Life-threatening emergencies described

The debate continues over the need or the lack thereof for a new hospital and emergency room for Conejo Valley/Las Virgenes (see story on page 1). Los Robles Regional Medical Center is equipped for most emergencies, but it’s not a certified trauma center.

According to the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, critical trauma patients include, but aren’t limited to, those with major blood loss or shock as a result of vehicular accidents, gunshot or knife wounds, falls or other violent incidents that require prompt surgical intervention.

If transport time doesn’t exceed 30 minutes, patients who fall into one or more of the following categories are to be transported directly to that area’s designated trauma center:

•adults with blood pressure under 90 systolic or child under 70 systolic

•no spontaneous eye opening

•penetrating cranial, neck or thoracic injury

•gunshot wound to the trunk

•blunt injury to chest with unstable chest wall

•diffuse abdominal tenderness

•patients surviving falls from heights greater than 15 feet

•intrusion of the motor vehicle into passenger space

•cardiopulmonary arrest with penetrating torso trauma

•blunt head injury associated with altered consciousness

•injury to the spinal column associated with sensory defect or weakness of one or more extremities