Effects of Early Altitude Exposure Following Traumatic Injury and Hemorrhagic Shock

Abstract

Hemorrhagic shock is the leading cause of potentially preventable death following traumatic injury. While damage control surgery and resuscitation techniques have revolutionized the care of injured soldiers who sustain severe traumatic hemorrhage, the physiologic consequences of hemostatic resuscitation and staged abdominal surgery in the face of early aeromedical evacuation (AE) are completely unknown. This study evaluated these two methods through use of a murine model of hemorrhagic shock with laparotomy and staged fascial closure, ultimately evaluating the effect of a simulated AE on these conditions. Following hemorrhage, resuscitation should commence as early as possible, prior to exposure to AE or staged abdominal surgery, to avoid prohibitive mortality. Following injury, immediate simulated AE resulted in increased acidosis as compared to delayed evacuation at 4 or 24 hours. Increased systemic inflammation occurs after transfusion of higher volumes of blood following hemorrhagic shock, with increased volume requirements occurring with the concomitant insult of simulated AE and staged abdominal closure. While the optimal resuscitation fluid is not definitively concluded, the inflammatory effects of blood transfusion may be detrimental as compared to Hextend in a controlled model of hemorrhage.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 27, 2017
Accession Number
AD1037159

Entities

People

  • Amy Makley

Organizations

  • University of Cincinnati

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aeromedical Evacuation
  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Altitude
  • Bandages
  • Blood
  • Blood Transfusions
  • Blood Volume
  • Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena
  • Evacuation
  • Government Procurement
  • Ground Level
  • Hemorrhage
  • Hemorrhagic Shock
  • Inflammation
  • Resuscitation
  • Surgery

Fields of Study

  • Medicine

Readers

  • Trauma Surgery or Emergency Medicine.
  • Trauma or Military Medicine