PHTLS PodCast              

Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS)

Spine Immobilization Following Penetrating Trauma

PHTLS teaches that following a penetrating injury spine immobilization has little benefit to the patient.  In this episode I present new data that shows that mortality  in GSW victims is increased with spine immobilization.  We then review the PHTLS indications of spine immobilization.


Download | Duration: 00:10:34

Abdominal Trauma in Pregnancy

Management of abdominal trauma is pregnancy is discussed.   


Download | Duration: 00:10:18

Trauma A to Z: Thoracic Trauma

Greg Chapman, NREMTP, RRT presents the topic of Thoracic Trauma at the Trauma A to Z pre-conference in Baltimore, MD.   

Download | Duration: 00:57:43

Prehospital/Battlefield Tourniquet Use for Major Extremity Trauma

Jeffrey Guy, MD, MSc, EMT-P discusses a recent research article that evaluates the use of tourniquets in the treatment of major extremity trauma.

Download | Duration: 00:14:08

Trauma A to Z: Musculoskeletal Trauma

Will Chapleau, RN, NREMT-P discusses musculoskeletal trauma and at the JEMS pre-conference.  Recorded in April 2008 in Baltimore, MD.   

Download | Duration: 00:22:41

Disaster Management

It is Sunday 8.31.08 and for hurricane Gustav is bearing down on the city of New Orleans.  This podcast will discuss the basic elements of disaster planning and management.   Following this podcast will are dispatches from Dr. Norman McSwain, Chief of Trauma at Tulane in New Orleans.  He will share with us his experiences of preparing and managing this disaster as it happens. 

Download | Duration: 00:38:46

Trauma A to Z: Traumatic Brain Injury

Peter Pons, MD, FACEP, presents a discussion of traumatic brain injury at the PHTLS preconference, Trauma A to Z.  JEMS Conference, February 2008, Baltimore, MD. 

Download | Duration: 00:42:51

Trauma A to Z: Burns


Jeffrey S. Guy, MD, FACS, presents a discussion of burns at the PHTLS preconference, Trauma A to Z.  JEMS Conference, February 2008, Baltimore, MD. 


Download | Duration: 01:08:50

Trauma A to Z: Spinal Cord Injury

PHTLS Pre-conference at the 2008 JEMS meeting in Baltimore, MD.   Peter Pons, MD, FACP discusses the topic of spinal cord injuries.

Download | Duration: 00:39:49

Trauma A to Z: Shock

Jeffrey S. Guy, MD, presents a discussion of shock at the PHTLS preconference, Trauma A to Z.  JEMS Conference, February 2008, Baltimore, MD. 



Download | Duration: 00:56:07

Artificial Blood Products Worsen Outcomes

In this week's Journal of the American Medical Association a meta-analysis was published that concluded that use of hemoglobin based blood substitutes result in an increased morbidity and mortality.  Included in the same journal is an editorial critical of the method the research has been regulated by the US FDA.   This published research may have profound impact on the future of artificial blood development and applications in both civilian and military prehopsital care.  Furthermore, these findings may impact the method that research is conducted in the prehospital environment in the future.  


Download | Duration: 00:26:51

Trauma A to Z: Rapid Assessment

PHTLS Preconfrence at the 2008 JEMS meeting in Baltimore, MD.   Will Chapleau, EMT-P, RN, TNS discusses the topic of rapid assessment of the trauma patient. 

Download | Duration: 00:52:24

Trauma A to Z: Abdominal Trauma

Greg Chapman, RRT, NREMT-P, presents a discussion of abdominal trauma at the PHTLS preconference, Trauma A to Z.  JEMS Conference, February 2008, Baltimore, MD. 

Download | Duration: 00:46:29

Smoke Inhalation: Carbon monoxide and cyanide poisoning

With the onset of fall and winter, the cold weather will bring an increase in structure fires.  Inhalation of smoke results in more death instructure fires than burns.   In the US, a new drug that has been available in Europe for a decade to treat cyanide poisoning.  These issues are taught in this podcast. 


Download | Duration: 00:23:06

Heat Related Illness

Over the month of August, it is reported that 50 people in the US lost their lives as as result of the warm temperatures.  Warm temperatures and heat releated illness are actually a very common of environmental illness.  The prehospital provider will be treat heat related illness not only in summer months, but also in military setttings, frontier environments, and in the setting of athletic events. Furthermore, public safety officials such as fire, police, and EMS are also at risk for heat related illness in the course of duty.   These conditions are often life-threating. 

Download | Duration: 00:44:39

Crush Syndrome: complication of earthquakes and cave-ins

Given the recent events of the mine cave-in in Utah and the earthquake in Peru, it is an appropirate opportunity to review crush syndrome. 

Download | Duration: 00:12:27

Airway and Ventilation

Airway.   This is a discussion of the concepts in the airway and ventilation chapter of the PHTLS textbook. 

Download | Duration: 00:39:41

Prehopsital Intubation with Traumatic Brain Injury

What is the effect of prehospital intubation on patient outcomes following traumatic brain injury. This episode will examine the scientific data.

Download | Duration: 00:19:10

Burn Injuries

Burn injuries are common this time of year with back yard grilling, lawn mowers,and camping. This episode will discuss some basic in the care of thermal burns.

Download | Duration: 00:34:12

Bomb and Blast Injuries

Bombings have been demonstrated to be a very effective tool of terrorist to produce a large amount of injuries and terror. The injuries from bomb and blast injuries have some unique properties. This episode will explain the properties of a blast injury and provide an introduction to the nature of these types of injuries.

Download | Duration: 00:25:36