Respectfully,

Michelle DuGuay Landers, MBA, BSN, RN

Breakaway Media, LLC

Publisher

Journal of Special Operations Medicine (JSOM)

Lt Col, USAF/NC (Ret)

[email protected]

www.JSOMonline.org

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ABSTRACT

Massive hemorrhaging remains the most common cause of preventable battlefield deaths. Blood used for trauma care requires a robust donation network, capacity for long-term storage, and extensive and accurate testing. Bioengineering technologies could offer a remedy to these constraints in the form of blood substitutes-fluids that could be transfused into patients to provide oxygen, carry away waste, and aid in coagulation-that would be used in prolonged casualty care and in far-forward settings, overcoming the obstacles of distance and time. The different molecular properties of red blood cells (RBCs), blood substitutes, and platelet replacements contribute to their respective utilities, and each type is currently represented in ongoing clinical trials. Hemoglobin oxygen carriers (HBOCs) are the most advanced RBC replacements, many of which are currently being evaluated in clinical trials in the United States and other countries. Despite recent advancements, challenges remaining in the development of blood alternatives include stability, oxygen capacity, and compatibility. The continued research and investment in new technologies has the potential to significantly benefit the treatment of life-threatening emergency injuries, both on the battlefield and in the civilian sector. In this review, we discuss military blood-management practices and military-specific uses of individual blood components, as well as describe and analyze several artificial blood products that could be options for future battlefield use.

Altered Sympathoadrenal Activity Following Cold-Water Diving

Kelly K, Pautz CM, Palombo LJ, Jensen AE, Melau J, Turcotte LP, Solberg PA. 23(3). 74 - 81. (Journal Article)

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Little data exist on the effect of extremely cold-water diving on thermo-metabolic hormone secretion. Moreover, the impact of repetitive dives on the stress response is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of two daily bouts of cold-water diving on the hormonal and metabolic profile of elite military personnel and to measure the stress response. Methods: Healthy, male, Norwegian Special Forces operators (n = 5) volunteered for this study. Physiological and hormone data were analyzed prior to and following twice-daily Arctic dives (3.3°C). Results: Core temperature was maintained (p > .05), whereas skin temperature was significantly reduced over the course of each dive (p < .01). Pairwise comparisons revealed adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol concentration significantly decreased across both dives and days (p < .001). Adrenaline and noradrenaline significantly increased across both time and day (p < .001). Leptin, testosterone, and IGF-1 significantly decreased over time but recovered between days. Conclusion: The main findings of this effort are that there is a rapid sympathetic-adreno-medullary (SAM/SNS) response to cold-water diving and a suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and hormones related to repair and recovery. While the sample size was too small to determine the role of SAM/SNS, HPA, and thyroid hormone effect on thermoregulation, it addresses a gap in our understanding of physiological adaptions that occurs in extreme environments.

ABSTRACT

We report the case of a patient suffering from a chemical burn caused by white phosphorus, for whom initial management required decontamination using multimodal analgesia. This case report should be familiar to other military emergency physicians and Tactical Emergency Medical Support for two reasons: 1) A phosphorus burn occurs from a chemical agent rarely encountered, with minimal research available in the medical literature, despite the use of this weapon in the recent Ukrainian conflict, and 2) We discuss the use of multimodal analgesia, combining loco-regional anesthesia (LRA) and an intranasal pathway, which can be used in a remote and austere environment.

Keywords: phosphorus burn; analgesia; intranasal



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. THE FALL 23 EPISODE IS HERE!

Current Episode

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

JSOM Guest Medic EditorTechnical Sergeant Derek Fyksen will be reviewing Pain Control and Point-of-Care Ultrasound: An Approach to Rib Fractures for the Austere Provider. TSgt Fyksen is currently an Air Force PJ. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2011 and served three years at 1st Marine Raider Battalion before transferring to the Air Force to pursue becoming a Pararescueman in 2017. After his separation from the Air Force, Derek intends to pursue a joint MD/MPH program.

JSOM Guest Author Interview

Dr. Luc Saint-Jean is affiliated with the 1st Specialized Medical Unit, Versailles, France. He will be reviewing his article, Phosphorus Burn Management with Multimodal Analgesia.

Josh Randles will review Slow Intravenous Infusion of a Novel Damage Control Cocktail Decreases Blood Loss in a Pig Polytrauma Model.

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 [email protected].

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.

Photograph by DJ Struntz

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