Citation

Butler WP, Steinkraus LW, Fouts BL, Serres JL. Mil. Med. 2017; 182(S1): 155-161.

Affiliation

U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, 2510 5th Street, Building 840, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Association of Military Surgeons of the United States)

DOI

10.7205/MILMED-D-16-00166

PMID

28291467

Abstract

Today, military combat medical care is the best it has ever been. Regulated U.S. Air Force aeromedical evacuation (AE) is one important reason. The Theater Validating Flight Surgeon (TVFS) validates that a patient is ready for flight. Two TVFSs' experiences, successively deployed in 2007, are the focus of this study. A unique operational worksheet used to manage the AE queue was used for approximately 5 months. A descriptive analysis of the worksheet's 1,389 patients found the majority male (94%), median age 30 years, and mostly Army enlisted soldiers (63%). U.S. civilians made up 9%. Battle Injury (55%) surpassed Disease, Non-Battle Injury (45%); most frequently seen were extremity injuries (73%) and cardiac illness (31%), respectively. Common to both Battle Injury and Disease, Nonbattle Injury were several TVFS prescriptions including no "remain overnights" (79%), head of bed elevation (78%), cabin altitude restriction (57%), no stops (44%), Critical Care Air Transport Team (27%), and supplemental oxygen (22%). This study is a first look at the TVFS experience and it offers up an initial accounting of the TVFS clinical and prescriptive practices. It is also a jumping point for future TVFS investigations using the available AE databases.

Reprint & Copyright © 2017 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Language: en