Prehospital resuscitation in adult patients following injury: A Western Trauma Association critical decisions algorithm

This is a recommended management algorithm from the Western Trauma Association (WTA) Algorithms Committee addressing prehospital resuscitation in adult patients following traumatic injury. The WTA develops algorithms to provide guidance and recommendations for particular practice areas but does not establish the standard of care.^1-3 Because there is a paucity of published prospective randomized clinical trials that have generated class I data to inform the overall algorithm, these recommendations are based primarily on the highest level of data available for specific injury types, prehospital transport characteristics and specific patient factors identified via structured literature search and expert opinion of the WTA members. The final algorithm is the result of an iterative process, including an initial internal review and revision by the WTA Algorithm Committee members, and then final revisions based on input during and after presentation of the algorithm to the full WTA membership.