Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps
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This is the last in a series of three papers that provide a discussion on the wider roles of military medical forces in stability operations. It examines the framework for civil-military co-operation in humanitarian operations and complex emergencies. It then introduces the non-military components of 'stability' operations and examines the military role in reconstruction and development. The paper examines the potential capabilities of military medical services in providing medical support for non-military populations, Village Medical Outreach Programmes and medical infrastructure projects.
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Primary ocular blast injury is an uncommon and disputed phenomenon. As personal ballistic protection of the head and torso improves for soldiers, increasing numbers of injuries to the unprotected areas such as the face and eyes may be expected; similarly the increase in the use of improvised explosive devices by insurgent terrorists in Iraq is increasing the number of primary blast injuries being seen by the Defence Medical Services. We report a rare case of primary blast injury to the eye and briefly discuss the literature on the subject.
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Anecdotal reports of mechanical failure of morphine autojets have triggered a review of possible alternatives. Methoxyflurane is one such alternative already widely used by the Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces. The potential benefits and likely significant drawbacks of methoxyflurane are reviewed with the aim of stimulating discussion.
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Haemorrhage control is a major priority in the care of trauma patients in military as in the civilian setting. About 50% of combat deaths are due to fatal bleeding. The aim of this analysis was to assess the efficacy and safety of recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa; NovoSeven, Novo Nordisk A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark) when used to treat trauma-related blood loss. ⋯ As this analysis has several limitations that are unavoidable when using global registries to collect and analyse data, our findings are not conclusive. However, these preliminary observations especially in those patients who underwent very early rFVIIa treatment offer further support for the use of rFVIIa in trauma.