Military medicine
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The Military Health System (MHS) provides universal access to medical care to active duty service members, retirees, and their dependents. Observational data from small studies suggest lower preterm birth rates in the MHS compared with U.S. national averages. The objectives of this study are to determine the rate of preterm birth in the MHS from 2006 to 2012 compared with national rates and to analyze the impact of demographic factors on preterm birth in a universal access health care system. ⋯ Preterm birth rates in the MHS have been consistently lower than national rates from 2006 to 2012, potentially due to universal access to health care. Black race increased odds of preterm birth despite universal access to health care. These findings support the need for further research examining racial disparities in health care outcomes related to preterm birth.
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Tinnitus and associated handicap related to acoustic trauma sequelae have never been assessed in the French artillery. Although impulsive noise exposure to firearms and canons are thought to increase prevalence of tinnitus among soldiers, recent studies demonstrating this fact are missing. ⋯ Despite a mild tinnitus handicap, the percentage of people concerned by tinnitus in this regiment is higher (19%) than that in the estimated percentage of general population of European countries (about 10%). It should be of interest to replicate this type of study from other regiments and from other countries. Education and good fitting of hearing protection for prevention of acoustic trauma sequelae should still be encouraged.
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The Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) methodology is used in both the UK and US Military trauma registries. The method relies on dividing casualties according to mechanism, penetrating or blunt, and uses different weighting coefficients accordingly. The UK Military Joint Theatre Trauma Registry uses the original coefficients devised in 1987, whereas the US military registry uses updated civilian coefficients, but it is not clear how either registry analyzes explosive casualties according to the TRISS methodology. This study aims to use the UK Military Joint Theatre Trauma Registry to calculate new TRISS coefficients for contemporary battlefield casualties injured by either gunshot or explosive mechanisms. The secondary aim of this study is to apply the revised TRISS coefficients to examine the survival trends of UK casualties from recent military conflicts. ⋯ This study for the first time refines the TRISS methodology with coefficients appropriate for use within combat casualty care systems. This improved methodology reveals that UK combat casualty care performance appears to have improved until 2012 when this standard was maintained.
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Damage control resuscitation (DCR) is a strategy for resuscitating patients from hemorrhagic shock to rapidly restore homeostasis. Efforts are focused on blood product transfusion with whole blood or component therapy closely approximating whole blood, limited use of crystalloid to avoid dilutional coagulopathy, hypotensive resuscitation until bleeding control is achieved, empiric use of tranexamic acid, prevention of acidosis and hypothermia, and rapid definitive surgical control of bleeding. ⋯ Useful indicators of massive transfusion reviewed in this guideline include: systolic blood pressure <110 mmHg, heart rate > 105 bpm, hematocrit <32%, pH < 7.25, injury pattern (above-the-knee traumatic amputation especially if pelvic injury is present, multi-amputation, clinically obvious penetrating injury to chest or abdomen), >2 regions positive on Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) scan, lactate concentration on admission >2.5, admission international normalized ratio ≥1.2-1.4, near infrared spectroscopy-derived StO2 < 75% (in practice, rarely available), BD > 6 meq/L. Unique aspects of out-of-hospital DCR (point of injury, en-route, and remote DCR) and in-hospital (Medical Treatment Facilities: Role 2b/Forward surgical teams - role 3/ combat support hospitals) are reviewed in this guideline, along with pediatric considerations.
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Case Reports
Recurrent Central Serous Retinopathy with Permanent Visual Loss in a U.S. Naval Fighter Pilot.
Central serous retinopathy (CSR) is a disease process that involves accumulation of serous fluid within the macular retina. This fluid accumulation can temporarily or permanently disrupt vision and in many patients is often a recurrent problem. This case describes recurrent CSR in an experienced U. ⋯ There have been many case reports documenting CSR in active duty military aviators worldwide, including flying pilots who have residual permanent loss of visual acuity; however, this is the first U. S. Naval pilot who has been granted a waiver to return to unrestricted flight status with permanent defective visual acuity.