TY - JOUR
T1 - Supporting the Global War on Terror
T2 - A tale of two campaigns featuring the 250th Forward Surgical Team (Airborne)
AU - Rush, Robert M.
AU - Stockmaster, Neil R.
AU - Stinger, Harry K.
AU - Arrington, Edward D.
AU - Devine, John G.
AU - Atteberry, Linda
AU - Starnes, Benjamin W.
AU - Place, Ronald J.
AU - Long, William
PY - 2005/5
Y1 - 2005/5
N2 - Background: Forward Surgical Teams (FSTs) are 20-person units designed to perform front-line, life-saving combat surgery. This study compares the employment, injuries encountered, and workload of an airborne FST in two widely varying campaigns. Methods: The 250th FST provided far forward surgery for initial entry assaults and follow-on stability operations in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom [OEF]) and northern Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom [OIF]). Prospective data on all patients admitted to the 250th were analyzed. Data from civil affairs missions were evaluated retrospectively. Results: In supporting combat operations, 127 surgical procedures (OEF: 68, OIF: 59) were performed on 98 patients (OEF: 50, OIF: 48) during 17 months deployed (OEF: 6, OIF: 11). After initial assaults, stability actions varied significantly in terms of civil affairs missions (OEF: 3, OIF: 161). Conclusions: Although the number and types of combat casualties were similar between the campaigns, employment of the FST changed dramatically in OIF because of increased medical reconstruction missions.
AB - Background: Forward Surgical Teams (FSTs) are 20-person units designed to perform front-line, life-saving combat surgery. This study compares the employment, injuries encountered, and workload of an airborne FST in two widely varying campaigns. Methods: The 250th FST provided far forward surgery for initial entry assaults and follow-on stability operations in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom [OEF]) and northern Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom [OIF]). Prospective data on all patients admitted to the 250th were analyzed. Data from civil affairs missions were evaluated retrospectively. Results: In supporting combat operations, 127 surgical procedures (OEF: 68, OIF: 59) were performed on 98 patients (OEF: 50, OIF: 48) during 17 months deployed (OEF: 6, OIF: 11). After initial assaults, stability actions varied significantly in terms of civil affairs missions (OEF: 3, OIF: 161). Conclusions: Although the number and types of combat casualties were similar between the campaigns, employment of the FST changed dramatically in OIF because of increased medical reconstruction missions.
KW - Airborne operations
KW - Damage control surgery
KW - Far forward surgery
KW - Forward surgical team
KW - Operation Enduring Freedom
KW - Operation Iraqi Freedom
KW - War surgery
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=18044365005&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2005.01.035
DO - 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2005.01.035
M3 - Article
C2 - 15862497
AN - SCOPUS:18044365005
SN - 0002-9610
VL - 189
SP - 564
EP - 570
JO - American Journal of Surgery
JF - American Journal of Surgery
IS - 5 SPEC. ISS.
ER -