University of Louisville experience and contributions to pediatric trauma care

Care of the injured patient has been a focal point of surgical training at the University of Louisville. Under the direction of Dr. Hiram C. Polk, Jr, M.D., the Trauma Service has received national recognition for excellence in patient care and surgical research. This experience has provided a foundation for further endeavors in trauma care by program graduates. Summaries of contributions to the peer-reviewed literature or to hospital programs by former trainees who specialized in pediatric surgery are presented. Topics include the treatment of pediatric solid-organ injury, pelvic fracture, pellet-gun injury, and caustic cutaneous burns. The impact of the pediatric Trauma Service at Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville, KY, with an emphasis on compassionate care and the development of a bereavement intervention program, also is presented.