Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2012 Apr;35(4):305-11.
doi: 10.3928/01477447-20120327-07.

Evolution and development of the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) protocol: a historical perspective

David S Radvinsky  1 , Richard S Yoon, Paul J Schmitt, Charles J Prestigiacomo, Kenneth G Swan, Frank A Liporace
Affiliations

Evolution and development of the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) protocol: a historical perspective

David S Radvinsky et al. Orthopedics. 2012 Apr.

Abstract

The Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) protocol is a successful course offered by the American College of Surgeons. Once based on didactic lectures and seminars taught by experts in the field, trauma training has evolved to become a set of standardized assessment and treatment protocols based on evidence rather than expert opinion. As the ATLS expands, indices to predict outcome, morbidity, and mortality have evolved to guide management and treatment based on retrospective data. This historical, perspective article attempts to tell the story of ATLS from its inception to its evolution as an international standard for the initial assessment and management of trauma patients.

PubMed Disclaimer

Publication types