Traumatology, surgical critical care and emergency surgery

The Penn Traumatology, Surgical Critical Care, and Emergency Surgery team provides timely, expert treatment to improve survival rates and quality of life for traumatically injured and critically ill patients. 

An ambulance and PennStar helicopter arrive at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center's Level 1 Trauma Center

Services for injured patients

  • Emergency surgery- Penn emergency surgeons specialize in the full spectrum of complex general and emergency surgical procedures.
  • Surgical critical care- Penn surgical critical care physicians specialize in critical care treatment and management of patients who require both emergency surgery and an ICU level of care.
  • Trauma centers- Penn’s Level 1 Trauma Centers offer the most advanced specialty care in the region, resulting in exceptional patient outcomes that rank well above national average
A closeup shot of the legs of medical personnel pushing a gurney down a hospital hallway.

Transferring a patient

Transferring a patient to Penn Medicine for trauma care ensures access to top-tier medical expertise and advanced treatment options, prioritizing swift and effective interventions for critical conditions.

Conditions we treat

A closeup shot of the legs of medical personnel pushing a gurney down a hospital hallway.

Injury Prevention and Outreach Program

Traumatic injuries are one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Through our Injury Prevention and Outreach Program, our safety research, education, and training efforts help our community prevent traumatic injuries.

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How pickleball (and Penn Medicine) saved one patient’s life

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A personal perspective on gender-affirming care

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Epilepsy surgery gives patient a new lease on life

Minimally invasive laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) surgery reduced the epilepsy symptoms a patient had experienced for more than 30 years.

Bringing the hospital home

With Penn Medicine Advanced Home Health, even patients facing a potentially serious medical issue can receive care safely at home.

Home-assisted ventilation for ALS: Stacy’s story

When Stacy Lewin, MD, started experiencing symptoms of ALS, she turned to the Penn Medicine Fishman Program for Home Assisted Ventilation.

Home-assisted ventilation for autoimmune disease: Kim’s story

A rare autoimmune disease kept Kim Day from his favorite outdoor hobbies, until he met doctors in the Fishman Program for Home Assisted Ventilation.

Faith, fate, and families

At the Basser Center for BRCA at Penn, a unique philanthropic investment is making rapid progress toward preventing and treating heritable cancer.

Same-day discharge can speed up joint replacement healing

Penn Medicine’s Same-Day Discharge Program allows appropriate hip and knee replacement patients to safely recover at home.

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