Pediatric trauma management in Switzerland: insights from a nationwide survey.

Abstract

Objective: To explore and analyze pediatric trauma care practices across designated pediatric trauma centers (PTCs) in Switzerland. The focus was on reception, trauma team activation (TTA), trauma team composition, patient volumes, and infrastructure.

Methods: A national online survey was conducted among all eight PTCs in Switzerland using an 18-item questionnaire. The survey investigated organizational aspects, criteria for TTA, patient volume, and communication modalities in pediatric emergency departments (PEDs).

Results: All PTCs responded, revealing varying methods of TTA, with reception of major trauma patients occurring at either PEDs or adjacent adult trauma facilities. Trauma team composition and activation criteria also differ among centers, with nonsurgeons often leading the teams and anesthesiologists being the default facilitators of airway management. TTA criteria vary widely, with the most common being the request of prehospitalization staff (62.5%) and physician discretion (50%). Trauma resuscitation is predominantly led by PED attendants (75%).

Conclusion: This survey provides insights into the state of pediatric trauma care in Switzerland. The findings underscore the importance of multidisciplinary teams and variability in trauma management practices, which are often tailored to local circumstances. Despite the study limitations of using self-reported data and the small sample size owing to the country's size, the result suggest that a national trauma registry would be helpful to the evaluation and optimization of pediatric trauma care protocols.