The Combat Trauma Life Support Course: Resource-Constrained First Responder Trauma Care for Special Forces Medics

Abstract

In response to advances in civilian trauma care and changing military priorities, the United Kingdom Special Forces (SF) community undertook a complete review of its medical support in 1992 and developed a mission-orientated prehospital trauma care program known as the Combat Trauma Life Support (CTLS) program. The course was developed dynamically, using a faculty of civilian trauma experts and military doctors to allow both medical and military doctrine to be included. Three scenarios were developed to cover all aspects of SF operations and civilian hospital practice. The CTLS course provides an evidence-based adaptable model to teach trauma care to SF soldiers operating in austere environments with limited medical equipment and prolonged evacuation times. It allows military and medical priorities to be balanced in a structured format. We believe that the development process may provide the basis for other specific needs-based prehospital trauma care.