Includes Index

Regardless of the sub-specialization or the place where we practice, the majority of surgeons
will need at some point to take care of trauma patients. This is crucial in situations of a natural
disaster and war or in places where the social situation can result in violence.
Trauma is a disease that when it requires surgery, it is more technically challenging than any
other elective procedures. In acutely injured patients, the anatomy is distorted, the physiological state is labile. In order to save a life trauma procedures need to be done fast and efficiently.
Therefore, it is imperative that we all place our efforts in training ourselves and those who
come after us to be the best technicians we can be. In trauma, patient lives depend on our technical ability and capacity to work under pressure.
This atlas is the collaborative work of surgeons from Latin America and North America,
describing techniques that can come in handy when treating trauma patients.