The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and Trauma Care*

Abstract

This presentation is an account of the involvement of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in trauma care over the past 25 years. In October 1969 a 3 day seminar was held at the College entitled ‘The Management of Road Traffic Casualties’. This was in response to an increasing demand for the College to combat the devastating effects resulting from road traftic accidents. By the mid‐60s road trauma in Australia and New Zealand, as seen in other fully motorized countries, had reached epidemic proportions. Those directly involved in the care of surgical emergencies were aware of the frequency and severity of road trauma which was striking all sections of the community. Unlike the USA. Australia was not troubled by a high incidence of penetrating injuries due to guns and knives.

Controversies in advanced trauma life support

“…Fortunately, the ACS has recognized inherent differences between countries in this area and has agreed to delegate responsibility to each country's national organizing committee. The support for the Australasian version of the ATLS course provides a further example of this hands-off' approach (Trinca, 1995).…”

The History of the Emst Course

“…Gordon Trinca provided the impetus to develop the course and local surgeons (Stephen Deane, John Graham, Peter Danne and coordinator trainee Christine Read) did indeed attend an ATLS ® Instructor Course in San Francisco in late 1987 1 . Together with another small group of Australasians who were involved in ATLS ® while working in the USA, they developed the EMST programme.…”

Emst in Papua New Guinea: More Than Just a Course

“…The course was initially offered to medical practitioners in the USA and Canada but in 1987 the Board of Regents of the ACS gave permission for the promulgation of ATLS ® to countries outside of the influence of the ACS. The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) requested and was granted permission to import the course and the first two courses under the name ‘Early Management of Severe Trauma’ (EMST) were conducted in 1988 with Australian and New Zealand instructors trained and supported by the ACS ATLS ® National Faculty 2 . Since then EMST, through its committee (responsible to the RACS Trauma Committee), has conducted over 300 provider courses, involving over 4800 doctors.…”

“…Papua New Guinea (PNG) is located on the closest island to Australia, New Guinea, which lies 160 km to the north. It covers 461 700 km 2 . Papua New Guinea consists of the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, the Bismark Archipelago (the main islands of which are Manus, New Britain and New Ireland), the islands of Buka and Bougainville, and several smaller island groups.…”