Battlefield Medicine: Anesthesia and Critical Care in the Combat Zone

J Michael Jaeger; Darian C Rice; Brooke Albright-Trainer

doi:10.1016/j.anclin.2021.03.002

Battlefield Medicine: Anesthesia and Critical Care in the Combat Zone

Anesthesiol Clin. 2021 Jun;39(2):321-336. doi: 10.1016/j.anclin.2021.03.002.

Authors

J Michael Jaeger¹, Darian C Rice², Brooke Albright-Trainer³

Affiliations

¹ Departments of Anesthesiology and Surgery, Division of Critical Care Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Box 800710, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. Electronic address: jmj4w@virginia.edu.
² Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Critical Care Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Box 800710, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
³ Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Critical Care Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Box 800710, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, Central Virginia VA HCS, Richmond, VA 23249, USA.

PMID: 34024434
DOI: 10.1016/j.anclin.2021.03.002

Abstract

The US Military Joint Trauma System has been developed to mitigate the harsh conditions under which medical providers care for combat casualties and provide continuity of care from the battlefield to US medical centers. We review the components of this system with emphasis on combat trauma care under fire and the role of the anesthesiologist and intensivist in this continuum of care. An important link in the chain of survival is the Air Force Critical Care Aeromedical Transport Team, which provides critical care while transporting casualties from the theater to higher levels of care outside the war zone and home.

Keywords: Aeromedical evacuation; Battlefield anesthesia; Combat casualty care; Joint Trauma System; TCCC.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Anesthesia*
Anesthesiology*
Critical Care*
Humans
Military Medicine*
Military Personnel*
Wounds and Injuries