Victorian State Trauma System

Major Trauma Guidelines & Education – Victorian State Trauma System

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The Victorian State Trauma System is set up to ensure that every patient receives appropriate care in a safe and timely manner and works to reduce preventable death and permanent disability.

Definition of Major Trauma

In the absence of an internationally recognised standard definition of major trauma, Victoria applies the following operational definition of major trauma in injured patients:

  • Death after injury.
  • Admission to an intensive care unit for more than 24 hours, requiring a period of mechanical ventilation.
  • Serious injury to two or more body systems.
  • an Injury Severity Score (ISS) over 12, or

Urgent surgery for intracranial, intrathoracic or intra-abdominal injury, or for fixation of pelvic or spinal fractures.

Multi-Vehicle Collision
Image used with permission from Ambulance Victoria