Airey & Franks 1995 - Major trauma workload

Question 1

Summarise Airey and Franks 1995

Answer 1

Published in ‘Injury’

Retrospective observational study examining cases of death or serious injury within and English Regional Health Authority

Aimed to evaluate the health service workloads relating to major trauma within Yorkshire
Cause, time, and geographical distribution of incidents as well as where they are transported to and what injuries/interventions

Included if admitted to ICU, transferred, dead or stayed >3 days and if ISS greater than 15, special circs excluded

968 cases reached met the final inclusion criteria
- 65% arrived alive, 57% survived to be admitted
- 38% survived to discharge
- 15% died in transit
- Young, male, blunt trauma

50 percent median rate of transfer to other hospitals (mainly for neurosurgical intervention, often had multisystem injury)

Take homes:
- 15% dead on arrival - these are the ones we could prevent
- Transfer for primary intervention

Question 2

What does Figure 3 show in Airey & Franks 1995

Answer 2

Breakdown of patients
Shows the 15% who were dead on arrival