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College of Medicine: Department of Surgery

Guidelines

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Education Primers

  1. Emergency General Surgery (updated 3/2024)
  2. Trauma (updated 8/2023)
  3. Surgical Critical Care

Trauma Activation Guidelines

  1. Trauma Team Activation Criteria (updated 1/2023)
  2. Trauma Roles and Responsibilities (updated 1/2023)
  3. Trauma Activation Table (updated 5/2025)

Clinical Practice Guidelines

  1. Massive Blood Transfusion (updated 12/2022)
  2. Emergency Airway Guideline (new 9/2023)
  3. Communication of Critical Imaging Results (new 9/2023)
  4. Imaging of Trauma Patients (updated 2/2023)
  5. IR – EMBO-STAT (new 7/2023)
  6. Rapid Imaging Protocol in Trauma (RIPIT) (new 12/2022)
  7. Anticoagulant Rapid Evaluation and Reversal (Updated 12/2022)
  8. Empiric Use of TXA (new 8/2024)

Abdominal/Pelvis Injuries

  1. Blunt Liver, Spleen, Kidney Injury Management (updated 9/2023)
  2. Pelvic Fracture Management Guideline (updated 9/2023)
  3. REBOA Insertion and Management (updated 3/2023)
    1. (Quick Reference Guide)
  4. Open Abdomen Management (updated 12/2022)
  5. Surgical Site Infection (SSI) Reduction Bundle (new 5/2021)

Chest Injuries

  1. Blunt Cardiac Injury (updated 3/2023)
  2. Blunt Chest Wall Injury (updated 3/2023)
  3. Chest Tube Management (updated 5/2023)

Brain Injuries

  1. Neurosurgical Emergency Consultation (updated 4/2023)
  2. Traumatic Brain Injury Goal Directed Therapy (updated 6/2025)
  3. Pneumocephalus Treatment (reviewed 4/2023)
  4. Blunt Cerebrovascular Injury (BCVI) Screening and Treatment (updated 6/2023)
  5. Pentobarbital Treatment Guideline (new 9/2024)

Spine Injuries

  1. Spinal Cord Injury (updated 2/2023)
  2. Spine Fracture Guideline (no cord involvement) (updated 2/2023)
  3. Cervical Spine Evaluation and Clearance (updated 7/2023)

Fractures

  1. Orthopedic Emergency Consultation (updated 2/2023)
  2. Open Fracture Management Guideline (Ortho & ENT) (updated 12/2022)
  3. Hip Fracture Guideline (updated 9/2023)
  4. Combined Ortho/Vascular Extremity Trauma (new 6/2023)
  5. Long Bone Fractures (new 8/2023)

Special Patient Populations & Rare Injuries

  1. Burn Management (new 9/2023)
  2. Geriatric Trauma Patients (new 8/2023)
  3. Pregnant Trauma Patients (updated 8/2023)
  4. Pediatric Emergency Airway Management (new 12/2022)
  5. Pediatric – Nonaccidental Trauma (new 9/2023)
  6. Pediatric Readiness
  7. Pediatric Transfers (reviewed 1/2023)
  8. Burn Transfers (reviewed 1/2023)
  9. Snakebite Management (updated 12/2022)

Guidelines for Admitted Patients

  1. Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis (DVT/PE) (updated 8/2024)
  2. Pain Protocol (updated 12/2022)
  3. Electrolyte Replacement (revised 4/2022)
  4. Alcohol Screening & Misuse Interventions (new 7/2023)
  5. Mental Health (PTSD & Depression) Screening and Referral (new 12/2022)
  6. Splenectomy Vaccines (revised 12/2022)
  7. Transfer of Inpatient Service Protocol (reviewed 8/2023)
  8. Rehabilitation and Discharge Planning (new 7/2023)
  9. Inpatient Rehabilitation Services (new 8/2023)

Trauma Resources

  1. ROTEM link
  2. ROTEM Interpretation

Operational Guidelines

  1. Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)- 2023 PI Plan
  2. Back Up Trauma Attending (reviewed 01/2023)
  3. Continuing Education (updated 1/2023)
  4. Delayed Capacity of Emergency Department, Diversion of Trauma Patients (updated 5/2023)
  5. Direct Admission of Trauma Patient (reviewed 5/2023)
  6. Hand Microvascular/Replant Telemedicine (reviewed 1/2023)
  7. Hopscotch Protocol (UAMS/MEMS) for pediatric patients who arrive with adult trauma patients (reviewed 1/2023)
  8. Inclement Weather Policy (reviewed 1/2023)
  9. Neurotrauma Diversion/ Credentialing (reviewed 1/2023)
  10. Operating Room Access for Trauma Emergency (reviewed 5/2023)
  11. Orthopedic Surgery Contingency Plan (new 6/2023)
  12. Surgeon Plan for Mass Casualty Event (MCE) (updated 9/2023)
  13. Transport of Trauma Patient from the ED to procedures (reviewed 1/2023)
  14. Trauma Acceptance Guideline (new 4/2023)
  15. Trauma Flow Sheet Completion Guideline (new 9/2023)
  16. Trauma Issues Communication Guideline (new 12/15/2022)
  17. Trauma Panel Participation (reviewed 6/2023)
  18. Trauma Response Times (updated 1/2023)
  19. Trauma Registry Data Validation (new 5/2023)
  20. Unknown Trauma Patient Identity (updated 1/2023)
  21. Video Peer Review of Trauma Resuscitation (updated 1/2023)

EGS Guidelines

  1. Small Bowel Obstruction Guideline (updated 3/15/2019)
  2. EGS/Trauma Intraoperative Consultation Guidelines (reviewed 10/2022)

SICU Guidelines

  1. Indications for SICU Care & Transfer Out Process (updated1/2021)
  2. CAUTI Prevention Guideline (new 11/2021)
  3. CLABSI Prevention Guideline (updated 2/2025)
  4. Gastric Ulcer Prophylaxis (updated 5/2025)
  5. Perioperative Tube Feeding (reviewed 9/23)
  6. SICU Sleep Protection Guidelines (new 12/2022)
  7. Trauma Surgeon Responsibility & Surgical Eval of ICU Patients (new 8/2023)

ECMO

ECMO Guidelines

  1. ECMO Watch (new 4/2021)
  2. ECMO Antibiotic Stewardship (new 4/2021)
  3. ECMO Sedation Considerations (new 8/2021)

ECMO Checklists

  1. VV Cannulation – Physician (new 4/2021)
  2. VV Cannulation – Perfusion (new 4/2021)
  3. VV Cannulation – RN (new 4/2021)
  4. VA Cannulation – Physician (new 4/2021)
  5. VA Cannulation – Perfusion (new 4/2021)
  6. VA Cannulation – RN (new 4/2021)

ECMO Resources

  1. http://www.save-score.com/
  2. http://www.respscore.com/
  3. http://elso.org/

Copyright © 2023 by UAMS Trauma Service

All rights reserved. No part of this publication, or those contained therein, may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the UAMS Trauma Program Director, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the UAMS Trauma Program Director, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.

UAMS Trauma Program Director
4301 West Markham St.
Slot 746
Little Rock, Arkansas 72205