Military medicine
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Randomized controlled trial of accelerated resolution therapy (ART) for symptoms of combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) endorsed by the Department of Defense and Veterans Administration are relatively lengthy, costly, and yield variable success. We evaluated Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) for the treatment of combat-related psychological trauma. ⋯ ART appears to be a safe and effective treatment for symptoms of combat-related PTSD, including refractory PTSD, and is delivered in significantly less time than therapies endorsed by the Department of Defense and Veterans Administration.
-
Case Reports
Sprengel deformity presenting as a post-traumatic injury in an afghan boy: a case report.
Sprengel deformity is a rare congenital anomaly that involves the shoulder joint and scapula. We treated a young Afghan boy who was presented to the German Level II Provincial Reconstructive Team in Kunduz, Afghanistan, with the complaint of a shoulder deformity evolving after an accident that occurred several years before the presentation of the patient to clinic. Physicians maximized the available resources for the diagnostic workup by arranging for his computed tomography scan at the German Level III Hospital at Mazar-e-Sharif and then reviewing the study through teleradiology. The presence of a Coalition Surgical Team allowed the delivery of advanced surgical care by combining the specialized surgical skills of three upper extremity surgeons deployed to the area.
-
The purpose of this study was to explore rates of secondary traumatic stress (STS) in a sample of 70 military primary and mental health care providers. The sample included working professionals within two military hospitals. Participants completed surveys containing a demographic questionnaire and the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale. ⋯ The most frequently reported symptoms were feeling emotionally numb and trouble sleeping followed by the intrusive thoughts about clients. The least frequently reported symptom was feeling jumpy. Implications of study findings and recommendations for future research are outlined.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Identification of barriers to adaptation of battlefield technologies into civilian trauma in California.
To characterize the adoption of routine battlefield medical techniques (tourniquets, hemostatic agents, and tactical combat casualty care into civilian prehospital trauma care and to identify the barriers to their use in the state of California through anonymous electronic survey of local emergency medical services agency (LEMSA) directors. ⋯ Tourniquets, hemostatic agents, and tactical medical care are the integral components of battlefield medicine and have been lifesaving in these settings. The barriers to this transition are multifactorial. Physicians familiar with these technologies should become advocates for their integration in civilian trauma patient care.
-
Airway compromise is a contributor to preventable mortality on the battlefield. Supraglottic airway devices are an accepted intervention for these casualties. Combat Medics, civilian prehospital care providers, and lay civilians have demonstrated proficiency with supraglottic airways. However, the Combat Lifesaver (CLS) course includes no instruction on their use. ⋯ CLS students are capable and confident in the use of a supraglottic airway device after only brief instruction.