Trauma Score Calculator

Trauma Score Calculator for Critical Care. A lower score signals greater physiologic disturbance but does not quantify an individual survival probability. The site's 1-13 and 14-16 bands are descriptive labels, not newly verified transport thresholds. Severe injury can be present before vital signs deteriorate.

For shared guidance on choosing a tool and documenting results, read the clinical calculator workflow.

How this calculator works

This is the historical five-domain Champion Trauma Score, not the three-domain Revised Trauma Score. The widget adds coded respiratory rate, respiratory effort, systolic pressure, capillary refill and GCS contributions. Its attainable range is 1-16, with lower values reflecting more abnormal physiology.

When to use this calculator

Use for historical education or to understand a record explicitly using the original Trauma Score. Current transport decisions should follow the applicable trauma-system protocol, such as the ACS field-triage framework, not a cutoff copied from an early cohort.

Inputs used

  • Respiratory rate
  • Systolic blood pressure
  • Glasgow Coma Scale or neurologic status

Clinical interpretation

A lower score signals greater physiologic disturbance but does not quantify an individual survival probability. The site's 1-13 and 14-16 bands are descriptive labels, not newly verified transport thresholds. Severe injury can be present before vital signs deteriorate.

Worked example

Using the displayed choices: respiratory rate 32/min contributes 3, shallow effort 0, systolic pressure 88 mmHg 3, delayed refill 1 and GCS 10 contributes 3. Total = 3 + 0 + 3 + 1 + 3 = 10, not an unspecified low-single-digit value.

Limitations and safety notes

Capillary refill and respiratory effort depend on observation conditions and examiner judgment. Scoring performed before versus after resuscitation is not directly comparable. The supplied base input list omits two actual widget domains. Exact historic-table fidelity beyond the inspected component was not established from the abstract; this explanation therefore reports its arithmetic without claiming a clinical implementation certification.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the Revised Trauma Score?

No. RTS is a different, three-variable instrument.

Does 16 exclude serious injury?

No. It describes the selected physiology, not all anatomical injuries.

Does this page provide modern destination criteria?

No. Follow the current local trauma protocol; linked ACS materials have their own reuse conditions.

References

  • Champion et al. Crit Care Med 1981; original paper identity and historical intent. PMID 7273818. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7273818/
  • ACS 2021 field-triage guideline resource; current framework and reproduction restrictions. https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/systems/field-triage-guidelines/

Editorial review and citation methodology

Maintained by the Quick Medical Calculator Editorial Team. Content record date: September 7, 2026. A content date is not evidence of independent clinical review. Individual clinical sign-off is not recorded on this page.

  • Prefer original validation studies for scoring systems and prediction tools.
  • Use current specialty society guidance, transplant allocation policy, public health guidance, or regulator resources when they govern clinical use.
  • Include limitations and safety notes when a calculator is population-specific, context-dependent, or unsuitable as a standalone decision tool.

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