Emergency management of a patient following a road traffic accident

Abstract

Patients presenting following a road traffic accident (RTA) is a common emergency in small animal practice. As with all emergencies, the immediate concern should be on identifying any life threatening morbidities affecting the respiratory, cardiovascular/circulatory and neurological systems. Often, patients present in shock following trauma, and identification and correction of this via aggressive fluid therapy is often warranted unless abdominal haemorrhage or evidence of increased intracranial pressure are identified, in which case more judicious fluid therapy may be warranted. Complications specifically related to the respiratory system following the RTA can include pulmonary contusions, pneumothorax and diaphragmatic herniation, which should be dealt with promptly using stabilisation methods such as oxygen supplementation, analgesia and thoracic drainage. Once the patient is stabilised the clinician should progress onto a more thorough physical examination including contrast studies of the urinary system.