Pediatrics
Robert Russell, MD, MPH, MPH
Professor of Surgery
University of Alabama School of Medicine
Birmingham, Alabama
Trauma is the leading cause of pediatric mortality and leads to significant medical costs. Children have a higher incidence of mortality than adults. Mortality in children with traumatic hemorrhagic shock is 50% compared to 20% to 25% in adults. Recent retrospective and prospective observational studies indicate that resuscitation practices (appropriate blood product ratios and tranexamic acid use) can dramatically reduce mortality in children with traumatic hemorrhagic shock. Resuscitation and hemostatic strategies are key targets for standardization and investigation. Clinical trial design surrounding this topic is difficult because of the lack of standardization in resuscitation approaches, transfusion strategies, and use of hemostatic monitoring and adjuncts, as well as the lack of agreed-upon definitions and common data elements for study. A multidisciplinary team of highly engaged international experts and key stakeholders has been organized to develop consensus statements on best practice based on the current literature and consensus statements on research priorities. This panel session will detail the consensus recommendations and dive deeper into topics surrounding the resuscitation of pediatric trauma patients with hemorrhagic shock. Speakers will also detail the future landscape of clinical trials.