Trauma Surgery is related to injuries of an individual regardless of the cause or mechanism of the injury. It can range from simple wounds to multiple injuries resulting from car accidents. The complexity of trauma surgery arises from the multifactorial nature of the injury: the key to optimal management is early identification of the patient and prioritizing the treatment steps.
The initial treatment of the injured patient follows the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) protocol, established by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) to improve survival outcomes for trauma patients.
Proper trauma care requires a Trauma Team, consisting of a General Surgeon (as the team leader), an Anesthesiologist, an Orthopedic Surgeon, and appropriately trained Nurses. It also requires the availability of equipment for assessment and identification of injuries that may need immediate surgical intervention.
Mediterranean Hospital of Cyprus has surgeons trained in the management of polytrauma, certified with the ATLS diploma, and a Trauma Team that is activated immediately upon arrival of patients. They are received in a specially designed recovery area, separate from the Emergency Department. After the initial resuscitation and stabilization by the trauma team, the patient is, as necessary, evaluated and treated by other specialists (vascular surgeons, thoracic surgeons, neurosurgeons) if deemed necessary.
