Patterns of Injury

In the most recently published Victorian State Trauma Registry report, 39% of all trauma cases were transport related. Trauma prevention and road safety continues to play a huge part in the reduction of major trauma in Victoria and today we are joined by Samantha Cockfield, Head of Road Safety for the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) to provide insight into current issues facing Victorian road users and the role of the TAC. Current at date of publication 14/01/2021.

Victims of major trauma have a varied profile, including age, demographic & geographic location. Today Danielle speaks with Melissa Webb, trauma and orthopaedic allied health team leader at The Alfred Hospital to gain an understanding of the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to care and consider rehab and planning beginning from the roadside. Current at date of publication 04/01/2021.

Children are vulnerable to injury for a number of reasons with motor vehicle collisions (MVC’S) accounting for almost half of the fatalities in children. In Victoria, the Paediatric Infant Perinatal Emergency Retrieval (PIPER) service is available to retrieve critically injured children from referring hospitals and provide safe, expert, emergency inter-hospital care. Today we speak with Dr Sile Smith, a Paediatric Intensive Care Consultant from the Royal Children’s Hospital and Medical Co-lead for PIPER about the role PIPER has in Paediatric Major Trauma. Current at date of publication 28/12/2020.

Emergency management of a difficult airway in the major trauma patient is always a daunting task. Complications may arise as a result of emergency intubations, but failure or delay in securing an adequate airway may contribute to unacceptably high morbidity and mortality rates. Today we are talking to Dr Peter Fritz, Consultant Emergency Physician at The Alfred Hospital about Airway Management in the trauma patient. Current at date of Publication 21/12/2020.

Early specialist care of Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) can have a significant effect on long-term outcomes for these patients. The natural progression of SCI, in particular rising spinal cord oedema, may lead to an exacerbation of symptoms in the hours following an accident. Today we speak with Associate Professor Andrew Nunn, Director of the Victorian Spinal Cord Services at Austin Health who provides insight into early management of the patient suffering a potential spinal injury. Current at date of publication 21/12/2020.

The Victorian State Trauma System is one of the best in the world, with Adult Retrieval Victoria playing a significant role in making this a success. Today Danielle talks with Dr David Anderson, Acting Medical Director of Ambulance Victoria and an Intensivist at The Alfred Hospital to discuss how Adult Retrieval Victoria (ARV) operates within the state trauma system and gives you an inside look into behind the scenes of coordinating the care and retrieval of a major trauma patient. Current at date of publication 7/12/2020.

Limbs can often be involved in traumatic injuries from accidents in the workplace or farming for example. They can have a devastating impact on not only the patient but on bystanders. Today Danielle speaks to Mr Andrew Oppy, Lead Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon at the Royal Melbourne Hospital to discuss how to approach the trauma patient with a significant extremity injury and provides some great insight into management of the affected limb. Current at date of publication 26/10/2020.

As with all trauma care, an organised approach to patient assessment is essential: ensuring life threatening injuries are identified and the patient is stabilised is the priority. Facial injuries that are not affecting the airway or causing life threatening haemorrhage can be assessed as part of the secondary survey, no matter how disfiguring the injuries may appear. Today we are joined by Alf Nastri, Head of the Maxillofacial department at Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Thoracic trauma is a common injury in the multi-trauma patient and a significant cause of mortality. Life threatening injuries identified in the primary survey need to be addressed at the time before moving on to the secondary survey. In this episode Danielle is joined by Mr Phillip Antippa, Cardiothoracic surgeon and Head of the Thoracic Surgery Service at Royal Melbourne Hospital to discuss early identification & management of traumatic chest injuries