Trauma: Overview and intro to ATLS & PTC

Trauma remains one of the leading causes of preventable death across sub-Saharan Africa, driven by road traffic injuries, interpersonal violence, burns, and obstetric emergencies — yet the region bears this burden with a fraction of the surgical and critical care resources available in high-income settings. As clinicians working in these environments, we are often the first and only line of defense for the critically injured patient, making your decisions in the first hour more consequential than in almost any other clinical scenario.

In this lecture we discuss the foundational principles of trauma management — rapid assessment, hemorrhage control, airway protection, and early resuscitation. These are not only evidence-based but highly adaptable to resource-limited contexts. Today's lecture will walk through a systematic approach to the injured patient, grounded in the MARCH framework, with practical emphasis on what can be achieved with the tools most of providers have available in resource limited settings

Slides: Click here to view