You want the best care possible when you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic injury. Trauma surgery is a unique field of treatment specializing in these types of injuries. At Evansville Surgical Associates, our team of board-certified surgeons is here to provide the highest quality of care when you or someone you love needs it most.
Our team of surgeons plays a vital role in Evansville’s two trauma centers. Trauma surgery involves the treatment of severe injuries such as blunt and penetrating trauma. Our surgeons receive years of training during and after medical school. This prepares them to be with you during every step of care from admission to discharge.
Trauma Surgery in Evansville, Indiana
Deaconess and St. Vincent (formerly St. Mary’s) are home to our two trauma centers. These level two trauma centers are essential to the health and safety of Evansville, Indiana, and we are proud to provide board-certified surgeons to help staff them. This helps ensure that every patient admitted receives the highest quality of care in even the direst circumstances.
Our trauma surgeons also work in leadership roles by acting as medical directors in both locations. This includes:
- Dr. Dharmesh M. Patel – Pediatric Trauma at St. Vincent in Evansville, IN
- Dr. Mallory S. Bray – Adult Trauma at St. Vincent in Evansville, IN
- Dr. Jay Woodland – Deaconess
- Samir K. Gupta – St. Vincent STICU
All of our surgeons are certified in ATLS (Advanced Trauma Life Support) on top of being board-certified general surgeons. They provide trauma care for 3,000+ trauma patients per year as well as emergency surgeries for patients. To address emergency care when it arises, we employ four surgeons and a vascular surgeon who are always on call at Deaconess Midtown, Deaconess Gateway, and St. Vincent Evansville.
Click here to learn more about our surgeons!
What is Trauma Surgery?
Traumatic injuries are any injury you may experience due to penetration or blunt force. These types of injuries can damage bones, the brain, internal organs, and other soft tissue in your body. Every part of your body can be affected by trauma, whether it’s hitting your thumb with a hammer or being injured in a car wreck.
Examples of cases where trauma surgery would be necessary include:
- Stab wounds
- Gunshot wounds
- Car crashes
- Crush-type injuries
- Major falls
- Being hit by a car
- 3rd-degree burns
A trauma surgeon’s expertise isn’t limited to blunt force and penetrating injuries, however. They can also provide care for burn victims along with unforeseen medical emergencies such as appendicitis or bowel obstructions.
These types of accidents can result in a critical injury that requires immediate care. Without it, patients run the risk of living with long-term effects or even losing their lives.
To learn about the importance of trauma centers in Evansville, IN, click here!
What’s the Difference Between Trauma Surgeons & ER Doctors?
The goals of trauma surgeons and ER doctors are the same. What sets them apart are the skills they use to accomplish their goals. An ER doctor is trained to treat every patient that enters the emergency room no matter the issue. They are essential for stabilizing everything from a stroke or heart attack to a traumatic injury.
Trauma surgeons function differently in an emergency room setting. In fact, they may not even be stationed there. They are called when a patient requires emergency surgery that will prevent them from long-term damage or even death. They assume primary care for the patient as well as follow-up care if the patient needs to be admitted for treatment.
Education and Training
Medical doctors and surgeons go through the same types of training during medical school. Specialization training occurs during their residency following graduation. For trauma surgeons, this means specializing in ER medicine which is a much longer process. It often consists of five or six years of residency followed by a one or two-year fellowship in care and trauma. This is followed by a residency focused on emergency medicine that can last up to three or four years.
Interaction with Patients
ER doctors and trauma surgeons have different interactions with patients. ER doctors provide a first line of defense by stabilizing and treating patients in the emergency room. They will also admit patients into the hospital to receive care from specialists if necessary. In this way, ER doctors are essential for providing immediate care as well as more specialized care later on.
ER doctors may send a patient to a surgeon specializing in trauma. In this case, the trauma surgeon will be with the patient for a much longer period of time. This can extend all the way through rehabilitation to discharge from the hospital. This means that trauma surgeons have to be committed to caring for patients over a much longer period than ER doctors.
Would you like to learn more about the services we provide? Call us at (812) 424-8231 or (800) 264-8231 to schedule your appointment!
The team at Evansville Surgical Associates plays a pivotal role in our area’s two trauma centers. They provide trauma surgery for a variety of issues including penetration and blunt trauma. Our surgeons receive years of training to provide the life-saving treatment patients need. They are able to provide treatment from admission all the way to being discharged from the hospital.
Evansville Surgical Associates has been providing comprehensive and compassionate surgical care for over 50 years. Call us at (812) 424-8231 or (800) 264-8231. We are available from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm if you would like to schedule an appointment.
