Routine Clinical Photography in Plastic Surgery Trauma Assessment

Abstract

Clinical documentation of traumatic injuries is central to diagnosis and continuity of care. In plastic surgery, we assess and operate on trauma related injuries daily. Despite this, documentation within trauma pathways frequently relies on brief narrative descriptions or rough sketches on patient notes. These approaches may be subjective, inconsistent, and difficult to interpret at later review, particularly when injuries evolve or when patients are assessed by multiple clinicians over time.