Polytrauma

Polytrauma is a medical term describing the condition of a person who has been subjected to multiple traumatic injuries, such as a serious head injury in addition to a serious burn. It is defined via an Injury Severity Score (ISS) equal to or greater than 16. The term has become a key aspect of emergency medicine and military medicine.

Definition

The term polytrauma is derived from the Greek word "poly" meaning "many" and the Latin word "trauma" meaning "wound". In medical terms, it refers to the condition of a person who has been subjected to multiple traumatic injuries. The term is often used to describe a condition in which the injuries occur in more than one body system or organ simultaneously.

Classification

Polytrauma is classified based on the Injury Severity Score (ISS), a medical scoring system that provides an overall score for patients with multiple injuries. Each injury is assigned a score of 1 to 6, with 1 being minor, 5 severe and 6 unsurvivable. The scores are then squared and added together to give the ISS. An ISS equal to or greater than 16 is considered polytrauma.

Treatment

Treatment of polytrauma patients is complex and involves multiple medical specialties. Initial treatment is focused on stabilizing the patient and preventing further injury. This is often followed by surgery or other procedures to repair the injuries. Rehabilitation is also an important part of treatment, helping the patient regain function and independence.

See also

• Trauma (medicine)
• Injury Severity Score
• Emergency medicine
• Military medicine

References

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