Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Preface
- Part I General issues
- Part II Head and neck
- Part III Thorax
- Part IV Abdomen
- Part V Urology
- Part VI Oncology
- Part VII Transplantation
- Part VIII Trauma
- 68 Introduction scoring and trauma management systems
- 69 Prognosis and recovery of pediatric head injury
- 70 Truncal trauma
- Part IX Miscellaneous
- Index
- Plate section
- References
68 - Introduction scoring and trauma management systems
from Part VIII - Trauma
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 08 January 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Preface
- Part I General issues
- Part II Head and neck
- Part III Thorax
- Part IV Abdomen
- Part V Urology
- Part VI Oncology
- Part VII Transplantation
- Part VIII Trauma
- 68 Introduction scoring and trauma management systems
- 69 Prognosis and recovery of pediatric head injury
- 70 Truncal trauma
- Part IX Miscellaneous
- Index
- Plate section
- References
Summary
Introduction
Trauma is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children under the age of 19 year. In the United States approximately 10 million non-fatal injuries occur each year with 500 000 hospital admissions due to injury. It is estimated that there are 21 000 deaths a year with 50 000 permanent injuries. While absolute numbers may be different, the enormity of unintentional injury in North America and Europe is very similar. The predominant mechanism of injury is blunt, with motor vehicle crashes accounting for over 50% of all etiologies. One of the most eloquent reports that underscores the burden that injury has on society was published by Trunkey in 1983. In this article he highlights the magnitude of injury as compared to cancer and heart disease, the importance for research, prevention and surgical care of the injured patient.
The problem of injury has been recognized by the pediatric surgical community for many years. It would be ideal to have all injured children treated at specific children's hospitals with verified and designated trauma programs and to have effective trauma systems in each reagion.; however, the reality is that only 2%–3% of pediatric injuries are treated in this fashion in North America. In conjunction with the adult trauma community, efforts have been undertaken to improve care of injured children through understanding patterns and severity of injuries (trauma scoring systems) and by promoting regionalization of care through pediatric trauma systems.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Pediatric Surgery and UrologyLong-Term Outcomes, pp. 915 - 925Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2006