Treatment of complex medical emergencies in a forward deployed setting: a case of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
The Joint Trauma System in Afghanistan, while designed for the care of injured patients, can provide timely, multimodal, coordinated care for nontraumatic medical emergencies as patients are evacuated from theater. To illustrate this, a case of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is presented. The patient was able to receive all recommended components of postcardiac arrest care in a timely, coordinated manner at four different medical treatment facilities and while traveling over 8,600 miles with critical care provided en route.
Department of General Surgery, Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, 650 Joel Drive, Fort Campbell, KY 42223.
Guy T
GT
Clifton
Department of Cardiology, Womack Army Medical Center, 2817 Reilly Road, Fort Bragg, NC 28307.
Scott L
SL
Willis
Institute of Surgical Research, Burn Center, 3698 Chambers Pass, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234.
Wylan C
WC
Peterson
D000328:Adult; D022561:Advanced Cardiac Life Support; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D006772:Hospitals, Military; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D058687:Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest / Q000628:therapy*; D014187:Transportation of Patients; D014481:United States