Adopting the pre-hospital index for interfacility helicopter transport: a proposal
2003; Elsevier BV; Volume: 34; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/s0020-1383(02)00082-7
ISSN1879-0267
AutoresLeanelle Goldstein, Christopher J. Doig, Sarah Bates, Sandra Rink, John B. Kortbeek,
Tópico(s)Injury Epidemiology and Prevention
ResumoInterfacility helicopter transport is expensive without proven outcome benefit in trauma patients. Our objectives were to determine the fastest method of rural to urban interfacility transport, and develop a triage tool to identify patients most in need of rapid transport.Retrospective cohort study. Adults ISS > or = 12 transported from January 1996 to December 1998. Transport time variables were compared between geographical zones. A pre-transport index (PTI) identified two patient cohorts in which outcome was assessed.Air ambulance was faster than ground transport, with helicopter overall superior to fixed-wing (< 225 km range). Seventy-two percent of patients with PTI < 4 (n = 196) had no outcome indicating severe injury versus 29% of the PTI > or = 4 cohort (n=151). Mortality for PTI or = 4.Interfacility helicopter transport of severely injured rural trauma patients was the overall fastest method within a 225 km range. PTI > 4 identifies patients most in need of this fast but expensive method of transport.
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