As a level 1 trauma center, a key core mission of the Center for Trauma and Critical Care (CTACC) includes research. The research efforts of the Division are overseen by Dr. Susan Kartiko. The Center routinely publishes novel research projects related to brain injury, orthopedic injury, bleeding and resuscitation, emergency medicine, critical care, and numerous other topics within the field of acute care surgery. Trauma surgeons serve as invited speakers and discussants at leading local, regional, and national meetings, including the Eastern Association for Surgery of Trauma, American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, Society of Critical Care Medicine, and the Academic Surgical Congress.
CTACC has served as the lead or participating institution for several EAST Multi-center Studies including (Ferrada et al JTACS 83(1):36;2017, Sarani Blood Coag Fibrin 32(1):37-43; 2021, Sarani (JTACS 90 (4):652; 2021). We are currently the lead center for an AAST sponsored study on use of whole blood transfusion and a participating center in several other national multi-center studies. CTACC was also the lead center for a city-wide study evaluating recidivism following violent injury in Washington, DC.
Currently, GW Hospital is one of only two trauma centers in the region to be chosen as a site for the TAP study, which seeks to determine if there is a benefit to administering prothrombin complex concentrate in a massive transfusion event for acute injury. This study, which will begin in 2023, will be one of the largest trauma studies even done and is being done under EFIC (exception from informed consent).
Dr. Susan Kartiko is also the site-PI for a multi-center study with the Medical University of South Carolina called, "Testing a Scalable Model of Care to Improve Patients' Access to mental Health Services after Traumatic Injury." This study will serve as the basis for how to screen patients at GW for acute stress disorder following injury.
CTACC has a history of working closely with DC government on ways to mitigate preventable death. We have worked with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on evaluating injury patterns following urban versus mass casualty shootings. We are currently working with this office to characterize wounding patterns and describe ways to prevent death following shootings in pediatric patients.