Enhancing patient safety in trauma: Understanding adverse events, assessment tools, and the role of trauma video review (27 April 2024)

Summary

Trauma remains a leading cause of global mortality and morbidity, necessitating effective trauma care. Despite progress, adverse events during trauma resuscitation persist, impacting patient outcomes and the healthcare system. This study in the American Journal of Surgery aimed to investigate adverse events in trauma resuscitation, evaluate contributing factors, and assess methods, such as trauma video review (TVR), to mitigate adverse events.

The authors concluded that trauma video review (TVR) shows promise for identifying adverse events. They identified challenges including ensuring reporting consistency and integrating approaches into existing protocols. They call for future research to prioritise linking trauma team performance to patient outcomes and develop sustainable TVR programs to enhance patient safety.