title: Pacific Partnership 2008: the surgical mission, surgical screening process, and the anesthetic management of uncontrolled, untreated hypertensive patients.
abstract: United States Armed Forces and nongovernmental agencies on board the USNS Mercy provided humanitarian and civic assistance to over 68,000 patients in five southeastern Asian nations during Pacific Partnership 2008. A commitment to improving the health and well-being of the citizens of these countries along with strengthening diplomatic relationships between the United States and the host nations visited was paramount. This article focuses on surgical mission planning and perioperative anesthetic considerations of providing care for patients with uncontrolled untreated hypertension. Special consideration was required when providing anesthetic care to our patient population. The anesthesia team developed perioperative guidelines for these patients and experienced minimal complications for over 900 surgeries. The purpose herein is to provide guidance for future humanitarian missions regarding management of this clinical problem and to improve mission planning.
authors.affiliation: Naval Medical Center San Diego, Anesthesia Department, San Diego, CA 92134, USA.
authors.forename: Heather Cuniff
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D000533:Altruism; D000758:Anesthesia / Q000379:methods*; D001208:Asia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008887:Military Medicine; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012767:Ships; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D014481:United States