Trauma Triad Of

Death

Alice Barratt July 2018

The trauma triad of death is a medical term
describing the combination of hypothermia,
acidosis and coagulopathy.[1] This combination
is commonly seen in patients who have
sustained severe traumatic injuries and results
in a significant rise in the mortality rate.[2]
Commonly when someone presents with these
signs damage control surgery is employed to
reverse the effects.
 Hypothermia

Hypothermia occurs when the bodies temperature drops

below 35 degrees C. This happens frequently when
people sustain trauma injuries and reduces survival rates
significantly.
Hypothermia is not necessarily caused by environment, it
is more often due to hypovolemic shock, brain injuries or
alcohol intoxication. These all impair the body's ability to
regulate its temperature.
Also old and young people and those with existing
conditions such as diabetes or thyroid disease are more
likely to become hypothermic. People with burns will lose
heat rapidly due to the damage to their skin and cooling
treatments.
Hypothermia directly affects the blood's ability to clot,
causing the next part of the triangle, coagulopathy.

Ensure the patient is kept as warm as possible at all

times, remove bloody clothes as soon as possible and
cover with blankets. Consider where you are laying the
patient before moving them.
 Coagulopathy

Coagulopathy is the impairment of the blood's clotting

ability. It is dependent on the temperature and the PH of
the blood, therefore it is directly affected by hypothermia
and acidosis. A complex enzyme reaction occurs to cause
platelets to form around the wound in blood vessels. This
is dangerous for trauma patients as their blood will not
clot and they will hemorrhage, this hemorrhage causes
more platelets to be lost and therefore