In the May 2025 issue of the ASA Monitor, a publication of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, a CNTR member organization, Tomas Drabek, MD, PhD, FASA, Justin Richard, MD, and Monica Vavilala, MD, argue that patients can benefit from more trauma anesthesia research. Areas in which anesthesiologists have deep knowledge include airway management, anesthetic techniques, including regional anesthesia/analgesia, hemostatic control, pain management, and delivery of critical care. “With recent opportunities such as those provided by the Coalition for National Trauma Research, our specialty should strongly consider answering questions relevant to anesthesia and peri-operative care of the traumatically injured patient through collaborative venture,” they suggest.

Citing examples of recent studies that ignore or under-explore the anesthesia variable, the authors point out that translational research to improve evidence-based trauma anesthesia care and outcomes is essential. “Collaboration with our surgical colleagues specializing in trauma, as was demonstrated in a recent Anesthesiology article, illustrates the essential value of team science to advance trauma anesthesia research (Anesthesiology 2024;140:586-98).”

Dr. Drabek is the ASA representative to the CNTR Stakeholder Advisory Council and the Scientific Advisory Committee.

Read the article.