Trauma Surgery Glossary

Protrusion of abdominal contents through a traumatic defect in the abdominal wall.

Surgical opening of the abdomen to investigate and treat suspected intra-abdominal injury or pathology.

Severe blood loss leading to circulatory failure and potential death.

Surgical incision through fascia to relieve compartment pressure and restore tissue perfusion.

Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma, an ultrasound protocol to detect free fluid in trauma patients.

Chest wall injury where multiple adjacent rib fractures create a free-floating segment that moves paradoxically with res...

Point-of-care ultrasound examination used to detect free intraperitoneal fluid in trauma patients.

A rapid ultrasound examination used to detect free fluid in the abdomen and pelvis of trauma patients.

A standardized neurological assessment tool measuring eye opening, verbal response, and motor response in brain-injured...

The most severe classification of splenic trauma involving complete organ disruption.

Surgical removal of accumulated blood to relieve pressure and prevent further tissue damage.

Abnormal blood pressure, heart rate, or circulation indicating cardiovascular compromise.

The presence of both blood and air in the pleural space, commonly seen in chest trauma.

Life-threatening condition resulting from severe blood loss leading to inadequate tissue perfusion and oxygen delivery.

The process of stopping bleeding through clot formation or surgical intervention.

Accumulation of blood in the pleural space, commonly from chest trauma or iatrogenic injury.

A documented period of systolic blood pressure below 90 mmHg in trauma patients, serving as a critical marker for hemorr...

Fluid management strategy that maintains lower blood pressure to reduce bleeding in trauma patients.

Standardized scoring system that assigns numerical values to anatomical injuries for trauma assessment.

The pressure within the skull, elevated levels of which can cause brain injury and require urgent intervention.

Emergency vascular access technique involving insertion of a needle through bone cortex into the medullary cavity.

Anatomical scoring system used to assess overall injury severity in trauma patients.

Minimally invasive surgical technique using a camera to examine the abdominal cavity for trauma-related injuries.

The combination of hypothermia, acidosis, and coagulopathy that develops in severely injured trauma patients.