Trauma Primary and Secondary Survey: A Comprehensive Clinical Guideline

Evidence-based guideline for systematic trauma evaluation including ABCDE primary survey, hemorrhagic shock management, damage control resuscitation, injury-specific assessment, and special populations.

5 articles • Updated Mar 2026

Trauma Primary and Secondary Survey — Part 5: Special Trauma Populations

Pediatric trauma (vital signs by age, Broselow, non-accidental trauma), geriatric trauma (anticoagulant reversal, occult shock), pregnant trauma (physiologic changes, perimortem C-section), burns (Parkland formula, rule of nines, escharotomy), and penetrating vs blunt selective non-operative management.

guidelines•Mar 2026•guidelines

Trauma Primary and Secondary Survey — Part 4: Focused Injury-Specific Assessment

Head injury assessment, cervical spine clearance (Canadian C-Spine Rule, NEXUS), chest injury evaluation, abdominal assessment with AAST organ injury grading (liver, spleen, kidney), pelvic fracture management, extremity vascular injury and compartment syndrome, and spinal injury with TLICS scoring.

guidelines•Mar 2026•guidelines

Trauma Primary and Secondary Survey — Part 3: Damage Control Resuscitation & Transfusion

Permissive hypotension, massive transfusion protocol with 1:1:1 ratio, tranexamic acid (CRASH-2), crystalloid limitation, hypothermia prevention, acidosis correction, viscoelastic hemostatic assays, and whole blood resuscitation.

guidelines•Mar 2026•guidelines

Trauma Primary and Secondary Survey — Part 2: Adjuncts to Primary Survey, Secondary Survey & Hemorrhagic Shock

Extended FAST technique, chest and pelvis radiography, Foley and NG tube placement, complete head-to-toe secondary survey, AMPLE history, and hemorrhagic shock classification with Classes I-IV.

guidelines•Mar 2026•guidelines

Trauma Primary and Secondary Survey — Part 1: Trauma Team Activation & Primary Survey (ABCDE)

Two-tier trauma team activation criteria, CDC field triage, and complete ABCDE primary survey including airway with C-spine protection, breathing and ventilation, circulation with hemorrhage control, disability assessment with GCS, and exposure/environment.

guidelines•Mar 2026•guidelines