CURRENT PROTOCOLS FOR PRE-HOSPITAL CARE IN SEVERE TRAUMA: IMPACT ON MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY

Severe trauma is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide and is responsible for a large proportion of admissions to intensive care units and for considerable costs to health systems.In this context, pre-hospital care has emerged as a fundamental component of the line of care for polytraumatized patients, playing a decisive role in the clinical stabilization and prognosis of the victim.The implementation of standardized care protocols, such as Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) and Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS), has been essential to systematize conduct and optimize the response time of emergency teams.These protocols emphasize primary and secondary assessment, prioritizing the guarantee of a patent airway, effective ventilation, hemorrhage control and rapid identification of life-threatening injuries.Advanced pre-hospital care, carried out by trained professionals and with the support of appropriate equipment, allows for early interventions that directly influence clinical outcomes, such as reducing mortality, reducing complications and improving patients' functional recovery.In addition, the careful choice of means of transportation, adequate response time and efficient communication with the referral service are all factors that contribute to successful care.This article proposes an updated review of the main protocols used in pre-hospital care for severe trauma, highlighting their practical applications, benefits and challenges, with the aim of reinforcing the importance of this critical phase in the continuum of care for trauma patients.