Ep 29 - London Trauma Conference: Day one round up.

London Trauma Conference 2024: Day One Highlights Welcome to the St Emlyn's blog! I'm Iain Beardsell, and I'm Natalie May. We’re excited to share insights from the London Trauma Conference 2024, held in the glamorous heart of Kensington, London. This year’s conference has brought together national and international experts, offering a wealth of knowledge on trauma care. Here, we’ll take you through some of the key highlights from day one, hoping to give you a feel for the event and perhaps persuade you to join us for the remaining days. Karen Bray’s Dynamic Talk on Trauma Dissection One of the standout sessions was Karen Bray's talk on trauma dissection. Her dynamic presentation, complemented by stunning slides, provided numerous take-home messages. For those following us on Twitter, you might have seen some key points and visuals already. Karen’s discussion was particularly poignant given the recent tragic events in Australia involving Phil Hughes. Her ability to weave current events into her presentation added a layer of immediacy and relevance. We’ll delve deeper into her insights in a separate podcast, but suffice it to say, her talk was both enlightening and thought-provoking. Pediatric Trauma and Research Challenges Ian McConaughey addressed the perennial issue of pediatric trauma, emphasizing the inconsistencies in pre-hospital assessments. He pointed out the challenges due to the lower incidence of pediatric trauma compared to adults, which hampers research efforts. Ross Fisher from Sheffield built on this, discussing potential pathways to overcome these barriers in pediatric trauma research. In line with these discussions, Ian Bailey from Southampton raised critical points about the evolution of trauma surgery in the UK. He highlighted the need to attract young doctors to general and trauma surgery, questioning why this isn’t currently a structured career path. His candid approach to addressing these “elephants in the room” was refreshing and necessary for future improvements in trauma care. The Helmet Debate: To Mandate or Not? One of the liveliest sessions featured a debate between Mark Wilson and Karim Brohi on the use of cycling helmets. This debate sparked significant discussion on Twitter. The crux of the debate was whether making helmets mandatory would reduce cycling participation and thereby negate the overall health benefits. Ultimately, Karim won with the argument that helmets should remain a choice rather than a mandate, but the conversation is far from over. Impact Brain Apnea: A New Mechanism We also had a compelling discussion with Gareth Davies on impact brain apnea—a newly recognized mechanism where a head injury can temporarily stop breathing. This simple yet critical understanding could reshape how we manage head trauma in the initial stages. Stay tuned for an upcoming podcast where we’ll explore this topic further. Chris Moran on the Future of Trauma Care Professor Chris Moran, a leading figure in trauma care in England, provided an insightful talk on the progress of major trauma centers over recent years. He also addressed the contentious issue of whether the focus should shift from in-hospital care to pre-hospital phases or rehabilitation. Surprisingly, he advocated for greater emphasis on rehabilitation, sparking a gut reaction among many attendees. However, upon reflection, the audience began to see the merit in his argument. Rehabilitation, though less glamorous than pre-hospital interventions, plays a crucial role in patient recovery and long-term outcomes. Practical Insights on Chest Trauma and Rib Fractures Doug West, a cardiothoracic surgeon from Bristol, delivered a practical talk on chest trauma, particularly the management of rib fractures. He highlighted the disparity in practices across centers, with some performing rib fixation regularly and others not at all. This variation underscores the need for standardized protocols and further research. Tim Moll on Trauma in Motors