Trauma life support education: a didactic and caprine laboratory course for Nigerian physicians

The purpose of this study was to introduce the principles of initial hospital assessment and treatment of injured patients, tailored to the facilities and resources available in Nigeria. A 3-day didactic and laboratory course was presented by four trauma surgeons. The didactic session stressed the initial assessment and treatment of injured patients. The caprine laboratory taught the performance of common resuscitation manoeuvres: cricothyroidotomy, tube thoracostomy, i.v. cutdown, diagnostic peritoneal lavage, etc. The mean pre-course test score was 49.3 per cent and the mean post-course test score was 69.5 per cent: 93.5 per cent of the 124 participants increased their test scores. This represents a significant increase in knowledge in Nigerian physicians. Academic medical centres are encouraged to make such courses available in developing countries.