Wartime Critical Care Air Transport

Abstract

Objectives: Describe the characteristics/enroute care of casualties transported by USAF Critical Care Air Transport Teams (CCATT) during Operation Enduring Freedom/Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF). Methods: Retrospective review of TRAC2ES and CCATT Mission Reports (Oct 2001-May 2006). Results: 3492 patient moves (2439 patients). Moves by route: within Area of Responsibility (AOR) (n = 261); AOR-Landstuhl (LRMC) (n = 1995), Germany-CONUS (n = 1188). For AOR-LRMC: Bl (64%), NB1 (8%). Disease (25%). Among injured (n = 1491). 69% suffered polytrauma, primarily d/t explosions. Injury area: extremities (63%), head (55%), thorax (46%), abdomen (31%). neck (17%). Injury type: soft tissue (64%), orthopedic (45%), thoracic (35%), skull fracture (27%), brain injury (25%). Disease diagnoses: cardiac (15%) and pulmonary (8%). Conclusions: This is the first analysis of OEF/OIF CCATT patients. Phase 1 of this study demonstrates the strengths and limitations of TRAC2ES and CCATT Mission Reports to describe the characteristics/enroute care of this unique population.