Oxygen and Transfusion Strategies in Trauma Care

Welcome back to February 2025's papers podcast!

This month we're exploring papers on seizure management, oxygen strategies in trauma, along with transfusion strategies in patients with traumatic brain injuries.

First up we look at at a paper exploring the potential benefit of adding ketamine into the strategy for treating patients with status epilepticus. Does it help to more reliably terminate seizures and what can we take from the paper?

Trauma courses frequently mention the use of high flow oxygen in the management of trauma patients. But recent evidence in non-trauma patients has questioned whether we should be more targeted with oxygen therapy to optimise outcomes in other conditions. We take a look at an RCT looking to answer the question of which out of liberal or targeted oxygen therapy in trauma is the best approach.

Finally we look at another RCT, this time focussing on traumatic brain injury and the transfusion strategy we should take to those who are anaemic. This is a really interesting paper, with great methodology and a lot to talk about from the conclusion!