Treatment Plans

Treatment is divided into four basic plans

A. Resuscitative

Lifesaving resuscitative measures designed to prepare the casualty for definitive surgical treatment come first. These include the establishment of the airway assuring the adequacy of respiration, replacement of lost blood and fluids, and splinting of possible fractures, particularly those involving the cervical vertebrae. Some resuscitative measures must be started prior to evacuation from the battlefield, particularly if ground transportation is used rather than helicopter evacuation.

B. Surgical

Definitive surgery should be done after resuscitative measures have been used to improve the casualty's condition in order to minimize the risk of surgery and anesthesia. Occasionally, lifesaving surgery must be done without delay, but normally there is time to prepare casualties for surgery if they have survived long enough to reach a treatment facility.

C. Recovery

In the immediate postoperative period, casualties require minimal movement. Transportation to other facilities should be delayed until the casualty's condition has stabilized.

D. Convalescent

Casualties in this phase of treatment should be evacuated back to specialized convalescent facilities in order to keep the casualty load of forward surgical hospitals as low as possible. Many injuries may require a prolonged recovery period before the individual has recovered to the point where he/ she can resume their duties. Both the convalescent and recovery phases will be more protracted with the addition of the radiation injury.