SUMMARY

Trauma is a condition that touches all ages and classes of patients, from young and vigorous to elderly and frail. Because of its great prevalence, practicing anesthesiologists will encounter trauma patients throughout their career. Increased public recognition of the consequences of injury has sparked interest in trauma research and education, with the result that diagnostic and therapeutic techniques have evolved rapidly. The anesthesiologist, as a perioperative physician, is in an ideal position to understand and apply these new techniques.