J Trauma
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Fluid resuscitation of injured combatants in a tactical setting has special challenges which standard civilian protocols do not address. Over a period of a year, four conferences on combat fluid resuscitation were held. The purpose of these conferences was to develop a consensus regarding contemporary practice and to identify and energize a research agenda. ⋯ Food and Drug Administration regulations). A specific research agenda was defined. Since that time, these recommendations have been implemented in many North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces and a variety of other activities have served to provide expert support and research focus for the special needs of injured combatants.
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This is a review of studies with two agents, glutamine and crocetin, which have been found to enhance recovery of cellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine diphosphate after hemorrhagic shock. ⋯ Glutamine is a metabolic substrate and a precursor of ATP synthesis. Crocetin enhances oxygen diffusivity in plasma. Both agents restore cellular energy stores to normal after hemorrhagic shock and produce a marked diminution in the extent of apoptosis postshock. Their mechanism of action probably involves prevention of mitochondrial damage.
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Ultraprofound hypothermia may have a place in trauma rescue and resuscitation. We describe resuscitation of dogs after asanguineous perfusion and circulatory arrest of 2 hours at 2 degrees to 4 degrees C. ⋯ Hypothermic blood substitution with Hextend allows resuscitation after 2 hours of ice-cold circulatory arrest in dogs.