Why evacuating wounded troops by air might do more harm than good.

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 13:09:35 -0500

This does not surprise me. I was a Huey door gunner and we did this almost daily in Vietnam. I'm not surprised. Not to mention the bouncing around of the Huey, the movement of the WIA was swift and sometimes physical with the patient. Loading and unloading was usually done by carrying the patient to the helicopter, and removing them was done quickly, but not without jerking the patient out and putting him on a flat board and running into the field hospital.
And now for the rest of the story:
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Over the last 15 years, the United States has flown its wounded troops out of combat zones to hospitals around the globe. The logic: get those hurt in places where medical supplies are limited to places where they are not. The fastest way to do this? By air.

Yet according to a new, first-of-its-kind study conducted by the University of Maryland School of Medicine, rapid air evacuation has the potential to cause more damage to those patients suffering from an extremely prevalent battlefield affliction–traumatic brain injury.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2015/11/30/study-air-evacuating-casualties-might-do-more-harm-than-good/

Why evacuating wounded troops by air might do more harm than good

Soldiers with traumatic brain injuries are especially at risk.

Response by CPT Ahmed Faried made Dec 2 at 2015 1:12 PM

CPT Ahmed Faried — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 13:12:39 -0500

What would be the alternative though? Bumpy as it might be air medevac till beats ground casevac.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Dec 2 at 2015 1:14 PM

Capt Seid Waddell — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 13:14:07 -0500

This looks like an important study. It cannot be argued that Medevac has saved lives that would otherwise not have made it. If this improves methods it will be a good thing.

Response by Maj Chris Nelson made Dec 2 at 2015 1:51 PM

Maj Chris Nelson — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 13:51:35 -0500

So, I have read this article and here are my thoughts on it from a nursing perspective: 1. They are not talking about helicopter evac. They are talking about 9000-10,000ft elevation and pressurization for fixed wing aircraft going to altitude. This does not mean that there wont be pressure changes and it won't cause additional discomfort, but they were looking at specific elevation pressures (and for the most part, helicopters can't do them). 2. While this may be very valuable information, I pose the question.... what is the alternative?
We as a military are doing more with less. This includes people and equipment. We do not have large numbers of surface ships with medical staff that can transport these people by surface safely. There are not enough resources in theater to care for patients long term..... The best chance of success for MOST casualties is rapid evacuation from theater to Europe, then the leap back to the USA. While there are risks, it may be difficult to determine if someone should have greater risk of further TBI type issues or loss of life due to massive rest of the body trauma.... Personally, at this time, we should acknowledge the risk, but the system is the best it has been.....EVER.

Response by SSG Audwin Scott made Dec 2 at 2015 2:08 PM

SSG Audwin Scott — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 14:08:13 -0500

This could be very well true, but how else will evacuate a casualty quickly? The air is the fastest way to evacuate so what would be an alternate if not this way?

Response by SGT Joseph Schmalzel made Dec 3 at 2015 9:38 AM

SGT Joseph Schmalzel — Thu, 03 Dec 2015 09:38:22 -0500

Its the facts of life. If air transport is to harsh then maybe they should take a knee drink water and walk it off.
This post is searching for a solution that does not exist.

Response by SSgt Liam Babington made Dec 10 at 2015 7:34 PM

SSgt Liam Babington — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 19:34:59 -0500

Perhaps the people who did the study shos get shot and then be evac'd...might change thier minds about the study!!

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Dec 13 at 2015 3:46 PM

Capt Seid Waddell — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 15:46:33 -0500

It would seem from what they say here that hyperbaric chambers on Medevac planes might be a solution.

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 14 at 2015 4:23 AM

SrA Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 04:23:36 -0500

I have a few pj friends and I've actually brought this subject up to them. With certain injuries, the pilots won't go up as high as to help with oxygen levels(higher altitude=lower oxygen). But that's as far as the conversation went. Hope it helped out a little bit

Response by SGT Mark Stevens made Dec 14 at 2015 5:58 PM

SGT Mark Stevens — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 17:58:54 -0500

To this day, I still have issues when I fly. Vertigo is worse more headaches and can't think.

Response by A1C Robin Mitchell made Dec 27 at 2015 3:20 PM

A1C Robin Mitchell — Sun, 27 Dec 2015 15:20:29 -0500

My husband is 100% SC with TBI and this. A very little known complication that pressure definitely affects.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/sometimes-what-seems-like-a-concussion-is-something-else/2015/05/22/2b4d327a-df97-11e4-be40-566e2653afe5_story.html

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