Is computerized tomography of trauma patients associated with a transfer delay to a regional trauma centre?
OBJECTIVE
Many trauma patients undergo advanced diagnostic imaging before being transferred to a regional trauma centre, but this step can delay definitive care. This study compared the length-of-stay at the primary hospital between patients who underwent CT scans and those who did not.


METHODS
This was a medical record review of all consecutive trauma cases transferred to a regional trauma centre servicing 2.2 million people during a 2-year period. Two trained abstractors, blind to each other's results, collected data independently.


RESULTS
Of 249 cases, 79 (31%) underwent a CT scan before being transferred. There was no significant difference in the Injury Severity Score between the 2 groups (p = 0.16), yet the CT group remained at the primary hospital approximately 90 minutes longer before transfer (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
A significant proportion of trauma patients transferred to a regional trauma centre undergo CT scanning at the primary hospital. These patients experience an increased length-of-stay of 90 minutes, on average, before transfer. This appears to be a common practice that does not appear to contribute to definitive trauma management.
Onzuka
Justin
J
Division of Emergency Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Worster
Andrew
A
McCreadie
Bill
B
D002170:Canada; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008499:Medical Records; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012042:Registries; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014193:Trauma Centers; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging