Saved at the ICSM Trauma Conference
Written by Khizr Nawab
The weekend of November 19th and 20th saw the sixth annual Trauma Conference hosted by Imperial College Surgical Society at the Imperial College South Kensington campus. A large-scale conference, Trauma 2011 drew in emminent speakers and a diverse delegate pool from the far reaches of the globe. The weekend included a combination of lectures on important aspects of trauma medicine followed by several postlunchtime skill stations.
Lectures covered the basic tenets of Trauma and Emergency care with special emphasis accorded to airway maintenance, C-spine and neurological trauma, circulatory failure, chest, obstetric, paediatric and musculoskeletal trauma, and burns. The speakers frequently found themselves having to curb their enthusiasm in order to keep to the strict time constraints necessary for fitting in such a large number of specialist lectures in the space of two days. There were some particularly noteworthy lectures. Mr Hiettiaratchy, a consultant plastics and reconstructive surgeon promptly whisked the entire delegate population into the adrenaline-drenched, emotionally draining and high-stakes world of trauma surgery on the battlefield. “The interosseus access station had delegates happily drilling small perfect holes into eggs to make elaborate smiley faces!”
Indeed, his vivid and poignant depiction of the trials and tribulations of trauma care at its very purest left all of us hungering for more. Later that same day, Mr Duncan Bew spoke at length of possible career paths to trauma surgery. It was particularly well-received considering the meagre guidance trauma hopefuls receive in making career defining choices. Professor Boffard, the world’s most eminent trauma surgeon, delivered lectures at the end of both days. Having flown in from Johannesburg the night before, he proceeded to offer us a glimpse into the future of trauma surgery, charting and sampling various landmark innovations in trauma surgery over the years.
The practical stations, arranged over two days according to a strict timetable, involved various relevant clinical aspects of trauma care. Highlights included a chest trauma station which, after recapping some relevant clinical anatomy, demonstrated needle thoracocentesis and chest drain insertions. The demonstrators offered gentle support and encouragement and were always willing to cater to the delegate’s individual needs. The ratio of three delegates to a given sheep thorax was particularly helpful as it allowed delegates some much-needed time to hone their skills at their own pace. The intubation station demonstrators were particularly enthusiastic and made it their own personal mission to ensure all delegates could confidently intubate if necessary! The interosseus access station had delegates happily drilling small perfect holes into eggs to make elaborate smiley faces!
The FAST (Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma) scan station guided the delegates through the technique of using ultrasound probes properly to search for extravasated blood in four important regions: pericardic, pelvic, perihepatic and perisplenic. Learning objectives were provided in the programme, leaving the delegates with a clear, reassuring reminder of what they had been taught. Organizers went so far as to recruit members of the London Ambulance Service to teach delegates the basics of cervical spine protection in a trauma setting.
The weekend was thoroughly enjoyable and all the delegates left with a clear, enriched knowledge base on trauma medicine and surgery.
Found this article interesting - Tweet or Facebook to share with your friends and followers!