Total Intravenous Anesthesia on the Battlefield
Abstract
The current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq have demonstrated the impressive advancements in warfighting technology at the military's disposal. The US military in the 21st century is an awesome warfighting machine that is continually looking to improve its capabilities. The military medical system has also displayed its robust capabilities, though there is still room for improvement. Surprisingly, the delivery of anesthesia on the battlefield is still accomplished with fairly simple gas delivery systems. Is there a better, smarter, and safer way to deliver anesthesia to our wounded warriors? Total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) has particular application in combat medicine because it accomplishes the goal of general anesthesia while it decreases the equipment necessary to provide inhalation anesthetics. The focus of this article is to review historical milestones in combat anesthesia, develop the basic concepts of TIVA, explore some of the purported benefits, particularly in combat trauma, and briefly describe some future trends in intravenous anesthesia. The goal is to demonstrate the safety, simplicity, scientific principles, and small logistical footprint of TIVA.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA522810
Entities
People
- Joel Mcmasters
- Kurt Grathwohl
- Lore H. Blackbourne
- Paul Barras
Organizations
- Womack Army Medical Center