Debate on who should lead the trauma team: Surgeon or Critical care physician? In support of surgeon

Modern day trauma care involves multiple disciplines like surgery (includes general surgery, orthopedics, neurosurgery, plastic and reconstructive) anesthesia, critical care, hematology, infectious-diseases specialist, microbiology and blood bank services to be actively involved in the management3. Such a multi-disciplinary team can be led by any of the specialists familiar with the overall management of a trauma patient. However with ever evolving specialties, trauma care too has witnessed the advent of nonsurgical specialists being trained in trauma care. These critical care physicians trained exclusively in the non-operative management of trauma, can lead the trauma team, by their premise of expertise in initial resuscitation. Nevertheless, the care of trauma has traditionally been the forte of the surgeon, and it is not surprising that in many centers, it is the surgeon who leads the trauma team!