Increasing Survivability on the Battlefield: Hemorrhage Control and the Joint Theater Trauma System
Abstract
The leading cause of preventable deaths on the battlefield is exsanguination, and 70.5% of casualties in OIF/OEF have suffered serious extremity injuries with hemorrhage control as the primary fOcus of prehospital medical treatment. Developments in hemorrhage control and the implementation of the JTTS have facilitated critical pre hospital improvements to increase the survivability of battlefield casualties. Five hemostatic agents appear promising; QuikClot, HemCon, QuikClot Combat Gauze, HemCon Chitoflex, and Self-Expanding Hemostatic Polymer. Differences in appropriate usage, cost, and side effects influence FDA and military approval. The CAT tourniquet is currently the best prehospital tourniquet when applied properly. The JTTS, the world's largest and most complex trauma system, was designed to track, trend, and report performance processes to improve medical care within combat theaters. It has directly influenced critical medical advances to achieve the lowest mortality rates in U.S. history.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA604350
Entities
People
- Amy A. Kellstrand
Organizations
- Marine Corps University