European military surgical teams in combat theater: A survey study on deployment preparation and experience

INTRODUCTION

Adequate (predeployment) training of the nowadays highly specialized Western military surgical teams is vital to ensure a broad range of surgical skills to treat combat casualties. This survey study aimed to assess the self-perceived preparedness, training needs, deployment experience, and post-deployment impact of surgical teams deployed with the Danish, Dutch, or Finnish Armed Forces. Study findings may facilitate a customized predeployment training.

METHODS

A questionnaire was distributed among Danish, Dutch, and Finnish military surgical teams deployed between January 2013 and December 2020 (N = 142). The primary endpoint of self-perceived preparedness ratings, and data on the training needs, deployment experiences, and post-deployment impacts were compared between professions and nations.

RESULTS

The respondents comprised 35 surgeons, 25 anesthesiologists, and 39 supporting staff members, with a response rate of 69.7 % (99/142). Self-perceived deployment preparedness was rated with a median of 4.0 (IQR 4.0-4.0; scale: 1 [very unprepared]-5 [more than sufficient]). No differences were found among professions and nations. Skills that surgeons rated below average (median <6.0; scale: 1 [low]-10 [high]) included tropical disease management and maxillofacial, neurological, gynecological, ophthalmic, and nerve repair surgery. The deployment caseload was most often reported as <1 case per week (41/99, 41.4 %). The need for professional psychological help was rated at a median of 1.0 (IQR 1.0-1.0; scale: 1 [not at all]-5 [very much]).

CONCLUSIONS

Military surgical teams report overall adequate preparedness for deployment. Challenges remain for establishing broadly skilled teams because of a low deployment caseload and ongoing primary specializations. Additional training and exposure were indicated for several specialism-specific skill areas. The need for specific training should be addressed through customized predeployment programs.

[Isolated gallbladder agenesis without biliary atresia in a 16-year-old boy]

We present a case of a 16-year-old male patient with recurrent abdominal pain in the upper right quadrant, signed up for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy due to a single gallstone seen on preoperative abdominal ultrasound. Because of dilatation of the common bile duct subsequent magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography was performed, and surprisingly, the gallbladder was found missing. The operation was therefore cancelled. Even though gallbladder agenesis is a rare condition, it still represents a diagnostic challenge as most cases are found peroperatively, and the patients undergo unnecessary surgery.

No Circadian Variation in Surgeons' Ability to Diagnose Acute Appendicitis

OBJECTIVE

To examine if there were circadian variations in surgeons' ability to diagnose acute appendicitis.

DESIGN

Retrospective database study of all patients admitted to an acute surgical procedure under the potential diagnosis of acute appendicitis in a 4-year period. The day was divided into 2 time intervals, day to evening hours (08:00-23:59) and night hours (00:00-07:59). Relevant data regarding the admission and surgical procedures were categorized into these 2 time intervals.

SETTING

Department of Surgery at a Danish university hospital in Copenhagen.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 2366 patients were included. There were no age limitations or selection in sex.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in the ability to diagnose appendicitis in day-evening hours vs night hours (p = 0.391), nor was any significant difference found on weekdays (Monday-Thursday) vs weekends (Friday-Sunday) (p = 0.278). There were no differences in duration of the procedures, rate of conversion, or severity of postoperative surgical complications between the 2 groups. More patients underwent diagnostic imaging during day to evening hours compared with night hours (308 vs 46; p = 0.014). The use of imaging had no effect on the ability to diagnose appendicitis. Male sex showed a higher probability of the diagnosis being appendicitis compared with other or no pathology (odds ratio: 3.094; p < 0.001). Age between 40 and 80 years was significantly associated with a higher probability of the diagnosis being appendicitis compared with other or no pathology. The negative appendectomy rate was 10.5%.

CONCLUSION

We found no difference in the surgeons' ability to diagnose acute appendicitis during night hours compared with day to evening hours.

[The use of pre-hospital tourniquets in life-threatening extremity traumas]

Tourniquets have been used for centuries. They have been called lifesavers and "an invention of the evil one". 90.9% of deaths on the battlefields result from haemorrhage. Lessons learned du­ring the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have developed the treat­ment given to hypovolaemic patients on the battlefield. Treating bleeding and hypovolaemia is now considered as the primary intervention. The tourniquet has proven to be an indis­pensable tool treating wounded soldiers, with little risk of complications. The tourniquet might also show to be a valuable asset in a pre-hospital urban setting.

[The use of pre-hospital tourniquets in life-threatening in extremity traumas]

Tourniquets have been used for centuries. They have been called lifesavers and "an invention of the evil one". 90.9% of deaths on the battlefields result from haemorrhage. Lessons learned du-ring the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have developed the treat-ment given to hypovolaemic patients on the battlefield. Treating bleeding and hypovolaemia is now considered as the primary intervention. The tourniquet has proven to be an indis-pensable tool treating wounded soldiers, with little risk of complications. The tourniquet might also show to be a valuable asset in a pre-hospital urban setting.

[Recruiting medical students for the surgical education]

For a longer period the interest for surgical education in Denmark has been low measured in the number of junior doctors choosing a surgical career. The Danish Surgical Society has reviewed the published data describing the factors involved when selecting a surgical career.

[Damage control surgery--a survey of a Cochrane review]

Damage Control Surgery (DCS) has been the approach in dealing with multi-trauma patients for the last 15 years. In this Cochrane-review the authors seek to compare the outcome of DCS with the outcome after the conventional strategy which is often a time-consuming operation with definitive repair. However, no randomised controlled trials are found, and thus it is not possible to say whether DCS is superior to the conventional approach or not. It is not possible to perform any RCT with these patients. According to literature in general on this subject we believe, nevertheless, that the principles in DCS should be followed.

[Diaphragmatic hernia--admitted under the gallstone diagnosis]

A 34-year old woman was admitted with pain in the upper right abdomen. The tentative diagnosis was gall stones, but none of the paraclinical results supported this diagnosis. A chest x-ray showed a completely white right lung. A later computertomography showed a colon-loop in the thorax and haemo-/pneumothorax. The patient's condition deteriorated, a life-threatening state of sepsis developed and she was transferred to a surgery facility where an incarcerated congenital diaphragmatic hernia was established. After surgery she was discharged with a temporary ostomy, but otherwise feeling well.

Ultrasound of the acute abdomen performed by surgeons in training

AIM

Ultrasound has a well-established role in the diagnostic assessment of acute abdominal pain where some ultrasonically easily-accessible organs account for several diagnostic possibilities. The objective of the present study was to evaluate whether surgeons without ultrasound experience could perform valid abdominal ultrasound examinations of patients referred with acute abdominal pain.

METHODS

Patients referred with acute abdominal pain had an ultrasound examination by a surgeon in training as well as by an experienced consultant radiologist whose results served as the gold standard. All participating surgeons were without any pre-existing ultrasound experience and received one hour of introduction to abdominal ultrasound.

RESULTS

Thirty patients underwent 40 surgeon performed and 30 radiologist performed ultrasound examinations. Regarding gallstone and cholecholecystitis the sensitivity, specificity and kappa-agreement of the surgeon performed ultrasound examination was 1.00 (0.77-1.00), 0.96 (0.79-0.99), 0.94 (0.3-1.00) and 0.40 (0.12-0.77), 0.97 (0.83-0.99), 0.44 (0.00-0.96); respectively. Visualization of the common bile duct was poor having 73% non-diagnostic surgeon-performed ultrasound examinations.

CONCLUSION

Surgeons in training without pre-existing ultrasound experience and only a minimum of formal ultrasound education can perform valid and reliable ultrasound examinations of the gallbladder in patients admitted with acute abdominal pain.

[What happens to gallstone patients discharged without cholecystectomy? Follow-up of 222 consecutive patients with initially untreated gallstones]

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to investigate the cholecystectomy rate and rate of gallstone-related complications in patients formerly seen and discharged without operation from the Clinic for Day-Surgery, Glostrup University Hospital, Denmark.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From January 2000 to December 2002 a total of 222 patients with gallstones were discharged without operation (lap. cholecystectomy) from the day-surgery clinic. All admittances and surgical procedures in the follow-up period were identified by reading patient files and strategic searches in the National Patient Register in which all operations in Denmark are registered.

RESULTS

The median follow-up period was 37 months (range 5-62 months). 25% of patients were operated in the follow-up period (cholecystectomy, n = 54, gallstone ileus, n=1). 13% had gallstone-related complications in the follow-up period. 9 patients had one or more endoscopic retrograde cholangiographies. There was no mortality or serious surgical complications.

CONCLUSION

There is a lack of objective criteria for cholecystectomy in symptomatic cholecystolithiasis. The national guidelines in Denmark advocate cholecystectomy only in patients with socially disabling pain attacks. These guidelines are followed in our department and the strategy seems acceptable and patient-friendly, although the optimal treatment strategy for patients with symptomatic gallstone disease is still unknown.