Panamerican Trauma Society: The First Three Decades

Abstract

Panamerican Trauma Society was born 30 years ago with the mission of improving trauma care in the Americas by exchange of ideas and concepts and expanding knowledge of trauma and acute illness. The authors, immediate-past leaders of the organization, review the evolution of this assembly of diverse cultures and nationalities. Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None INTRODUCTIONThe Panamerican Trauma Society (PTS) was born 30 years ago with the mission of improving Trauma Care in the Americas by promoting an exchange of ideas and concepts and expanding knowledge of trauma and acute illness. The authors, immediate past leaders of the organization, review the evolution of this assembly of diverse cultures and nationalities.It has now been 30 years since the PTS was born. The three decades of its short existence have been quite eventful in the scenario of growing pains, adolescence, maturation, and accomplishments. It is an interesting tale of people of various languages, nationalities, backgrounds, and races coming together to improve the care for the critically injured and ill surgical patients in the hemisphere. It is a journey of international collaboration in global surgery and improvements in surgical care of low-and middle-income countries (LMIC). The scope has extended now to distant continents also.The first author of this communication has had the privilege of participation in this great odyssey, first as a young surgeon and a charter member, climaxing to the last 6 years of executive directorship. The authors have just finished their official posts of executive director and immediate past President of the Society respectively. The objective of this report is to document the Society's journey from its infancy to the current status of adulthood. The intention is not in the least self-aggrandizement, but to weave the evolution of a multinational society in the current era of increased enthusiasm for issues of global surgery. It is a tribute for the many, many individual members, Board of Managers, Committees, and past Presidents, who collectively should be credited with the current standing of the Society. We sincerely hope that the members will read this history, proudly own the Society as their own, and inspire others to advance it further. This document may also serve as the baton for the in-coming generation and leadership. THE BIRTHThe Panamerican Trauma Society (PTS) was conceived over a lunch, in a restaurant in Mexico City named "Hacienda Los Morales" in 1987, during a Mexican Red Cross symposium. It was an inspired thought of Dr Armando Baqueiro of Mexico, who proposed to create a Society with the mission of improving the management of trauma patients in the American Hemisphere: North, Central, and South; and consequently with the name PTS. The visionaries included Drs Baqueiro, Aurelio Rodriguez, Alejandro Grife, Garcia Morales "El Max," Gomez Palacio, Carlos Moreno, all Latin American surgeons of experience and repute (Fig. 1). Drs Aurelio Rodriguez and Francisco Holguin (from C...