Impact of trauma on society -- Economic aspects of trauma care -- Evidence based otthopaedic trauma care -- Inflammatory changes and coagulopathy multiply injured patients -- Pathophysiology of polytrauma -- Head injuries - neurosurgical and orthopaedic strategies -- Soft tissue injuries -- Chest trauma - classification and influence on the general management -- Abdominal injuries - indications for surgery -- Management of pelvic ring injuries -- Urological injuries in polytrauma -- Fracture management -- Mangled extremity: management in isolated extremity injuries and in polytrauma -- Management of spine fractures -- The elderly polytrauma patient -- General management in elderly: preoperative and ICU -- Polytrauma in young children -- Fracture management in pregnancy -- Open fractures - initial management -- Vascular injuries: Indications for stents, timing of vascular and orthopaedic surgery -- Management of articular fractures -- Nerve injuries in the face of adjacent fractures -- Outcome after primary amputation injuries, subtotal amputation injuries, and severe open fractures with nerve injuries -- High energy injuries caused by penetrating trauma -- Management of traumatic bone defects -- Acute soft tissue and bone infections -- Treatment of osteomyelitis, acte and chronic -- Management of malunions and nonunions in patients with multiple injuries -- Psychological squelae after severe trauma -- Outcome after extremity injuries -- Outcome pelvis and spine.

This guide provides practical information on the care of patients with blunt injuries that will be invaluable for emergency personnel, trauma surgeons, orthopaedic traumatologists, and anesthesiologists. The management of both truncal injuries (head, chest, abdomen) and fractures of the extremities, the pelvis, and the spine is covered in a condensed fashion, emphasizing key information. Care is taken to highlight associated injuries that may alter the decision making in patients with polytrauma. The new, revised edition takes full account of three major changes that have occurred in recent years. First, the increasing economic pressure on health care systems is impacting on the care of trauma patients. Second, there have been significant changes in trauma systems and the related education, in that while the United States appears to be approaching the European system, with the addition of a "generalist" education, some European countries are copying the hyperspecialization practiced in North America. Finally, there is a need to address the consequences of improved survival of polytrauma patients by focusing on the physical and psychological long-term sequelae of major injuries. Accordingly, post-traumatic stress disorder is discussed in depth in this new edition.