Clinical Approach to the Trauma Patient

This review article is designed as an introductory reference to the clinical management of trauma patients by interventional radiologists. The article is geared toward the radiology nurse participating in the care of these patients alongside the interventionalist to provide a framework to understand the process of working up, treating, and managing trauma patients using minimally invasive techniques. Special emphasis is placed on the preoperative and postprocedural care issues that are relevant specifically to nursing staff as they relate interventional radiology. A sample case is provided at the end to further emphasize key points discussed in the article.