Pediatric trauma system models: do systems using adult trauma surgeons exclusively compare favorably with those using pediatric surgeons after initial resuscitation with an adult trauma surgeon?

Background: A shortage of pediatric surgeons exists. The purpose of this study was to evaluate pediatric outcomes using pediatric surgeons vs adult trauma surgeons.
Methods: A review was conducted at 2 level II pediatric trauma centers. Center I provides 24-hour in-house trauma surgeons for resuscitations, with patient hand-off to a pediatric surgery service. Center II provides 24-hour in-house senior surgical resident coverage with an on-call trauma surgeon. Data on demographics, resource utilization, and outcomes were collected.
Results: Center I patients were more severely injured (injury severity score = 8.3 vs 6.2; Glasgow coma scale score = 13.7 vs 14.3). Center I patients were more often admitted to the intensive care unit (52.2% vs 33.5%) and more often mechanically ventilated (12.9% vs 7.7%), with longer hospital length of stay (2.8 vs 2.3 days). However, mortality was not different between Center I and II (3.1% vs 2.4%). By logistic regression analyses, the only variables predictive of mortality were injury severity score and Glasgow coma scale score.
Conclusion: As it appears that trauma surgeons' outcomes compare favorably with those of pediatric surgeons, utilizing adult trauma surgeons may help alleviate shortages in pediatric surgeon coverage.
(Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)