RAPTOR suite
Reviewed and revised 11 July 2014
OVERVIEW
- The RAPTOR suite is hybrid unit designed for both interventional radiology and operative interventions
- RAPTOR is acronym for ‘Resuscitation with angiography, percutaneous techniques and operative repair’
- overcomes the drawbacks of many traditional angio suites that are not designed for anaesthesia or interventions in unstable patients
DESCRIPTION
- a dedicated location where percutaneous trauma procedures, interventional and diagnostic radiology, including computed tomography (CT), open operative techniques and resuscitation, can be concurrently performed
- Percutaneous trauma procedures include interventions:
(1) aimed at arresting haemorrhage (e.g. intravascular balloon dilation/occlusion with or without arterial embolization), and
(2) urgent interventions aimed to repair damaged vessels (e.g. stent grafting) - selection of patients for management within hybrid suites is typically based on haemodynamic and/or physiologic instability but is most suited to those who the preferred strategy is unclear
ADVANTAGES
- potential to minimize delay to expedient haemorrhage control by providing integrated operating, CT and angiographic facilities in a single location
- reduced decision-making time (no destination choices to make)
- no time lost in transit between two venues should one technique fail
- less risk of complications from transport and transfer
- capacity to provide ongoing resuscitation while obtaining imaging
- retrospective studies suggest that delay to radiographic vascular occlusion or laparotomy in trauma patients is associated with increased mortality
DISADVANTAGES
- convincing outcome data showing benefit of RAPTOR suites is currently lacking
- controversy over which staff should be involved (should trauma surgeons perform emergent IR procedures?)
- high setup and running costs
- emphasis on hemorrhage control and timely care means patients may be admitted to the hybrid suite with the clinicians knowing little information about specific injuries and less obvious injuries may not be detected initially
- little evidence to guide triage (inappropriate patient selection may increase resource strain or alternatively exclude appropriate patients from life-saving care)
- precise formal classification of haemodynamic instability is difficult
- requires multi-disciplinary consultant input to ensure appropriate resource use and interventions, requiring extensive ‘after-hours’ attendance and call
- team leadership and composition may be dynamic depending on whether patients bypass the ED
- training requirements remain incompletely defined
- availability likely to be limited only to major, high volume centers with well developed trauma systems
- extensive equipment required and maintenance
- complex workplace ergonomics
- sustainability, efficiency and cost-effectiveness is uncertain
EXAMPLE
- An early adopter of a dedicated trauma hybrid or RAPTOR suite in Australasia is Liverpool Hospital in Sydney.
References and Links
Journal articles
- Ball CG, Kirkpatrick AW, D’Amours SK. The RAPTOR: Resuscitation with angiography, percutaneous techniques and operative repair. Transforming the discipline of trauma surgery. Can J Surg. 2011 Oct;54(5):E3-4. PubMed PMID: 21933518; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3195651.
- D’Amours SK, Rastogi P, Ball CG. Utility of simultaneous interventional radiology and operative surgery in a dedicated suite for seriously injured patients. Curr Opin Crit Care. 2013 Dec;19(6):587-93. doi: 10.1097/MCC.0000000000000031. PubMed PMID: 24240824.
- Kirkpatrick AW, Vis C, Dubé M, Biesbroek S, Ball CG, Laberge J, Shultz J, Rea K, Sadler D, Holcomb JB, Kortbeek J. The evolution of a purpose designed hybrid trauma operating room from the trauma service perspective: The RAPTOR (resuscitation with angiography percutaneous treatments and operative resuscitations). Injury. 2014 Jan 31. pii: S0020-1383(14)00047-3. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2014.01.021. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 24560091.
FOAM and web resources
- ScanCrit — RAPTOR suite (2013)
Critical Care
Compendium
Chris is an Intensivist and ECMO specialist at the Alfred ICU in Melbourne. He is also a Clinical Adjunct Associate Professor at Monash University. He is a co-founder of the Australia and New Zealand Clinician Educator Network (ANZCEN) and is the Lead for the ANZCEN Clinician Educator Incubator programme. He is on the Board of Directors for the Intensive Care Foundation and is a First Part Examiner for the College of Intensive Care Medicine. He is an internationally recognised Clinician Educator with a passion for helping clinicians learn and for improving the clinical performance of individuals and collectives.
After finishing his medical degree at the University of Auckland, he continued post-graduate training in New Zealand as well as Australia’s Northern Territory, Perth and Melbourne. He has completed fellowship training in both intensive care medicine and emergency medicine, as well as post-graduate training in biochemistry, clinical toxicology, clinical epidemiology, and health professional education.
He is actively involved in in using translational simulation to improve patient care and the design of processes and systems at Alfred Health. He coordinates the Alfred ICU’s education and simulation programmes and runs the unit’s education website, INTENSIVE. He created the ‘Critically Ill Airway’ course and teaches on numerous courses around the world. He is one of the founders of the FOAM movement (Free Open-Access Medical education) and is co-creator of litfl.com, the RAGE podcast, the Resuscitology course, and the SMACC conference.
His one great achievement is being the father of three amazing children.
On Twitter, he is @precordialthump.
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