Advanced Trauma Life Support

The Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) is publshed by the American

College of Surgeons and provides a framework for the management of
the injured patient. It is intended to allow the single doctor in a rural
hospital to effectively assess and manage multiple trauma.
The ATLS has its origins in the United States in 1976, when an
orthopaedic surgeon, piloting a light aircraft, crashed his plane into a
field in Nebraska. His wife was killed instantly and three of his four
children received critical injuries.. He was appalled enough at the
haphazard treatment of his children that he was to change the face of
trauma care throughout the world. Various Medical, EMS and Nursing
groups within the Nebraska region began to collate a set of protocols for
the management of such patients. These were then taken up and
modified by the American College of Surgeons and published as the ATLS
in 1980. The original publication has since been updated and revised
several times, the latest being the 1997 edition.

TRAUMA RESOURCES
CONFERENCES

The ideals and techniques of the ATLS have now spread worldwide, and
courses in the ATLS are run regularly in many hospitals and institutions.
In general, every physician and surgeon involved in the management of
the injured patient should have been through an ATLS course.
With Trauma Care being such a rapidly advancing subject, the ATLS must
be a constantly evolving system, tailored to the current thinking of the
day, and it must be the responsibility of those treating the trauma
patient to keep up to date with their skills and the latest
recommendations as given by the ATLS.
We do not currently keep lists of ATLS provider courses. If you
do not find a provider course near you please contact your
national ATLS body:

National ATLS Controlling Bodies

Australia (EMST)
EMST (Early Management of Severe Trauma)
EMST Office
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Spring Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000
Australia
t: +61 3 9249 1297
w: www.surgeons.org/edu/training/trauma.html
Argentina
Administered by the American College of Surgeons
American College of Surgeons
633 N St. Clair St
Chicago, Illinois 60611-3211
t: (312) 202 5000

f: (312) 202 5001

e: atls@facs.org
w: www.facs.org/dept/trauma/atls/index.html
Bolivia
Jorge Foianini, MD, FACS
President National COT
Bolivian Surgical Society
Av. Irala 468 - Clinica Foianini
Casilla 253
Santa Cruz, Bolivia
t: 591-336-2211
f : 591-337-0650
w: jfoianini@cotas.com.bo
Brazil
Administered by the American College of Surgeons
American College of Surgeons
633 N St. Clair St
Chicago, Illinois 60611-3211
t: (312) 202 5000
f: (312) 202 5001
e: atls@facs.org
w: www.facs.org/dept/trauma/atls/index.html
Canada
w: www.tac.medical.org/ATLS/ATLScover.htm
Administered by the American College of Surgeons
American College of Surgeons
633 N St. Clair St
Chicago, Illinois 60611-3211
t: (312) 202 5000
f: (312) 202 5001
e: atls@facs.org
w: www.facs.org/dept/trauma/atls/index.html
Chile
Administered by the American College of Surgeons
American College of Surgeons
633 N St. Clair St
Chicago, Illinois 60611-3211
t: (312) 202 5000
f: (312) 202 5001
e: atls@facs.org
w: www.facs.org/dept/trauma/atls/index.html
Colombia
Administered by the American College of Surgeons
American College of Surgeons
633 N St. Clair St
Chicago, Illinois 60611-3211
t: (312) 202 5000
f: (312) 202 5001
e: atls@facs.org
w: www.facs.org/dept/trauma/atls/index.html
Denmark
Susanne Fristeen
Danish Armed Forces Health Services
The Defense Medical Centre
Jaegersborg Barracks

Jaegersborg Alle 150

Gentofte DK 2820
t: +45-39-771523
f: +45-39-771375
e: fristeen@mail.tele.dk
w: www.atls.dk
Ecuador
Administered by the American College of Surgeons
American College of Surgeons
633 N St. Clair St
Chicago, Illinois 60611-3211
t: (312) 202 5000
f: (312) 202 5001
e: atls@facs.org
w: www.facs.org/dept/trauma/atls/index.html
Fiji (EMST)
EMST (Early Management of Severe Trauma)
EMST Office
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Spring Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000
Australia
t: +61 3 9249 1297
w: www.surgeons.org/edu/training/trauma.html
Germany
Sigrid Flck
Herrenwiesen 9
D-30916 Isernhagen
Germany
t: 49-5139-3864
f: 49-5139-27021
e: siflueck@aol.com
w: www.atls.de
Greece
Vasso Tagkalakis
ATLS/PHTLS National Coordinator
University of Patras Medical School
University Hospital
Department of Surgery
Rio, Patras
Greece
t: 30-2610-910076
f: 30-2610-910077
e: atls@med.upatras.gr
Hong Kong
Dr. Thomas CHUNG Kam-Man
ATLS Deputy Program Director (HK)
Ms June Chan
ATLS Program Manager
Department of Surgery
University of Hong Kong Medical Centre Queen
Mary Hospital Pokfulam, Hong Kong
t: (852) 2855 4885 / 2855 4886
f: (852) 2819 3416
e: qmhsdc@hkucc.hku.hk or shchan@hkucc.hku.hk
w: www.hku.hk/surgery/atls.htm

Indonesia
Dr. Aryono D. Pusponegoro
Department of Surgery
Ciptomangunkusumo General Hospital
JI. Diponegoro No. 71
Jakarta, Indonesia 10430
t: 62-21-314-8705
f: 62-21-314-8705
e: aryonodp@rad.net.id
Ireland
Caroline McGuinness
ATLS Coordinator, Republic of Ireland
Postgraduate Training Bureau
Royald College of Surgeons in Ireland
123 St. Stephen's Green
Dublin, 2
Ireland
t : +35 3-1-402 2166
f: +35 3-1-402 2459
e: cmcguinness@rcsi.ie
w: www.rcsi.ie/postgraduate_surgery/bst/courses/trauma.asp?
id=176&pid=62&jid=37&jpid=60
Israel
Avi Rivkind, M.D.
Chairperson, Israel COT
Trauma Unit & Department of Surgery
Hadassah University Hospital
p.o.b. 12 028
Jerusalem, Israel 91120
t: 972-2-5666691
f: 972-2-5664720
e: rivkind@cc.huji.ac.il
Italy
Laura Bruna
Assitrauma
C.so. Moncalieri 213 Bis
10133 Torino
Italy
t: 39-11-631 7233
f : 39-11-661-8260
e: laurabruna@iol.it
Mexico
Administered by the American College of Surgeons
American College of Surgeons
633 N St. Clair St
Chicago, Illinois 60611-3211
t: (312) 202 5000
f: (312) 202 5001
e: atls@facs.org
w: www.facs.org/dept/trauma/atls/index.html
Netherlands
Dutch ATLS Foundation
Swaardvenstraat 75
5048 Av Tilburg
t: +31 13 580 0211
f : +31 13 580 0219
e : atls@atls.nl

w: www.atls.nl
New Zealand (EMST)
EMST (Early Management of Severe Trauma)
Ian Civil FRACS MBE
Jeanette van Klomp (secretary)
EMST Office, fifth floor
Auckland Hospital
Private Bag 92024
Auckland, New Zealand
e: ianc@ahsl.co.nz
Norway
Stiftelsen Norsk Luftambulanse
Postboks 94
1441 Drbak
t: 64 90 4444
f: 64 90 4419
e: wiiann@snla.no or aage.w.karlsen@snla.no
w: www.atls.no
Panama
Administered by the American College of Surgeons
American College of Surgeons
633 N St. Clair St
Chicago, Illinois 60611-3211
t: (312) 202 5000
f: (312) 202 5001
e: atls@facs.org
w: www.facs.org/dept/trauma/atls/index.html
Papua New Guinea (EMST)
EMST (Early Management of Severe Trauma)
EMST Office
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Spring Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000
Australia
t: +61 3 9249 1297
w: www.surgeons.org/edu/training/trauma.html
Peru
Administered by the American College of Surgeons
American College of Surgeons
633 N St. Clair St
Chicago, Illinois 60611-3211
t: (312) 202 5000
f: (312) 202 5001
e: atls@facs.org
w: www.facs.org/dept/trauma/atls/index.html
Portugal
Catarina Santos
National ATLS Secretary
Rua Infante D. Pedro
n. 8 - 5 Piso
1700-243 Lisboa
Portugal
t: 351-21-797-01
f: 351-91-472-62-31
e: atls@sapo.pt

w: atls.no.sapo.pt
Saudi Arabia
Kerryn Harbert
King Fahad Nat'l Guard Hospital
P. O. Box 22490
Riyadh
t: 966-125-20088, Ext. 3243
f: 966-125-20040
e: atls@ngha.med.sa
w: www.ngha.med.sa/Education/Academic/ATLS/atls.html
Singapore
Karen Go Tsung Shyen
TTSH-NNI Trauma Centre
Tan Tock Seng Hospital
c/o Dept of General Surgery
11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng
Singapore 308433
t: +65-6357 7589
f: +65-6357 7809
e: trauma@ttsh.com.sg
Dr. Ng Bang Teen
School of Military Medicine
AFPN 1262
701 Transit Road #02-19
Singapore, 778910
t: 65-64505586
f: 65-64505595
e: atls_smm@starnet.gov.sg
w: www.mindef.gov.sg/joint/smm/courses1.htm
South Africa
Di Leverone
ATLS Secretary
ATLS National Office
P. O. Box 16050
Bluff
Durban 4036
South Africa
t: 27 031 261 9658
f: 27 031 261 9658
e: atls@saol.com
w: www.atls.co.za
Spain
Yolanda Zambrano Cuadrado
ATLS Coordinator, Spain
c/o Rio Coa, 56
Residencial Vistahermosa
Salamanca, 37008
Spain
t: 34-923-26-24-74
f : 34-923-29-45-58
e : atlssa@usal.es
Sweden
Lena Klarin
ATLS Coordinator
Trauma Coordinator

SHO
SU/Ostra
416 85 Goteborg
Sweden
t: 46 31 343 6684
f: 46 31 707 3628
e: lena.klarin@vgregion.se
w: www.atls.se
Switzerland
Anne-Michele Droux
National Coordinator
c/o ATLS/SGC Secretariat
PO Box 1527
CH-4133 Pratteln
Switzerland
t: 41 61 815 96 60
f: 41 61 811 47 75
e: info@sgc-ssc.ch
w: www.sgc-ssc.ch/sgc_d/atls_courses.html
Taiwan
Dr. KO Tun-Jen
Program Director, ATLS Program
Surgical Association of the ROC
4F., No.3, Lane 324, Section #2
Shih-Pai Road
Taipei, 11217
t: 886-2-28710312
f: 886-2-28741222
e : tjko@vghtpe.gov.tw
Thailand
Cholanit Chaiyaratana
Royal College of Surgeons of Thailand
Royal Golden Jubilee Building
2 Sai Soonvijai, New Petchaburi Road
Bangkok, 10320
Thailand
t: 66-2-419-7920
f: 66-2-716-6144
e: cholanit@hotmail.com
Trinidad & Tobago
Dr. Rasheed Adam
Trauma Program Director
23 Lucknow Street
St. James
Port of Spain
t: 868-622-9845
e: rash97@tstt.net.tt
United Arab Emirates
Dr. Subash Gautam - Program Director
Dr. Suhail Kazim - Program Coordinator
Trauma Committee of SAC
PO Box 4848
Fujairah
UAE
Dr. Gautam: 971-050-6297287
Dr. Kazim: 971-050-6583834
e : atlsuae@yahoo.com

e: www.traumauae.com
United Kingdom
Royal College of Surgeons of England
35 - 43 Lincoln's Inn Fields
London
United Kingdom WC2A 3PN
t: 020 7869 6309
f: 020 7869 6320
e: atls@rcseng.ac.uk
w: www.rcseng.ac.uk/rcseng/content/education/courses/trauma_life_su
pport_advanced.html
United States
American College of Surgeons
633 N St. Clair St
Chicago, Illinois 60611-3211
t: (312) 202 5000
f: (312) 202 5001
e: atls@facs.org
w: www.facs.org/dept/trauma/atls/index.html
Venezuela
Administered by the American College of Surgeons
American College of Surgeons
633 N St. Clair St
Chicago, Illinois 60611-3211
t: (312) 202 5000
f: (312) 202 5001
e: atls@facs.org
w: www.facs.org/dept/trauma/atls/index.html