J Korean Med Assoc.  2007 Aug;50(8):663-679. 10.5124/jkma.2007.50.8.663.

Basic Trauma Life Support

• Rhee JE

• KMID: 2184894
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2007.50.8.663

Abstract

The educational courses for trauma care are stratified into two classes. The first is the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) course, which is sponsored by the Committee on Trauma (COT) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and whose target learners are the surgeons who treat the victims of major trauma. The second is the Basic Trauma Life Support (BTLS) course, which is sponsored by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and whose target learners are the pre-hospital healthcare providers, the nurses in emergency rooms, and the emergency physicians who provide emergency care to the victims of major trauma in the accident scene or in the emergency room before the trauma surgeons. The Emergency Medical Service System (EMSS) of Korea is managing to do its work somewhat well when it functions in the medical emergency situations. However, when it encounters with major trauma patients, it can rarely keep the principles of trauma care, such as the 'Golden Hour' and 'the rapid transportation to an appropriate trauma center directly' due to its systemic failure. Therefore the Preventable Death Rate (PDR) of major trauma patients is presumed to be very high in Korea. To rebuild the EMSS of Korea into a new system suitable for major trauma, the Korean Healthcare Administrations should start to lead the legislation and the support for trauma centers and trauma experts. The spread of the educational courses for trauma care into the emergency medical societies can be a starting point to solve the problem. The BTLS course is one of them.

Keyword

ATLS; BTLS; Major trauma; Trauma care provider; Pre-hospital care

MeSH Terms

Advanced Trauma Life Support Care
Delivery of Health Care
Emergencies
Emergency Medical Services
Emergency Service, Hospital
Health Personnel
Humans
Korea
Mortality
Societies, Medical
Transportation
Trauma Centers

Figure

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  Figure 1 Comparison between advanced trauma life support and basic trauma life support.

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  Figure 2 Golden 1 hour and Platinum 10 minutes.

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  Figure 3 Basic trauma life support steps of assessment and care for trauma patients.

Reference

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2. American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma. Advanced Trauma Life Support for Doctors: Student Course Manual. 2004. 7th ed. Chicago: The American College of Surgeons;11–40.

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