Contribution of preoperative investigations to the anaesthetic management of adult trauma patients.

In a prospective study of 50 adult trauma patients, the effects of a protocol calling for eight rapidly available special investigations and 11 laboratory, electrocardiographic and radiological investigations were assessed as to their influence on anaesthetic management. The only investigation which gave information additional to that obtained by the clinical examination was the arterial blood gas, especially the pH, arterial oxygen tension and arterial carbon dioxide tension. Other contributory investigations were the protocol haemoglobin and protocol blood sugar estimation. The protocol electrolytes and clotting profile as well as the laboratory full blood count, urea and electrolytes, electrocardiograph and chest radiograph did not make a contribution to the assessment and anaesthetic management of this patient group.