Pediatric Polytrauma Fire Victim Simulation. 2024

Lauren Vrablik, and Robyn Wing
Third-Year Fellow, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

Pediatric trauma has long been one of the primary contributors to pediatric mortality. There are multiple cases in the literature involving cyanide (CN) toxicity, carbon monoxide (CO) toxicity, and smoke inhalation with thermal injury, but none in combination with mechanical trauma. In this 45-minute simulation case, emergency medicine residents and fellows were asked to manage a pediatric patient with multiple life-threatening traumatic and metabolic concerns after being extracted from a van accident with a resulting fire. Providers were expected to identify and manage the patient's airway, burns, hemoperitoneum, and CO and CN toxicities. Forty learners participated in this simulation, the majority of whom had little prior clinical experience managing the concepts highlighted in it. All agreed or strongly agreed that the case was relevant to their work. After participation, learner confidence in the ability to manage each of the learning objectives was high. One hundred percent of learners felt confident or very confident in managing CO toxicity and completing primary and secondary surveys, while 97% were similarly confident in identifying smoke inhalation injury, preparing for a difficult airway, and managing CN toxicity. This case was a well-received teaching tool for the management of pediatric trauma and metabolic derangements related to fire injuries. While this specific case represents a rare clinical experience, it is within the scope of expected knowledge for emergency medicine providers and offers the opportunity to practice managing multisystem trauma.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009104 Multiple Trauma Multiple physical insults or injuries occurring simultaneously. Injuries, Multiple,Trauma, Multiple,Wounds, Multiple,Multiple Injuries,Polytrauma,Injury, Multiple,Multiple Injury,Multiple Traumas,Multiple Wound,Multiple Wounds,Polytraumas,Traumas, Multiple,Wound, Multiple
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D004635 Emergency Medicine The branch of medicine concerned with the evaluation and initial treatment of urgent and emergent medical problems, such as those caused by accidents, trauma, sudden illness, poisoning, or disasters. Emergency medical care can be provided at the hospital or at sites outside the medical facility. Medicine, Emergency
D005390 Fires Combustion or burning in which substances combine chemically with oxygen typically giving out bright light, heat, and smoke. Fire
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D015208 Smoke Inhalation Injury Pulmonary injury following the breathing in of toxic smoke from burning materials such as plastics, synthetics, building materials, etc. This injury is the most frequent cause of death in burn patients. Inhalation Injury, Smoke,Injury, Smoke Inhalation,Inhalation Injuries, Smoke,Injuries, Smoke Inhalation,Smoke Inhalation Injuries

Related Publications

Lauren Vrablik, and Robyn Wing
April 1989, Beitrage zur Orthopadie und Traumatologie,
Lauren Vrablik, and Robyn Wing
February 1998, AJR. American journal of roentgenology,
Lauren Vrablik, and Robyn Wing
January 2006, Journal of pediatric orthopedics,
Lauren Vrablik, and Robyn Wing
August 2010, European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society,
Lauren Vrablik, and Robyn Wing
November 2014, Veterinary pathology,
Lauren Vrablik, and Robyn Wing
July 2008, International journal of legal medicine,
Lauren Vrablik, and Robyn Wing
September 1995, Clinical orthopaedics and related research,
Lauren Vrablik, and Robyn Wing
August 2014, Der Unfallchirurg,
Copied contents to your clipboard!