Table 3 American College of Surgeons Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) responses to initial fluid resuscitation*. Table reprinted with permission from the American College of Surgeons [84]
| Â | Rapid response | Transient response | Minimal or no response |
|---|---|---|---|
Vital signs | Return to normal | Transient improvement, recurrence of decreased blood pressure and increased heart rate | Remain abnormal |
Estimated blood loss | Minimal (10–20 %) | Moderate and ongoing (20–40 %) | Severe (>40 %) |
Need for more crystalloid | Low | Low to moderate | Moderate as a bridge to transfusion |
Need for blood | Low | Moderate to high | Immediate |
Blood preparation | Type and crossmatch | Type-specific | Emergency blood release |
Need for operative intervention | Possibly | Likely | Highly likely |
Early presence of surgeon | Yes | Yes | Yes |