Major trauma remains the “neglected disease” despite its global socioeconomic impact as the leading cause of death and disability. Trauma affects all age and socioeconomic groups, and presents in many different forms from isolated traumatic brain injury to hemorrhagic shock and from multiple trauma to low-impact injury in the elderly. Severe injury is often literally life changing within the blink of an eye. The trauma community has learned to reduce the impact of major trauma considerably through rigorous evidence-based research, implementation of trauma systems and pragmatism. Despite these improvements the challenges remain considerable, in particular in low- and middle-income countries.
For this reason, this Collection of articles will summarize the current state of the art of trauma resuscitation and imagine the evolution and challenges for the 21st century: dealing with shock, trauma systems, demographic change, new approaches to trauma research, trauma care in low- and middle-income countries… Stay tuned for an inspiring collection of articles written by international opinion leaders.
