The near extinction of the RAPTOR: a cautionary tale

SummaryTrauma hybrid operating rooms (THORs) integrate diagnostic imaging with open surgical capabilities to provide both surgical and interventional radiology procedures, such as may be required by exsanguinating patients, in a single physical location. The world's first trauma program-designed THOR, designated the Resuscitation with Angiography, Percutaneous Treatments, and Operative Repair (RAPTOR) suite, opened in Calgary in 2013. It was considered to be paradigm shifting at the time; however, the physical space has become largely obsolete and is now disfavoured by key multidisciplinary users who are essential to RAPTOR functionality. Many health care systems worldwide are considering building such THORs, and lessons learned from early adopters may be invaluable to other planners. We critically evaluated the physical, operational, and administrative components of our RAPTOR experience in the context of the published literature. While the concept has great merit in saving lives, future-proofing such resources is critical.