Evolution of trauma management at a tertiary care hospital: a cohort study.

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of polytrauma patients and to assess the outcome of trauma care as this specialty has evolved over the years at a university hospital.

Methods: The study included all polytrauma patients treated between January 1998 and September 2005 at a tertiary care hospital in a megacity. Data of 1009 patients was collected prospectively and analyzed retrospectively.