History of ATLS
In 1976, an American orthopaedic surgeon was involved in an accident in which he and his family crashed in a small private aircraft. His experience of inadequate and unsystematic treatment at a small hospital in Nebraska led him, together with colleagues, to establish courses in traumatology. These courses were quickly adopted by the American College of Surgeons, which formalised the ATLS (Advanced Trauma Life Support) course.
Since then, the course has been developed and expanded—not only across the United States but worldwide. Today, ATLS courses are offered in more than 54 countries, and more than one million physicians have completed the programme.
The ATLS course is designed for the reception and management of the acutely injured trauma patient. It is based on simple principles carried out in a systematic and coherent manner. Diagnostics and treatment are performed in a sequence prioritised according to the potential lethality of the injuries.