EARLY MANAGEMENT OF MULTIPLY INJURED PATIENTS WITH MAXILLOFACIAL INJURIES TRANSFERRED TO HOSPITAL BY HELICOPTER

It has been suggested that early intensive medical treatment will impr ove the outcome for trauma patients with severe injuries. A Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) based in an urban area was inaugurat ed by The Royal London Hospital. Specially trained medical and paramed ical personnel flew with the helicopter to accident scenes. On return to the hospital, multi-disciplinary teams, including maxillofacial, we re called to manage the patients. Operations from its own helipad comm enced from the end of August 1990. A retrospective study of 192 patien ts transferred by HEMS to the Royal London Hospital during 16 months w as undertaken. 18% (34) patients had facial injuries recognised at pri mary and secondary surveys according to Advanced Trauma Life Support ( ATLS) protocols. The problems of early management are described and ro utine techniques for the control of haemorrhage from the maxillofacial area were developed.