Prehospital management in trauma patients and the increasing number of helicopter EMS transportations: An epidemiological study of the TraumaRegister DGU®

This study compares the prehospital management of trauma patients in Austria and Germany using data from the TraumaRegister DGU®. It examines differences in time management, transport methods (helicopter vs. ambulance), and prehospital interventions. The researchers analyzed data from 2008 to 2017, focusing on severely injured patients (ISS ≥16) admitted to Level I trauma centers in both countries. They looked at factors like transport times, intubation rates, fluid administration, and patient demographics. The study found that Austria uses helicopter EMS more frequently than Germany. It suggests implementing international guidelines for using helicopter EMS specifically for severe trauma cases and in regions with difficult access.

• 1
  The total time from the accident site to the hospital was not significantly different between Austria (62 minutes) and Germany (65 minutes).
• 2
  Austria uses helicopter EMS more often (53%) than Germany (37%) to transport trauma patients to the hospital.
• 3
  Patients in Austria received a median of 500ml of fluid in the prehospital setting, while those in Germany received 1000ml.