Preface

Summary

Trauma is a leading cause of death and disability in modern society. Trauma will continue to be a leading cause of death well into the future. We are all vulnerable to traumatic injury. Managing adult and pediatric victims of major trauma and burns continues to be a great challenge requiring a tremendous amount of dedication and resources. The overall aim of this book is to review the anesthesia considerations for trauma patients and to provide a rational approach to choice of anesthetic techniques and drugs for injured patients. To accomplish this, I have assembled an outstanding group of clinicians who regularly care for trauma patients at major trauma centers. Each of them was asked to contribute a chapter that would provide an in-depth discussion on their area of expertise and that would concentrate on clinical aspects of trauma management. I have selected members of my hospital to assist with this textbook, as well as notable contributors from other major centers around the globe.

The book consists of thirty-seven chapters that deal in detail with pertinent areas of trauma care, such as airway and shock management, monitoring, vascular access, pharmacology of anesthetic drugs, fluid and blood resuscitation, and the treatment of acute and chronic pain after injury. For several patterns of injuries, including extremity and pelvis, spinal cord, burns, cardiac and great vessel, surgical considerations and management principles are presented to the reader in the chapter preceding the one dealing with anesthesia considerations.