Trauma

Miller Children’s is one of only six Los Angeles County designated pediatric trauma centers. A hospital receives this designation if it is equipped with personnel and resources to provide surgical and life-saving care to critically injured patients. Some of the requirements needed include:

• In-house trauma surgeon, ED physician and anesthesiologist
• On-call neurosurgeon, orthopedic surgeon and other pediatric sub-specialists

There are certain county designated criteria for paramedics to bring the child to a pediatric designated Trauma Center. A trauma patient is a child who has suffered serious and life-threatening physical injury with the potential for secondary complications such as shock, respiratory failure, or death.

If it is decided that the patient is a trauma patient the trauma response team is activated to await the patient’s arrival. Miller Children’s has a designated trauma room, where life-saving equipment and technology designed and sized to fit a small child is available for quality trauma care. After the trauma surgery, the child is usually transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit.