Advanced Trauma Life Support for the MRCS. Issue 6 (June 2021) - Robinson, Mark
Abstract: Trauma care in the UK is a rapidly developing subspecialty of multiple disciplines from pre-hospital care through to rehabilitation medicine. In its infancy, the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) approach was designed for a sole provider to critically assess and manage a multiply injured patient with life-threatening injuries through a systematic resuscitation. With the advent of modern trauma systems, major trauma centres and their trauma teams the Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability and Exposure approach (ABCDE) of ATLS often play out simultaneously, during which it is vital that the providers have a common understanding of each contributor's roll in the assessment and care of the patient. The 10th Edition of the ATLS Student Manual has an additional new section on Teamwork, reflecting the most up-to-date scientific knowledge on the importance of the team system in trauma resuscitation. ATLS is also one of the seven pillars of change which have been adopted by the Royal College of Surgeons England for reforming the trauma systems in the UK. This article focuses on the ATLS guidelines as the founding principle of good trauma care and incorporates discussion upon some other important modern concepts utilized in the care of the multiply injured patient.