Respectfully,

Michelle DuGuay Landers, MBA, BSN, RN

Breakaway Media, LLC

Publisher

Journal of Special Operations Medicine (JSOM)

Lt Col, USAF/NC (Ret)

publisher@jsomonline.org

www.JSOMonline.org

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ABSTRACT

Special Operations Forces (SOF) medical personnel have been at the forefront of administering blood products in the austere field medicine environment. These far-forward medical providers regularly treat patients and deliver blood transfusions in some of the world's most extreme environments with minimal resources. A multitude of questions have been raised on this topic based on the unique experiences of senior providers in this field. In this paper, we analyze the available literature and present the recommendations of several experts in transfusion medicine for managing atypical field transfusion scenarios.

Cold Weather Injury in a Special Operations Aviation Crew Member: A Case Report

Clerkin S, Carlson NT, Long B, Taylor DH, Bridwell R. 23(1). 80 - 83. (Case Reports)

ABSTRACT

As arctic warfare becomes a center focus within Special Operations, cold weather injury looms as both a medical and operational threat. While cold weather injury can range from pernio to hemodynamically unstable systemic hypothermia, the more minor injuries are far more common. However, these present a challenge in austere medical care and can drastically impact mission capability. We present a case of a Special Operations crew chief with cold weather digital injury while at the Arctic Isolation Course in Alaska and his subsequent clinical course. Prevention remains the key for mitigating these injuries, while the decision to rewarm must be made with both medical and tactical factors in mind as refreezing incurs significant morbidity. Other components of prehospital treatment include active rewarming, ibuprofen, aloe vera, and pain control.

ABSTRACT

Mass casualty incidents (MCIs) can rapidly exhaust available resources and demand the prioritization of medical response efforts and materials. Principles of triage (i.e., sorting) from the 18th century have evolved into a number of modern-day triage algorithms designed to systematically train responders managing these chaotic events. We reviewed reports and studies of MCIs to determine the use and efficacy of triage algorithms. Despite efforts to standardize MCI responses and improve the triage process, studies and recent experience demonstrate that these methods have limited accuracy and are infrequently used.

Keywords: mass casualty; trauma



The JSOM podcast digs deeper into the articles and subjects that matter to our readers. Our podcast hosts, Captains Alex Merkle and Josh Randles, tackle articles from the journal based on merit, interest, and application for operators in the field.

Current Episode

The Spring 2023 episode of the JSOM podcast is our most recent recording and is now available on our website and wherever you listen to podcasts.

Our guest medic editor this quarter, SSG Blake Wright, enlisted in 2013 and has since served in various roles across the 173d, 82d Airborne, and USASOC. He currently serves as a Special Operations Flight Medic and has future aspirations of applying to the Inter-Service Physician Assistant Program. He will review The Effect of Prehospital Blood Transfusion on Patient Body Temperature from the Time of Emergency Medical Services Transfusion to Arrival at the Emergency Department.

Our author interview will be with Sean M. Stuart, DO, FACEP, FAAEM, FAWM Commander, Medical Corps, US Navy (Naval War College). Commander Stuart received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2009. CDR Stuart reported to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, where he served as the Battalion Surgeon from 2010 to 2013. During this time, CDR Stuart deployed twice to support Operation Enduring Freedom. He also served as the Director of Medical Readiness for 3d Marines. CDR Stuart also served as the Deputy Regimental Surgeon, coordinating medical support for developing Marine Rotational Force–Darwin and RIMPAC exercises. He pioneered the development of a combat training curriculum, created a training tactical simulation laboratory, and served as the Director of Operational Training. In 2014, CDR Stuart began his emergency medicine residency training. After graduating, CDR Stuart assumed the role of MEU Surgeon for the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. In 2019, CDR Stuart returned to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth as academic faculty. In 2022, CDR Stuart was selected to attend the Naval War College. CDR Stuart is board-certified in Emergency Medicine, holds a faculty appointment as Assistant Professor of Military and Emergency Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and is a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, and the Academy of Wilderness Medicine. He will review iTClamp-Mediated Wound Closure Speeds Control of Arterial Hemorrhage with or without Additional Hemostatic Agents on p. 87 of the Winter 2022 edition.

The Journal of Special Operations Medicine is proud to have the support of many great sponsors and media partners. Our sponsors are leaders in the field of military medical technology. Please help support these companies by following the links below to learn more about their missions and the products they offer. This section also features peridoic promtional information for events and conferences, including the 2023 SOMA Scientific Assembly. 

The JSOM is incredibly grateful to have the support of many institutions around the world. We would like to thank our recent institutional subscribers and re-subscribers for their support by acknowledging them in our eNewsletter and, when applicable, sharing their social media information.

Visit https://jsom.us/Library for a full list of institutions currently subscribing to the JSOM. We are beginning a campaign to expand our institutional subscriptions. If you think your company would benefit from an institutional subscription, let us know! We'll be happy to talk to you and get the ball rolling. You don't have to be a university or medical center to subscribe - we have many EMS units, government agencies, and military medical units in the United States and abroad.

Are you on the list? Great! Need to know how to access our resources? You can either contact your head librarian or shoot an email to subscriptions@JSOMonline.org.

Institutions receive a print copy of our journal, digital access, or both. Digital subscribers have unlimited access to our full compendium of articles, journals, and the ATP-P. If you are a student, researcher, doctor, or other medical professionals at one of these institutions, please contact your librarian for login details. Additionally, the digital resources are typically available 2-3 weeks ahead of print publication.

If your institution is not on the list and you want more information about our institutional access, contact our subscriptions manager, Dr. Scott Graverson.

For over 20 years, the Journal of Special Operations Medicine (JSOM) has brought important, lifesaving information to the Special Operations Forces (SOF) community. And over the years, as our audience and readership has expanded into over 80 countries, physicians, military and tactical medics, and other medical professionals working in unconventional environments rely on the JSOM for breakthrough research at the intersection of operational medicine and tactical casualty care. Our peer-reviewed research and interactive clinical content make the JSOM a must-read for:

• Physicians
• Medics
• Educators
• Law Enforcement
• The military and civilian global medical community

For these reasons, many of the world’s top medical technology companies and medical device distributors make the JSOM a cornerstone of their advertising programs. And with a strong multichannel and social media presence, the JSOM offers the most dynamic print and digital media options at cost-effective prices. For medical marketers worldwide looking to reach our niche audience, the JSOM is the gold standard. For more information, please see our attached media kit.

HOHENFELS, BY, GERMANY

Photo by Spc. Donovon Lynch 

Joint Multinational Readiness Center 

DVIDS

U.S. Army Cpt. Aaron Chapman, assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, conducts simulated medical care for a simulated casualty during Exercise Combined Resolve 18 at Hohenfels Training Area, Joint Multinational Readiness Center, Germany, May 9, 2023. Combined Resolve 18 is a U.S. Army exercise consisting of over 4,000 service members, allies, and partners from 15 countries, and is designed to assess units’ abilities to conduct combat operations effectively in a multi-domain battlespace. 

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