Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps
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Traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA) in children is associated with a low probability of survival and poor neurological outcome in survivors. Since 2003, over 600 seriously injured local national children have been treated at deployed UK military medical treatment facilities during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. A number of these were in cardiac arrest after sustaining traumatic injuries. This study defined outcomes from paediatric TCA in this cohort. ⋯ This study demonstrates that the outcomes for paediatric TCA in our military field hospitals were similar to other paediatric civilian and adult military studies, despite patients being injured by severe blast injuries. Further work is needed to define the optimal management of paediatric TCA.
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Defining the minimum anatomical structural coverage required to protect from ballistic threats is necessary to enable objective comparisons between body armour designs. Current protection for the axilla and arm is in the form of brassards, but no evidence exists to justify the coverage that should be provided by them. ⋯ Haemorrhage is managed through direct pressure and the application of a tourniquet. It is therefore recommended that the minimum coverage should be the most proximal extent to which a tourniquet can be applied. Superimposition of OSPREY brassards over these identified anatomical structures demonstrates that current coverage provided by the brassards could potentially be reduced.
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Injury Severity Score (ISS) and GCS can be retrospective markers of injury severity, but if used by clinicians to decide on the treatment of acutely brain-injured casualties at the point of injury may potentially limit interventions on people who may ultimately survive with good functional outcomes. ⋯ ISS/GCS at the point of injury does not reflect eventual outcome. IEDs/gunshots cause the greatest number of injuries and the highest incidence of brain injury. Brain injury should be considered in every battlefield casualty, irrespective of whether the head/neck/spinal cord was avoided. ISS should not be considered indicative or predictive of long-term prognosis/quality of life/employability as brain injury in this small cohort is both survivable and recoverable. It should not be used as a retrospective guide to alter treatment pathways, as there is poor correlation with long-term outcome. Subsequent neurorehabilitation should always be considered because survival, return to independence and full employment are very likely.
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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disabling trauma and stress-related disorder that may occur after a person experiences a traumatic event, and evokes a combination of intrusion and avoidance symptoms, negative alterations in cognitions and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity. Accelerated resolution therapy (ART) is an emerging psychotherapy that provides fast and lasting resolution for mental health problems such as PTSD. ART has been shown to achieve a positive result in one to five sessions, typically over a 2-week period, and requires no homework, skills practice or repeated exposure to targeted events. ⋯ ART appears to also have application in other conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders, and alcohol or drug misuse. ART can potentially help personnel traumatised by the unique challenges of war and conflict zones by providing brief psychotherapy in a readily accessible and culturally competent manner. ART facilitates the provision of interventions and resolutions in theatre, thus enhancing forces' fighting capability.
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At the time of the Boer War in 1899 penetrating head injuries, which formed a large proportion of the battlefield casualties, resulted in almost 100% mortality. Since that time up to the present day, significant improvements in technique, equipment and organisation have reduced the mortality to about 10%.