Military medicine
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Securing the airway of a wounded soldier while operating in a light-restricted combat environment may be required of forward-deployed military medical personnel. The best method of obtaining such an airway has not been addressed. In this pilot study, the objective was to examine the use of endotracheal intubation using an infrared filtered laryngoscope and night vision goggles. ⋯ This study demonstrates that endotracheal intubation can be performed using a laryngoscope with an infrared filter and night vision goggles with a high success rate in a select population in a darkened environment.
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Infrequent use of emergency medical skills eventually leads to skill degradation. Even during residency training, certain skills may be infrequently encountered. The use of human patient simulators (HPS) is one means by which these skills may be practiced with sufficient numbers to learn and maintain emergency skills. ⋯ HPS education improves perceived preparedness and self-efficacy in U.S. Navy emergency medical personnel. This type of training may be an important adjunct for emergency medical providers who infrequently have the opportunity to apply learned emergency medical care skills. The use of HPS with distant interactive education capability allows isolated medical personnel the opportunity to practice skills unconstrained by time or distance.
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Machete-related wounds are a source of appreciable morbidity in many developing nations. We describe a case of radial nerve injury resulting from a machete attack in Haiti. ⋯ The upper extremity was injured in 85% of the cases, often resulting in complicated wounds with nerve, tendon, and joint injuries. A treatment protocol for peripheral nerve injuries incurred in austere conditions is presented.