As the population ages, fall-related injuries will become an even bigger part of trauma care. A new study from NYU Langone Medical Center predicts that in the next 15 years, chronic subdural hemorrhage (SDH) will be the most common adult brain condition requiring surgery. The authors of the study question whether the U.S. will have…
Author: Trauma News
A research team at the University of Washington has developed a synthetic polymer that mimics natural clotting factors to quickly control severe bleeding. In rodent studies, the injectable polymer — known as PolySTAT — reduced blood loss and dramatically improved survival rates. If shown to be effective in humans, it could help improve survival for…
Community activists interrupted a University of Chicago fundraising event last week to demand better trauma care for Chicago’s South Side. Protestors are calling for the creation of a Level I trauma program at the University of Chicago Medical Center. On March 5, nine protestors used lockboxes to create a human chain across Michigan Avenue, according…
Researchers in Iowa are using smartphone technology to let trauma teams inspect vehicle damage before crash victims arrive at the hospital. The TraumaHawk app allows state troopers to send crash site photos to trauma center personnel. Clinicians say the photos help them provide more focused care in the trauma bay. TraumaHawk is being tested at…
The Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research (SAVIR) will hold its 2015 annual conference March 11-13 in New Orleans. The goal of SAVIR is to help unify, organize and create a visible identity for researchers working across the many disciplines involved in injury and violence research. “There will be about 180 scientific presentations…
A multidisciplinary team based at New York University has developed a diagnostic tool that uses eye movement to detect traumatic brain injury. The tool could provide physicians with a fast, simple and accurate test for diagnosing TBI severity and assessing patient recovery. The new diagnostic tool is the brainchild of Uzma Samadani, MD, PhD, chief…
Police departments across the U.S. are increasingly equipping officers with tourniquets and other supplies to stop traumatic bleeding. As the police show that non-medical personnel can use these supplies successfully, trauma kits may soon be made available to the general public for emergency “bystander” care. Alex Eastman, MD, MPH, interim trauma medical director at Parkland…
Researchers at a Massachusetts biotechnology company have been working for years to develop an injectable foam that can control severe internal bleeding. A recent translational research study has demonstrated the optimal human dose of the foam, according to a press release from Arsenal Medical, developer of the technology. The company expects to seek regulatory approval…
The American College of Surgeons has declined to grant full three-year verification to Ben Taub General Hospital, a Level I trauma center in Houston. In a letter to hospital leaders, the ACS cited significant concerns about the availability of operating rooms and the adequacy of surgeon staffing, according to a Houston Chronicle report. The hospital…
The state of Nebraska has denied Creighton University Medical Center’s application for Level I trauma center designation. Until last August, the Omaha hospital operated a collaborative trauma program with nearby Nebraska Medical Center. In a January 9 letter, the state Department of Health and Human Services cited Creighton’s failure to meet four standards for comprehensive…