title: Pacific partnership 2010: Anesthesia support aboard the USNS Mercy humanitarian civic assistance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The USNS Mercy has been integral in providing humanitarian and civic assistance as part of the Department of Defense's ongoing Combatant Commander Theater Security Cooperation Plans. The purpose of this study was to critically assess patient demographics and procedures performed to provide guidance for future missions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review was performed on a cohort of 825 surgical patients who underwent surgery during a 4-month period during Pacific Partnership 2010. Patient demographics, anesthesia exam findings, comorbidities, and surgical data were compared among the mission sites.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 825 patients, the mean age ranged from 39.7 to 24.7 with a statistical difference between Vietnam (39.7, p < 0.0087 for all tests) and the remaining sites. Poorer health by American Society of Anesthesiologist grading was noted in Vietnam (1.61) as compared to patients in Cambodia (1.21, p < 0.001) and Timor-Leste (1.40, p = 0.001). No difference in complication rates was noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reason for apparent differences in age or health status by site weren't clearly explained, but these differences had no bearing on surgical outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Analysis of anesthesia data compiled during Pacific Partnership 2010 provided meaningful data for future humanitarian efforts at these sites.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Medical Education, Naval Medical Center San Diego, 34800 Bob Wilson Drive, San Diego, CA 92118, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lagrew
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lujan
authors.forename: Sara C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Niels M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Hauff
authors.forename: Julie L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kaesberg
authors.forename: Mark E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Riffenburgh
authors.forename: Matthew T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Provencher
authors.forename: Trent D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Douglas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000758:Anesthesia / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001210:Asia, Southeastern; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D012066:Relief Work; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012767:Ships; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult