Please enter both an email address and a password.

Account login

Need to reset your password?  Enter the email address which you used to register on this site (or your membership/contact number) and we'll email you a link to reset it. You must complete the process within 2hrs of receiving the link.

We've sent you an email

An email has been sent to Simply follow the link provided in the email to reset your password. If you can't find the email please check your junk or spam folder and add no-reply@rcseng.ac.uk to your address book.

Definitive Surgical Trauma Skills (DSTS)

Taught over two days by skilled and knowledgeable faculty, you will learn how to make life-saving surgical decisions and perform damage control under pressure in a trauma and emergency environment. 

Through practical workshops on unembalmed cadavers, you will learn surgical procedures to manage a broad range of trauma situations, as well as covering decision-making, epidemiology and emerging technologies.

RCS England membership entitles you to a 10% discount on this course at partner centres. Find out if you're eligible to join or transfer

To see a list of our current Definitive Surgical Trauma Skills course centres please click here (correct as of May 2020)

  • £1,439.10
  • 2 days
  • 16.00 CPD Points
£1,439.10
2 days
16.00 CPD Points

Suitability

This course is suitable for: ST5-8, consultants and SAS grades.

Participants should have a good understanding of ATLS and critical care principles and experience of managing trauma both frequently and infrequently.

Learning Outcomes

Following the course, you will be able to:

  • organise and plan life-saving decision making for the polytrauma patient;
  • describe the philosophy of damage control surgery and resuscitation and the principles underlying its application in a variety of scenarios;
  • discuss the science of ballistics, the effects on human tissue and how to manage penetrating ballistic injury;
  • recognise and respond to the exsanguinating patient, in particular recognising and / or searching for the most compelling source of bleeding;
  • recognise the patient in need of immediate life-saving surgery for haemorrhage control.
Following the course, you will be able to undertake procedures in cadaveric simulation relating to:
  • thoracic trauma and thoracic damage control;
  • left lateral thoracotomy and clamshell thoracotomy;
  • vascular trauma and vascular damage control;
  • how to approach and manage penetrating neck injuries;
  • managing injuries at the thoracic outlet and upper limb;
  • lower limb trauma;
  • abdominal trauma;
  • pelvic trauma and pelvic damage control;
  • management of solid organ injury;
  • management of hollow organ injury .

Format

DSTS is a highly practical course that teaches procedures and surgical techniques required to manage exsanguinating polytrauma. The majority of the course is spent in the skills lab, working in small groups on unembalmed (fresh frozen) cadavers. Alongside this, there are lectures, case studies and on-going opportunities to discuss trauma management with expert faculty. You will also be given access to videos and accompanying procedural steps on our virtual learning environment that demonstrate many of the procedures taught on the course. 

Additional Information

Course content

You will cover a variety of topics during this course, including:

  • closure and drains;
  • pulmonary injuries;
  • renal injury;
  • subclavian injuries and axillary injuries;
  • the damage control philosophy;
  • trauma laparotomy;
  • vascular didactic.

Take a look at a sample Definitive Surgical Trauma Skills (DSTS) programme.

 

10% discount on this course for RCS England members

Members, fellows and associates benefit from a 10% discount on this course when held at our Partner Centres in London and Manchester.

Your discount will be applied automatically when booking. 

Find out more about joining today.

Booking Options

Partner Centres

Tue
10
Dec
2024
-
Wed
11
Dec
2024
from £1439.10
BRIGHTON, United Kingdom

10 Dec 2024
-
11 Dec 2024

Here is an overview of the programme

DSTS Programme.pdf

from £1439.10

Pricing notes:

Full price: £1599.00
All Current ATLS Instructors: £1439.10
All Current Surgical Faculty: £1439.10
RCS England Members/Fellows: £1439.10

Course Fees:

Please note, for courses held at the College, we require full payment upon booking. Take a look at our cancellation policy first.

For regional and international course payments and terms & conditions, please contact the relevant centre.

BRIGHTON, United Kingdom

Location:

94 N - S Rd, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9PX
University of Sussex
BRIGHTON
BN1 9PX
United Kingdom
View in Google Maps

You need to allow targeting cookies to view this content. Click the button below to manage your cookie settings and select "Targeting Cookies" on the left hand side.

Fully Booked

Book online

Have an account?

It's even easier when you login

Login & Book Login & Book
Not got an account?

Don't worry, continue and we'll create an account for you.

Continue to Booking

Further information and queries

Email

Phone us

Call 020 7869 6300 to talk with a member of our team. 

We are available to answer calls during our working hours of 8.30am–5:00pm, Monday–Friday and there is a voicemail outside this time.