@article{ref1,
title="Emergent interfacility evacuation of critical care patients in combat",
journal="Air Medical Journal",
year="2012",
author="Franco, Yvonne E. and Lorenzo, Robert A. De and Salyer, Steven W.",
volume="31",
number="4",
pages="185-188",
abstract="During the Second Iraq War (Operation Iraqi Freedom), high-intensity, low-utilization medical and surgical services, such as neurosurgical care, were consolidated into a centralized location within the combat zone. This arrangement necessitated intra-theater air medical evacuation of critically ill or injured patients from outlying combat support hospitals (CSH) to another combat zone facility having the needed services. A case series is presented of intratheater transfer of neurosurgical patients in Iraq during 2005-06. Ninety-eight patients are included in the series, with typical transfer distances of 40 miles (approximately 20-25 minutes of flight time). All patients were transported with a CSH nurse in addition to the standard Army EMT-B flight medic. Seventy-six percent of cases were battle injury, 17% were non-battle injuries, and the balance were classified as non-injury mechanisms. Seventy-six percent of cases were head injuries, with the balance involving burns, stroke, and other injuries. At 30 days, 12% of the patients had died, and 9% remained hospitalized in a critical care setting. None of the patients died during evacuation. Intratheater and interfacility transfer of critical care patients in the combat theater often involves severely head-injured and other neurosurgical cases. Current Army staffing for helicopter transport in these case requires a nurse or other advanced personnel to supplement the standard EMT-B flight medic.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1067-991X",
doi="10.1016/j.amj.2011.09.004",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amj.2011.09.004"
}