[Management of critically ill patients in the resuscitation room. Different than for trauma?]

The general approach to the initial resuscitation of non-trauma patients does not differ from the ABCDE approach used to evaluate severely injured patients. After initial stabilization of vital functions patients are evaluated based on the symptoms and critical care interventions are initiated as and when necessary. Adequate structural logistics and personnel organization are crucial for the treatment of non-trauma critically ill patients although there is currently a lack of clearly defined requirements. For severely injured patients there are recommendations in the S3 guidelines on treatment of multiple trauma and severely injured patients and these can be modeled according to the white paper of the German Society of Trauma Surgery (DGU). However, structured training programs similar to the advanced trauma life support (ATLS®)/European resuscitation course (ETC®) that go beyond the current scope of advanced cardiac life support training are needed. The development of an advanced critically ill life support (ACILS®) concept for non-trauma critically ill patients in the resuscitation room should be supported.