein Are A1 - Fredriksen, Knut A1 - Bartnes, Kristian SP - 1455 EP - 1457 VL - 130 IS - 15 N2 - Background. We studied diagnostics and stabilizing surgery in severely injured patients transferred from local hospitals to a university hospital. The purpose was to identify a potential for improvement of regional trauma care. Material and methods. The material comprises all severely injured patients (Injury Severity [ISS] Score > 15) transferred from local hospitals to the University Hospital of Northern Norway in the period 01.01.2006 - 31.12.2007. Information about diagnostics, extent of injury and treatment during the first 24 hours after transferral was recorded by retrospective chart review. Emergency surgical interventions are defined according to plans for a national trauma system. Results. 6/74 patients underwent emergency surgery at the local hospital (chest tube insertion, external fracture fixation); eight after arrival at the university hospital (chest tube insertion, hemostatic packing of the abdomen and pelvis, external fracture fixation). 66/74 were CT-scanned locally; 37 with a CT multitrauma series (CT caput, neck, thorax, abdomen and pelvis). Of the 62 who had head CT scans performed at a local hospital, the cervical spine was not imaged for 10. For eight of 55 patients who had CT scans of the thorax/abdomen/pelvis intravenous contrast agent was not administered. Interpretation. Trauma care at local hospitals may be improved by more systematic imaging, a lower threshold for emergency surgery, and early communication with the university hospital.
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LA - no SN - 0029-2001 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.4045/tidsskr.09.0796 ID - ref1 ER -