What is RTS (Revised Trauma Score)?
The Revised Trauma Score (RTS) is a physiological scoring system used to quantify the severity of traumatic injuries. Developed by Champion et al. in 1989, RTS uses three vital parameters (Glasgow Coma Scale, Systolic Blood Pressure, and Respiratory Rate) to produce a numerical score from 0 to 12 points. Lower scores indicate greater trauma severity and worse prognosis. It is widely used in pre-hospital and in-hospital emergency services for triage, survival prediction, and decision-making for transfer to trauma centers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a normal RTS score?
A normal RTS score is 12, indicating a fully conscious patient (GCS 15) with normal blood pressure (>90 mmHg systolic) and normal respiratory rate (10-29 breaths/min). Scores below 4 indicate critical trauma with high mortality risk.
How is RTS different from GCS alone?
While GCS assesses only neurological function, RTS incorporates three physiological systems: neurological (GCS), cardiovascular (systolic blood pressure), and respiratory (respiratory rate). This provides a more comprehensive assessment of trauma severity.
When should RTS be calculated?
RTS should be calculated on initial patient contact (pre-hospital) and repeated serially to monitor for deterioration or improvement. It is particularly valuable for triage decisions and determining need for trauma center transfer.
What RTS score requires trauma center transfer?
Patients with RTS ≤ 11 should be considered for trauma center transfer. RTS < 4 indicates critical injury with high mortality and requires immediate aggressive intervention and rapid transport to a trauma center.