[Surviving multiple trauma--what comes next? The rehabilitation of seriously injured patients].

The survival chances of multiple trauma patients have improved continuously over the last decades. Therefore, not only the question of whether the patient survives a serious accident arises, but rather how the patient survives it. The after effects of trauma are seen not only physically, but also psychologically and socially. These affect quality of life and are evident years after the accident. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) provides a system to classify the after effects of trauma, which can be measured with the help of assessment instruments. Knowing which parameters can influence trauma after effects is essential for the planning, organization, and implementation of a rehabilitation programme following severe injury. The requirements of an optimal rehabilitation process place high demands on the rehabilitation facility and on the rehabilitation team, which ultimately can only be fulfilled by specialized facilities.