New Consensus Statement on the Pre-Hospital Management of Suspected Crush Injury

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The Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care has published a new consensus statement providing updated, evidence-based recommendations for the pre-hospital management of patients with suspected crush injury in the UK.

The statement offers guidance to pre-hospital care providers, aiming to reduce preventable morbidity and mortality associated with crush injury and crush syndrome. It follows a structured evidence review and expert consensus process, updating and replacing the previous FPHC guidance issued in 2003.

This new guidance emphasises the early, safe release of the compressing force, prioritisation of standard trauma care and timely transfer to definitive care.

This consensus de-emphasises the previous recommendations from 2003 on aggressive fluid administration and prophylactic treatment of hyperkalaemia. Instead, emphasis is placed on individualised fluid management, the use of intermittent cardiac monitoring and point-of-care blood tests to monitor potassium concentration.