Trauma, Surgical Critical Care, and Burns

The Division of Trauma, Surgical Critical Care and Burns was established in response to the changing and important role that the Department of Surgery plays in providing care to the critically ill and injured in the surrounding communities and region. By consolidating pre-hospital EMS with an in-hospital trauma, burn and surgical critical care service, the Department of Surgery provides continuity for clinical care, teaching, and research within a single academic and administrative entity.  The Division of Trauma, Surgical Critical Care and Burns includes the Section of Trauma Surgery, Section of Surgical Critical Care, and Section of Burn Surgery.

The division collectively provides comprehensive services in state-of-the-art resuscitation and intensive care units for patients of all ages with acute surgical illness or injury. These problems may be treated in conjunction with a variety of medical specialties including neurosurgery, orthopedics, pediatrics, internal medicine, toxicology, obstetrics, gynecology, nephrology, ophthalmology, infectious disease, ENT or psychiatry. When indicated, specialty consultation is obtained on an emergency basis after evaluation by the trauma/surgical critical care team.

The provision of quality education in emergency care requires the active participation of faculty with interest and expertise in the field. The division is fortunate to have highly qualified physicians who have distinguished themselves in trauma, surgical critical care, and burns as well as the emerging specialty of Acute Care Surgery. These physicians are not only known and respected locally, but also regionally, nationally, and internationally. Each faculty member has a special area of interest; collectively, they provide complimentary expertise throughout the broad field of Acute Care Surgery. In addition to providing timely and high quality emergency care, the Division of Trauma has a strong commitment to the education of residents, medical students, nurses, and pre-hospital providers, as well as to the continuing education of practicing physicians. By offering the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) course, Advanced Trauma Operative Management (ATOM) course, the Advanced Burn Life Support course (ABLS), the Rural Trauma Team Development course (RTTD) and providing quality care in the area of resuscitation, operative care, and critical care, the influence of the division and its faculty is widely felt throughout the medical center, the region, and the state.

The quality of care provided to the critically ill and injured is in large part due to a well-developed surgical critical care service.  Patients in the Intensive Care Units are co-managed by the members of the Division of Trauma, Surgical Critical Care and Burns along with their primary surgeons.  A multidisciplinary team dedicated solely to the care of the critically ill and injured, is led by a cadre of surgical attendings with added qualification in surgical critical care as certified by the American Board of Surgery. Assisting them are surgical residents, advanced practice nurse practitioners, a clinical pharmacist, a nutritionist and a social worker.  All have particular interest and expertise in caring for these critically ill and challenging patients. Consultative services are obtained from a variety of medical specialties as needed.  The high level of this commitment to the care of the critically ill patient is further emphasized by the recent addition of an accredited Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, which is an advanced graduate medical education program designed to train young surgeons in the specialized care of the critically ill.  

The emphasis on critical care and teaching is further complimented by the strong research interest of the faculty and the support of the Loyola University Burn and Shock Trauma Institute, a multidisciplinary center for research into the epidemiology and control of injury related to trauma and burns. The Institute has amassed over $8 million in funding in FY 2009 and FY 2010 from federal and private sources to conduct cutting edge basic science and clinical research.   

The division is housed at Loyola University Medical Center which has distinguished itself as a state designated Level I Trauma Center (the highest level of trauma care available). Additionally, the medical center has been verified as a Level I Trauma and Burn Center by the American College of Surgeons and the American Burn Association. Loyola is one of only a few centers nationally to achieve such distinction and the only such recognized center in Illinois.

The division welcomes referrals and inquires regarding patient care, educational offerings, research opportunities, or other issues related to trauma and surgical critical care.  

Special Services

• Level I Trauma Center specializing in the resuscitation and care of the multiple-injured patient from prevention through rehabilitation.
• Level I Burn Center providing unique care to burned patients and patients with serious skin infections.
• Specialized critical care services for complicated trauma and non-trauma conditions both pre- and post-operatively.
• Specialized pediatric physicians provide care to the critically ill, burned and injured infant and children.

Our doctors who specialize in this area are:

• Michael Anstadt, MD
• Anthony Baldea, MD
• Richard Gonzalez, MD
• Purvi Patel, MD
• Arthur Sanford, MD
• Hieu Ton-That, MD

TELEPHONE NUMBERS

Administrative and Academic Offices
(708) 327-2072

Patient Referral by Physicians
(800) 888-LUMC (5862)

Patient Access Center
(888) 584-7888