‘Stealth trauma’ in the young and the old: the next challenge for major trauma networks?

What is it about?

In the last few years, Major Trauma Networks have been set up in England, whereby the ambulance service and hospitals collaborate, to ensure that patients are rapidly moved to specialist major trauma centres, if needed. This has improved patient outcomes. As both the nature of major trauma and the number of old people in our society has changed, it has been shown by TARN statistics (the Trauma Audit Research Network), that assessment of children and the elderly is different, and severe injuries can be harder to spot at the extremes of age.
We have coined the phrase "stealth trauma" to describe this. It is not yet known if these age groups are disadvantaged in getting good trauma care, but greater awareness and research into these age bands, is needed.

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