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Archive for the ‘Medical’ Category

“Force Plate Vertical Jump Scans are Not a Valid Proxy for Physical Fitness in US Special Warfare Trainees”

Sunday, November 27th, 2022

Members of the Air Force Special Warfare Human Performance Support Group’s Research Flight recently published an article in a peer-reviewed journal, “Force plate vertical jump scans are not a valid proxy for physical fitness in US special warfare trainees.”

The Research Flight is the only embedded research team in the DoD, tasked with supporting the Special Warfare Training Wing with data driven decisions to identify trends, maximize the effectiveness and reduce injuries within the pipeline.

Read the full article here.

PC22 Experiments with New Medical Technology for the Battlefield

Monday, November 21st, 2022

FORT IRWIN, Calif. — A buzz could be heard as a medical supply drone known as Project Crimson flew overhead to drop off packages of crucial medical field supplies to medics assisting wounded warriors. As the supplies hit the ground, a medic rushed to retrieve the packages, as many of the other medical warriors kept applying field aid to their Soldier counterparts.

The mass casualty scenario, part of Project Convergence 22, brought together medical personnel from the U.S. Army’s 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, and the Australian Army’s 2nd Health Battalion, to experiment with advanced field care technologies, including those enabled by artificial intelligence.

“Project Crimson is a project to take a common unmanned air system and adapt it to support a medical mission,” said Nathan Fisher, Medical Robotics and Autonomous Systems division chief at the U.S. Army’s Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center.

“This drone supports medical field care when casualty evacuation isn’t an option. It can keep whole blood and other crucial items refrigerated in the autonomous portable refrigeration unit and take it to medics in the field with wounded warriors.”

Fisher explained how the drone is a vertical landing and take-off aircraft, therefore doesn’t need a catapult launch or runway to perform a lifesaving mission. This allows military personnel to preserve life in the critical phase of injury and facilitate rapid transport to an Army hospital for further treatment.

While Project Crimson sustained the medical field from the air, military medics used Medical Hands-free Unified Broadcast, or MedHUB, and Battlefield Assisted Trauma Distributed Observation Kit, or BATDOK, systems strapped to their arms and chests to input medical treatments digitally from the ground.

“MedHUB is used to enhance medical situational awareness,” said Philip Featherston, an Air-ground Interoperability and Integration Lab systems engineer. “At the point of injury, we can start hands-free documentation. All we do is place a sensor to the patient that will apply a broadcast to the treatment facility and control center.”

“The facility can see the patient’s status real-time using BATDOK, while the medics on ground can update treatments and medications for the patients as well. This allows the facility to be alerted, rally and prepare to treat the patient once they are transported,” explained Michael Sedillo, an integrated cockpit sensing program airman systems director with the Air Force Research Laboratory.

During the experiment, litters carrying casualties were taken from medical evacuation vehicles, while Army field hospital medics rushed to apply advanced medical care. As casualties were taken into tents, medics with BATDOK and MedHUB systems traded patient information with the previous medical personnel with the near field communication card.

“The ability to have these technologies on hand has enhanced medical field care tremendously,” said Capt. Morgan Plowman, a nurse with the 15th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. “To take a tablet or phone to input personnel data has increased the communication down the line and accuracy of field care. So much so that the rate of patient care has increased to the point that caring for a casualty start to finish has sped up drastically.”

The mass casualty experiment also highlighted the potential for allied nations to work together more closely on future battlefields in the area of emergency medical care.

“This is an excellent opportunity to come over here and work with multinational partners,” said Capt. Michael Harley, an Australian Army medical officer, of Project Convergence 22 experimentation. “It is eye-opening to see the initiative between everyone and see the interoperability between the nations.”

“I just came from [advanced individual training], so I didn’t know what to expect coming out here during this event,” said Pfc. Tyler Swanson, a 15th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division field medic. “When I used this medical technology, it was easy to pick up and learn, even in a fast-paced field environment.”

“I am excited to see what the future of medical technology will look like a decade down the road,” Swanson added.

By SGT Trinity Carter, 14th Public Affairs Detachment

From The Field: Hybrid IFAK Packout

Friday, November 11th, 2022

We thought this recent blog post by CRO Medical was worth a share.

The CRO Medical Hybrid IFAK has been in circulation for over five years, with over 10,000 units sold. We designed this product as an improved medical fanny pack for POI care during the first ten minutes of treatment. The bag dimensions accept a six-inch ACE wrap packed vertically in the pouch. The molle wings allow two CRO Medium Bleeders to attach for expanding the kit. There are endless ways to utilize this product. Here is one medic’s approach to packing, treatment, and planning using the Hybrid IFAK.

Why is this fanny pack more valuable to a medic?

It’s compact and allows me to carry all of my lifesaving interventions that are more advanced than a teammate’s standard IFAK. These advanced interventions include diagnostics, drugs, advanced airway, and IV/IO admin. I can provide point-of-injury care for the first ten minutes of treatment and upgrade my patient’s condition as I prepare for Damage Control Resuscitation. I accomplish all of this using only my Hybrid IFAK. This product allows me to rapidly deploy treatments, only needing to drop my med bag if the patient needs blood. The integrated waist belt will let me quickly switch the Hybrid IFAK from back to front and stow it again when not used. The versatility of this product is unmatched for POI care. 

What are some of the desirable features of this bag?

The customizable bungee retention in this bag is excellent. It expands your carrying capabilities on your waist instead of filling up space on your plate carrier. It doesn’t limit you to certain-sized items fitting in premade loops but provides excellent retention and easy customization. This feature is unique to CRO and found in all of their equipment. The internal vertical sleeve pockets are convenient for flatter and smaller items, as they can hold many of them, including NCDs, casualty cards, chest seals, etc. However, one of the best features is the wings on the sides of the IFAK that can fit CRO Medium Bleeder pouches or tourniquet covers.

How do you utilize this product while treating a patient?

After doing a rapid MARCH assessment or treating a casualty that is being treated by teammates already, I can quickly reach into the Hybrid IFAK and access a premade kit such as an IO, IV, or suction and pass it off to somebody to use. At the same time, I can focus on blood admin/preparation, drug admin, or preparing more advanced interventions as needed. The ability to carry medic-specific items in the “hybrid” IFAK style pouch is ideal and makes a ton of sense for medics integrated into a team. 

What other uses have you found?

I had extra space in one of my Medium Bleeder pouches after packing a pulse-ox and EMMA device. I decided to throw in some basics that aren’t lifesaving interventions but still are valuable for patient care. Tape is always needed, and by running the bungee through the roll of tape at the top of the pouch, I found that it sat perfectly above the pulse-ox and EMMA to give the bag a fuller feeling. Additionally, I found room for a headlamp. Headlamps are always needed in a pinch, and if I were to only have my Hybrid IFAK on in a dark environment, I could quickly reach in and throw that on and continue patient care.

Please describe your methodology for packing this product and how it relates to the MARCH algorithm.

When building out my Hybrid IFAK, I wanted it to be more advanced than a teammate’s IFAK and have enough interventions to treat a casualty or two almost entirely without digging into my med bag. It has primary interventions for “M” in the MARCH algorithm (extra wound packing supplies) and advanced interventions for ARC (cric kit and basic suction/finger-thoracostomy kit/IV/IO, along with a premade TXA kit). It is a perfect middle-ground between an IFAK and my med bag.

What have you found while using this product while running trauma lanes?

While training, the Hybrid IFAK sits on my lower back. When I need to treat a patient, I rotate it around to grab supplies quickly, and if I’m in a secure position and can sit on the patient for a few minutes, I detach it from my waist and place it next to me or on the patient. Running slimmer mag pouches/placards makes visualizing its contents much easier when it’s on your waist. Wearing a dangler pouch below my plate carrier tends to impede working out of the Hybrid IFAK, making things a little more awkward regarding accessibility. I suggest running either a dangler or the Hybrid IFAK, but not both.

Please describe other benefits of integrating this product into your planning and treatment of casualties.

In short, the compact size and customizability of the Hybrid IFAK give me the confidence to treat one or two patients without digging into my med bag. By fully utilizing the Hybrid IFAK, I increase my maneuverability and save valuable size/space in my med-bag.

Sneak Peek – Single Unit Blood Warmer from Delta Development Team

Friday, November 4th, 2022

Coming soon from Delta Development Team, the Single Unit Blood Warmer. Currently undergoing third-party FDA testing.

Medical Equipment for Ukraine: Rheinmetall Subsidiary ZMS Supplying State-of-the-Art Field Hospital with Support from German Government

Sunday, October 30th, 2022

With backing from the German government, Rheinmetall will soon be supplying the Ukrainian armed forces with a turnkey modern field hospital. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence awarded the €9 million order to Rheinmetall subsidiary Zeppelin Mobile Systeme GmbH (ZMS) in September 2022. The package includes training on the system. Delivery is scheduled to take place in 2023.

The field hospital is a combined tent and container-based system, including high-quality medical equipment built into ZMS shelters. Rheinmetall is also supplying the tents and necessary infrastructure for autarkic operation.

Among other things, the system includes an emergency room, triage room, operating room, an intensive care unit, computer tomography, a sterilization facility and a pharmacy. It also features tents for administration, care provision, surgery prep, triage, a waiting area and staff accommodation. Moreover, there are support containers for sanitation, transport, potable and non-potable water, oxygen, power supply as well as a decontamination tent. The field hospital is Role 2 standard compliant.

Zeppelin Mobile Systeme GmbH is one of the world’s leading maker of customized individual shelter solutions – mobile functional spaces that create an environment that would otherwise only be possible in permanent structures. Its expertise in creating complete mobile medical care facilities and its ability to integrate the latest medical technology into existing infrastructure feature prominently in the company’s portfolio of innovative systems.

ZMS belongs to Rheinmetall’s new International Projects and Services component, which brings together the Group’s resources and capabilities for supporting military customers during deployed operations, as well as in depot logistics and munitions disposal. Rheinmetall aims to be a one-stop shop in the deployment support market. For example, it plans, erects and operates accommodation billets at forward operating bases. The portfolio also encompasses hardened shelters and sanitation facilities, plus base security surveillance, including state-of-the-art sensors and robotics.

Qwick-AID Bandages

Friday, October 28th, 2022

Qwick-AID Hemostatic Bandages feature no thermogenic reaction and maintain air permeability. Additionally, the bandage won’t stick to the wound and is hypoallergenic.

Qwick-AID Bandages are available through The Windrose Group.

Tactical Medical Augmentation Team Increases Combat Medical Capability

Thursday, October 27th, 2022

PATRICK SPACE FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) —  

To find a solution to an identified gap in medical care provided in combat situations, the 920th Rescue Wing’s Aeromedical Staging Squadron developed the Tactical Medical Augmentation Team, an embedded medical team that will bring a new level of patient care directly to the battlefield.

This small, multi-capable, highly skilled, and adaptable team of medical personnel can use the wing’s Personnel Recovery Task Force presentation to move higher levels of medical care further forward to wounded warriors and allow pararescuemen and specialty teams to remain closer to the battlespace.

“This capability increases pararescue’s overall mission effectiveness and serves as a force multiplier for combatant and medical commanders in future conflicts,” said Maj. Alexander Torres, TMAT team officer in charge. “It delivers advanced medical care further forward than previous capabilities.”

The concept takes the previously established models of Air Force pararescue, Critical Care Air Transport Team, U.S. Army Dustoff, British Medical Emergency Response Teams and the previous Tactical Critical Care Evacuation Team missions to build a dynamic medical capability that expands the current capabilities of pararescue. By serving as a medical intermediary between pararescue operators and en-route care system, the TMAT concept uses personnel that are already assigned within the rescue wing and is built specifically to cater to the needs of any rescue mission.

The TMAT, as a proposed embedded military rescue community asset, utilizes the PRTF composition of light-, medium-, and heavy-packages to define capabilities. The total team size of a TMAT-Heavy is comprised of six individuals: one physician, two nurses and three paramedics. A medium team is composed of four members: one physician, one nurse and two paramedics. In the light PRTF model, and for maximum adaptability, the team is composed of two members and can be any combination of physician, nurse and/or paramedic depending on mission requirements.

The TMAT-Heavy can provide prolonged field care for 72-hours, the -medium for 48-hours, and the -light for 24-hours. This provides support options when patients can’t be evacuated and need care until transportation is an option or when geographic challenges prevent immediate transport.

The team physicians will be trained in emergency medicine, critical care, anesthesia, or trauma surgery. The nurses will be emergency or trauma trained with trauma and critical care certifications. The paramedics will have advanced training and certification as flight paramedics, thereby providing them with additional critical care and ventilation skills not seen in standard paramedic training.

The team is capable of being utilized on the wing’s rotor and fixed-wing rescue assets as a force multiplier that does not need to rely on transportation outside of the wing. The PRTFs can utilize the land and water assets such as the wing’s Search and Recovery Tactical Vehicles or inflatable boats. Wherever they can get to patients, not only can they provide care, but they can also get them transported on any asset the PRTF can provide.

“Many patient care teams do not have dedicated platforms to evacuate patients,” said Senior Master Sgt. Matthew Harmon, TMAT non-commissioned officer in charge. “By utilizing organic assets in the PRTF, TMAT is able to rapidly bring a higher level of care further forward to patients allowing pararescue to continue to work tactical problems.”

To validate this concept of medical care, the 920th ASTS created a team of six Airmen that developed a lightweight and adaptable equipment allowance and validated its functionality in various transportation platforms. They then completed training with pararescue Airmen in quarterly unit training assemblies and local-level training events. This evolved into placing TMAT light-, medium-, and heavy-packages into wing-level exercises in Florida, Arizona, New Mexico, California, and Hawaii.

A final test of the TMAT’s ability to integrate with the PRTF came during their use in Exercise Balikatan 22, a multinational, joint forces exercise in the Philippines. There they were able to practice these skills within the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility and included a mass casualty exercise, personnel recovery of a downed pilot, and training Filipino pararescuemen in patient assessment and interoperability in a joint environment.

“We believe that TMAT is a valuable asset to the Air Force rescue community,” said Col. Corey Anderson, 920 ASTS commander. “It provides an irreplaceable medical care option that is organic to the PRTF. I’m proud that this team is getting patients the care they need as soon as possible on the battlefield and allowing the pararescue community to stay where they need to be, which is in the fight.”

By Lt. Col. Ian Phillips, 920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

New Everyday Carry Tourniquet from Snakestaff Systems

Wednesday, October 26th, 2022

Snakestaff Systems is proud to announce the Everyday Carry Tourniquet (ETQTM). Made in the U.S.A., it’s the smallest and lightest windlass tourniquet on the market. We spent years in R&D developing a reliable tourniquet that is 65% smaller than the industry standard. It fits in most 9mm pistol magazine carriers, in just about any pocket, or even on a keychain.

Responsible citizens are statistically more likely to use a tourniquet than their everyday carry pistol; however, very few people carry a tourniquet. Most tourniquets are large and bulky, making them difficult or uncomfortable to carry on your person. We set out to fix that problem without sacrificing reliability.

The ETQ is packed with innovative features that solve common issues. Occasionally, tourniquet windlasses become displaced during emergency transportation. On the ETQ, a carabiner gate locks in the windlass making the tourniquet more secure. The ETQ also includes a chemlight that automatically snaps and activates when applied—a feature that helps first responders locate an injury in low light. Lastly, the ETQ’s windlass is extremely rigid and textured for positive retention and grip, even when coated in blood.

In our research, we found many civilians don’t know the proper way to apply a tourniquet. The ETQ has simple instructions printed on the product, along with a QR code that navigates the user to an easy-to-understand video tutorial. This video can successfully guide someone with zero medical experience through emergency tourniquet application.

For Law Enforcement, Emergency Medical Services, Military, and whoever wants it, we also make the 1.5” ETQ WideTM version designed to meet criteria set forth by the Department of Defense Tourniquet Working Group. We look forward to submitting samples to CoTCCC and continue gathering real world data for when they conduct their next round of TQ evaluations. (Unfortunately they do not meet every year to recommend new TQ’s on the market. The last recommendations were in 2019) This true 1.5” wide version is a little bit easier to use, but slightly larger, at 50% the size of the industry standard.

We have nothing but respect for other tourniquet manufacturers. They have saved countless lives. The ETQ is just another tool in your arsenal. Think of it as a concealed carry handgun – useful when space and concealment is a factor. If you love your current tourniquet brand, keep using it; we just encourage you to carry one everyday, to train with it regularly, and only buy quality American made products.

Your family and friends count on you. Don’t be the guy without a tourniquet in an emergency.

Available for purchase now at: snakestaffsystems.com