The golden hour: Scientific fact or medical "urban legend"?

The term "golden hour" is commonly used to characterize the urgent need for the care of trauma patients. This term implies that morbidity and mortalit y are affected if care is not instituted within the first hour after injury . This concept justifies much of our current trauma system. However, defini tive references are generally not provided when this concept is discussed. It remains unclear whether objective data exist. This article discusses a d etailed literature and historical record search for support of the "golden hour" concept. None is identified.