Battlefield trauma life support: its use in the resuscitation department of 32 Field Hospital during the Gulf War

Abstract

32 Field Hospital was one of two forward British field hospitals deployed during the 1990-1991 Gulf War in northern Saudi Arabia. We describe the use of Battlefield Trauma Life Support (BATLS), a military derivation of Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) as used in the hospital's resuscitation department and discuss the application of ATLS principles in the military environment. Teaching BATLS to doctors, nurses, and combat medical technicians provided a common system for all department members to work toward. This proved to be an efficient system for horizontal casualty management by a trauma team of three people.