Trauma: Critical Care PDF

Preface

OVERVIEWOF BOTH VOLUMES

Trauma is the leading cause of death in the young (ages 1-44) in the United States and the chief reason for lost years of productive life among citizens living in industrialized countries. Despite the enormous importance of the subject matter, no single text has yet been published that fully covers all phases of trauma management.

The purpose of this book is to bring together in one source a description of modern clinical management principles for the care of the trauma patient. This two-volume set, Trauma, Volume 1: Emergency Resuscitation, Perioperative Anesthesia, Surgical Management and Trauma, Volume 2: Critical Care, thoroughly encompasses the entire spectrum of trauma management from the prehospital phase through critical care and rehabilitation.

A comprehensive table of contents, at the front of each volume, encapsulates the organization of the entire book (providing a macroscopic view), and also details the sections and sub-headings within each chapter (providing a microscopic view). The extensive index at the back of the book is organized to provide expeditious referral to specific pages that cover the subject matter of interest. The reader is encouraged to utilize both the very detailed table of contents and the index as needed to quickly locate topics.

Each chapter in this work incorporates important features that greatly enhance information communication and learning. The chapters are generously illustrated with figures and tables to facilitate synthesis of important concepts. In addition, key points are highlighted within the text and are summarized at the end of each chapter for quick review. Care has been taken to minimize redundancy by maximizing appropriate cross-referencing throughout. Another useful aspect of each chapter is the Eye to the Future section, which reviews emerging concepts and new research findings likely to impact clinical management.

The contributors to these volumes are both authoritative (having performed original research and authored numerous publications on their subject matter) and have extensive clinical experience. The authorship considered as a whole is truly international, with contributors from all continents. Furthermore, both civilian and military considerations are reviewed whenever relevant. The majority of chapters have multi-specialty co-authorship by experts in trauma surgery, trauma anesthesiology, emergency medicine, and numerous other medical and surgical specialties. In addition, chapters have multidisciplinary involvement by experts in physical medicine, rehabilitation, nursing, and pharmacy, among other disciplines. The scientific soundness is further insured by the multiple layers of editorial oversight; every chapter has been reviewed by at least three experts in the field (principal, associate and section editors). The high level of scientific accuracy and the reader-friendly nature of these two volumes are expected to facilitate learning in order to improve the care provided to trauma patients around the globe.

OVERVIEWOF VOLUME 2

Volume 2 is comprised of 74 chapters that are organized into sections beginning with a basic science review emphasizing the concepts most relevant to the practice of critical care. A section on analgesia, sedation, and neuromuscular blockade begins the clinical management portion of the volume. A review of the important monitoring principles of relevance to trauma critical care is provided next. The core of this volume is comprised of sections covering management considerations for surgical and trauma critical care conditions. These sections and chapters are grouped according to the systems affected, including neurological, cardiovascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, renal, infectious diseases, hematological, as well as endocrinological disorders and the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Sections are also provided covering physical and psychological rehabilitation, ethical concerns, and other topics, including techniques for conducting rounds, remote management, the economics of trauma, and severity of illness scoring.

Woven throughout this text are current diagnostic, monitoring, and organ support strategies recognized to improve outcomes in critically ill trauma patients. These concepts include: early enteral nutrition; aggressive monitoring and treatment of pain, agitation, and delirium; and prophylaxis against such complications as thromboembolism, stress ulcers, pressure sores, and ventilator-associated pneumonia. Newly emphasized guidelines such as tight glucose control with intensive insulin therapy, lung protective strategies of mechanical ventilation, early goal-directed therapy for sepsis, and other evidence-based recommendations are also provided where such data exist. The recognition that rehabilitation begins upon admission and that the consequences of early management decisions can impact longterm outcomes are also emphasized.