Selective Readings are separated by category:

• Pediatric
  Stafford, P., Blinman, T., Nance, M., Practical points in evaluation and resuscitation of the injured child. Surgical Clinics of North America 2002, 82, 273-301.
  
  This article focuses on the importance of the principles and concepts of quality trauma care, citing the "golden hour" and ATLS as providing a consistent guideline of care. The article discusses the key components in the primary survey through the resuscitation phase. It systematically reviews the secondary survey and discusses specific caveats in caring for the pediatric trauma patient. This article is thorough and would serve as an excellent reference for clinical staff.
  
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• Neurotrauma
  
  Hadley, M.N. (2002). Cervical spine immobilization before admission to the hospital. Neurosurgery, 50(3), Supplement, 7-17.
  
  This article is one in a series of evidenced based medicine articles on Guidelines for the Management of Acute Cervical Spine and Spinal Cord Injuries that was published in the Journal of Neurosurgery in 2002. Anyone looking to develop or consider changing pre-hospital immobilization protocols should review this article.
  
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  Hadley, M.N. (2002). Radiographic assessment of the cervical spine in asymptomatic trauma patients. Neurosurgery, 50(3), Supplement, 30-35.
  
  Radiological evaluation of the cervical spine of every trauma patient is costly and results in significant radiation exposure to a large number of patients, few of whom will have a spinal injury. The purpose of this review is to define the necessary studies in asymptomatic trauma patients.
  
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  Apuzzo, MLJ. (2002). Pharmacological therapy after acute cervical spinal cord injury. Neurosurgery, 50(3), Supplement, 63-72.
  
  Of all the articles in the supplement of Neurosurgery this topic remains the most controversial. This is again an evidenced based approach for the use of methylprednisolone in the management of acute spinal cord injury. If you are looking to change or modify you existing spinal cord injury protocol this is a must reading. In this article methylprednisolone is recommended only as an option in the treatment of patients with acute spinal cord injuries that should be undertaken with the knowledge that the evidence suggesting harmful side effects is more consistent than any suggestion of clinical benefit.
  
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  Tokutomi, T., et al. (2003). Optimal temperature for the management of severe traumatic brain injury: Effect of hypothermia on intracranial pressure, systemic and intracranial hemodynamics, and metabolism. Neurosurgery, 52(1), 102-112.
  
  This study was performed in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) < 6. All patients were sedated, paralyzed, ventilated and cooled to 33 degrees C. Results revealed that intracranial pressure decreased significantly at brain temperatures below 37 degrees C and decreased more sharply at temperatures 35 to 36 degrees C, but no differences were observed at temperature below 35 degrees C. For anyone looking to modify your hypothermia therapy for severe traumatic brain injury should review this article as it seems that temperatures of 35 to 35.5 degrees C seem to be optimal temperature at which to treat patients with severe TBI.
  
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• Rural Trauma
  
  Goldstein, L., et al, (2003). Adopting the pre-hospital index for inter-facility helicopter transport: a proposal. Injury, 34(1):3-11.
  
  Inter-facility helicopter transport is expensive and without a proven benefit in outcome for trauma patients. This study sought to determine the fastest method of rural to urban inter-facility transport. A triage tool was developed to identify patients most in need of rapid transport. The tool was then applied to a retrospective cohort of adults with ISS 12. The results showed that air ambulance was faster than ground transport, with helicopter overall superior to fixed-wing (less than 225 km range). Mortality for PTI<4 was 1.4% versus 22% for PTI 4. This Canadian study was useful but no all that helpful as the distance of 225 km is about 140 miles and probably does not reflect the bulk of aero-medical transport in the United States.
  
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  Liberman, M., et al (2003). Multi-center Canadian Study of Pre-hospital Trauma Care. Annals of Surgery, 237(2), 153-160.
  
  The objective of this Canadian study was to evaluate whether or not the type of on-scene trauma care affects outcome in trauma patients. The on-going controversy regarding pre-hospital care of trauma patients between advanced life support (ALS) and basic life support (BLS) providers continues to be debated. This prospective study compared three types of pre-hospital trauma care systems: Montreal, where physicians provide ALS (MD-ALS); Toronto, where paramedics provide ALS (PMD-ALS); and Quebec City, where emergency medical technicians provide BLS only (EMT-BLS). All patients were treated at highly specialized tertiary (level I) trauma hospitals. Death as a result of injury was the main outcome parameter. Results showed that in urban trauma centers with highly specialized care, there is no benefit in having on-site ALS for the pre-hospital management of trauma patients in this study. This is a must reading that questions the utility of many of the tenets of pre-hospital trauma care.
  
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• Other