This book presents an overview of the management of critically injured patients, with a particular focus on the intensive care phase of the patient pathway. Almost all of the chapter authors are military clinicians with recent deployed experience in war zones and this brings a unique perspective to the book.

The book provides an overview of the initial stages of the military trauma patient pathway but the main focus is on the decisions faced by the intensive care specialist once a critically injured patient arrives within the ICU. The question and answer format of the chapters provides pragmatic and evidence based guidance based on the accumulated experience of the authors during the last two decades of combat operations. However, the lessons learnt are also translated into the civilian setting and will be relevant to anyone looking after critically injured patients. Trauma and Combat Critical Care in Clinical Practice is a useful tool for critical care specialists as well as doctors in training within the specialty. It will also be of relevance to those practicing in the pre-hospital and emergency department environments.

Autorentext

Surgeon Commander Sam Hutchings is the Royal Navy's head of specialty for Intensive Care Medicine and undertakes his clinical practice at King's College Hospital, London.  He is also a clinical academic with areas of research interest covering resuscitation endpoints in traumatic haemorrhage and the use of novel point of care perfusion assessment tools. He has deployed operationally to Iraq, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone. 

Zusammenfassung
Intensive Care Medicine (or Critical Care, the terms are used interchangeably) is an evolving specialty both within the UK and worldwide. It has recently been established as a UK speciality in it's own right, and is at the centre of the modern acute hospital, responsible for managing the sickest and most complex patients.
There is a growing cadre of critical care specialists in the UK, underpinned by a large number of doctors in training within the specialty.   Management of patients with severe traumatic injury is provided by intensive care specialists, often in conjunction with a range of other professionals such as surgeons and interventional radiologists. 
The management of these patients, who have competing complex injuries can be challenging. Traumatic injury is recognised as a significant cause of preventable mortality and such patients are now clustered within Major Trauma Centres across the UK.  
The Defence Medical Services of the UK have spent the last 10 years managing patients with very severe traumatic injuries, first in Iraq and most recently in Afghanistan. The lessons learnt from this experience has filtered through to the NHS, resulting in many changes to established practice. 
Whilst several books have been published based on this experience, none have focused on the intensive care management of such patients, which represents a vital link in the chain of survival from injury to recovery.

Inhalt
Treating the Critically Injured Military PatientThe Evolution of Trauma Critical Care Pre Hospital treatment of the critically injured patientInitial Management of the Critically Injured PatientHaemodynamic Resuscitation Following Traumatic Haemorrhagic Shock- an Overview Haemodynamic Optimisation of the Critically Injured Patient Blood Product and Fluid Therapy in the Critically Injured Patient 
Management of the Patient with Trauma Induced CoagulopathyThoracic Trauma and Management of Ventilation in the Critically Injured Patient Management of Blast Related InjuriesManaging Severe Traumatic Brain Injury outside of the Neurosciences Critical Care Unit
Management of the Critically Ill Patient with Burns
Surgical Problems in the Critically Ill Trauma Patient
Orthopaedic Issues in the Critical Injured Patient
Imaging the Critically Injured Patient
Management of Sedation, Analgesia and Delirium in Critically Injured Patients
Nutrition in the Critically Injured Patient  
Venous thromboembolism in critically injured patients
Aeromedical Evacuation and Transfer of the Critically Injured Patient