Regional Analgesia for Combat-Related Extremity Trauma During Early Evacuation
Pain during medical evacuation remains a major challenge: transport may last longer than planned, several casualties may travel together, and advanced analgesic support is not always available on the road. This lecture examines regional analgesia as a way to provide prolonged pain relief before dressing removal, imaging, surgery, and interfacility transport.
The speaker presents a practical workflow for haemodynamically stable patients with combat-related extremity injuries, including supraclavicular brachial plexus blocks for upper-limb trauma and combined femoral and popliteal sciatic nerve blocks for injuries of the lower leg and foot. Particular attention is given to monitoring, patient positioning, ultrasound ergonomics, portable versus full-size systems, medication organisation, and reducing human error in emergency settings.
The session also reviews data from 100 wounded patients and clinical cases involving severe foot, forearm, and lower-leg injuries. The findings illustrate how regional blocks can support combined anaesthesia and maintain low pain scores during postoperative observation and evacuation, while highlighting the training and logistical barriers that still limit their wider use.
The speaker presents a practical workflow for haemodynamically stable patients with combat-related extremity injuries, including supraclavicular brachial plexus blocks for upper-limb trauma and combined femoral and popliteal sciatic nerve blocks for injuries of the lower leg and foot. Particular attention is given to monitoring, patient positioning, ultrasound ergonomics, portable versus full-size systems, medication organisation, and reducing human error in emergency settings.
The session also reviews data from 100 wounded patients and clinical cases involving severe foot, forearm, and lower-leg injuries. The findings illustrate how regional blocks can support combined anaesthesia and maintain low pain scores during postoperative observation and evacuation, while highlighting the training and logistical barriers that still limit their wider use.