Criteria for preventability of trauma deaths

The criteria for preventability of trauma deaths were based on World Health Organization guidelines for trauma quality improvement programs.7 The main factors underlying the decision regarding preventability of trauma deaths comprised severity of injuries and appropriateness of trauma care. Definitions were as follows.

1) “PTDs” were deaths that could have been prevented if appropriate steps had been taken, with accompanying injuries and sequelae considered survivable. These cases had frank deviations from standard of care that, directly or indirectly, caused the patient's death.

2) “Potentially PTDs” were deaths that potentially could have been prevented if appropriate steps had been taken, with accompanying injuries and sequelae considered severe but survivable. These cases had some deviations from standard of care that, directly or indirectly, caused the patient's death.

3) “Non-PTDs” were deaths that were unavoidable, as accompanying injuries and sequelae were considered non-survivable even with optimal management. Evaluation and management were appropriate according to accepted standards. If the patient had co-morbid factors that were major contributors to death, such cases were considered non-PTDs.