Head Injury Retrieval Trial

Randomised, Controlled Trial of Physician Prehospital Management of Severe Blunt Head Injury

The study hypothesis is that advanced interventions as provided by a physician at an accident scene will decrease the death rate and the rate of severe disability in survivors of severe head injury. Extended interventions by advanced level prehospital providers may include rapid sequence intubation (RSI) airway management, blood transfusions, surgical procedures, etc.

A randomised, controlled trial examining prehospital management of persons with severe blunt head injury, in the Sydney region. Treatments examined will be the current system consisting principally of paramedic management (standard care) compared with management by a retrieval team lead by a consultant anaesthetist, emergency physician or intensive care specialist. Patients for inclusion in the study will be identified by a paramedic screening all "000" calls to the ambulance service and identifying persons likely to have severe head injury. The principal outcome measure will be their degree of disability measured at 6 months post injury.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3 to 8 due to blunt trauma as measured at the accident scene by the first prehospital team to arrive at the site.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Penetrating trauma
• Age less than 16 years
• No more than 5 casualties at the scene