Airway management in the multi trauma patient

Abstract

Physiologic responses to trauma are many and complex. When assessing the effects of trauma, it can be seen that just one single system injury can affect many other systems both initially, and further on as the body's various compensatory and healing mechanisms come into play. This paper addresses the necessity of judicious airway management in the primary survey, and represents but a portion of the ocean of knowledge and skills necessary to effectively deal with the trauma patient.