Abstract

MORALES, Carlos H. Is surgery of trauma evidence-based?. rev. colomb. cir. [online]. 2008, vol.23, n.1, pp.31-38. ISSN 2011-7582.

A new intellectual movement has evolved in medical education over the past several years: evidence-based medicine. In the field of trauma there are not enough studies of high methodological quality that can support with external evidence the physician´s daily practice. It is important to incorporate the teaching of evidence-based medicine in the undergraduate and postgraduate educational programs, and to teach trauma surgeons how to search, evaluate, and build-up the evidence needed to support their professional activity. Good trauma practice is that in which the trauma surgeon, conscious of the conditions imposed by the environment and based upon the state of the patient´s health, is capable of integrating these elements -by means of expertise and clinical experience- with the best evidence generated by quality studies. This paper reviews some historical concepts, the definition of evidence-based medicine and the steps to practice it, and discusses specific problems in the practice of evidence-based trauma surgery.

Keywords : surgery; evidence-based medicine; multiple trauma; wounds and injuries.

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