Page 4 - Journal of Special Operations Medicine - Winter 2015

by Allison Esposito, Managing Editor

s always, the contributors in this issue are diverse in their Clinical Investigations at Tripler Army Medical Center, we are
Aareas of research and personal interests, occupations, and conducting research directed toward improving the delivery
even countries. What unites them is their desire to provide the of healthcare in the military setting. This research includes
best information and advice for our readers with the ultimate improving current medical techniques, improving diagnostic
end result of better medical care and more lives saved. systems, and performing infectious disease surveillance. We
chose to publish in JSOM because the mission of the JSOM
Some authors are novices to the publication process, and oth- parallels our mission and it provides an effective means of dis-
ers are seasoned expert contributors for whom we are grateful seminating information to the military medical community.”
to have their latest research results and opinions. Whether it is Please see the related “Letter to the Editor” by F. Bowling,
the latest research on tourniquets or information on the best 18D, and “Reply” by Dr Vokoun in this issue. Dr Vokoun and
footwear, all of the authors are motivated by their desire to colleagues also provide this issue’s “Picture This,” and SGM
ensure that the community of medical professionals who read Bowling’s SEMA offering is titled “The Ground Truth.”
the JSOM receive their information, and it is that altruism that
guides their decision to publish in the JSOM. Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do
and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.*
Make your plans to fit the circumstances.*
Max R. Sirkin, MD, the first author of “Evaluating Alterna-
The use of extremity tourniquets and hemostatic dressings has tives to Traditional Cotton Laparotomy Sponges for Blood
strong advocacy in the civilian sector. We can thank Dr Len- Absorption in the Austere and Mobile Surgical Environment,”
worth Jacobs and the Hartford Consensus Working Group for explains their team’s motivation to publish in the JSOM.
identifying measures that improve survival in victims of the “[T]he idea for our research study was born from work in
active shooter and other mass casualty incidents, such as oc- austere and forward deployed elements and we felt that our
curred in Paris when this issue was going to press. Many of findings would help other providers in similar situations. . . .
these timely articles are reprinted from the original September [T]he Special Operations community is a very forward think-
2015 American College of Surgeons Bulletin and presented in ing group of individuals who are constantly looking for new
our special “Stop the Bleed – Hartford Consensus” section. and unique solutions to problems they face every day. Our re-
Dr Frank Butler provides an Introduction to this section, and search is a very basic project that challenged a very basic facet
it closes out with a letter from Dr Matt J. Levy, regarding the of everyday surgery. Some of our colleges scoffed at its sim-
Stop the Bleeding Coalition. plicity and found little potential impact or necessity for such
research. However, we knew that some people felt this way
Success demands a high level of because they are not faced with the challenges that the Special
logistical and organizational competence.* Operations community faces every day.
“Different Width and Tightening System Emergency Tour- It is only by doing things others have not
niquets on Distal Limb Segments” by Piper L. Wall, DVM, that one can advance.
PhD, and colleagues examines calf and forearm use of four
thigh-effective, commercial tourniquets with different widths “Also, providers practicing within the confines and comforts
and tightening systems. “Testing Tourniquet Use in a Manikin of a secure and well-supplied Western hospital would have no
Model: Two Improvised Methods,” by William E. Lyles III and need to look for alternatives to products that are so readily
colleagues, compares two techniques of improvised tourniquet available, like cotton laparotomy pads. We knew, however,
application with the use of a common commercial tourniquet that there is a group of people who are on the frontier of rural/
that is nonimprovised. Both of these research-based articles austere/expeditionary medicine who need new solutions to
are designed to provide information that will save lives. unique problems and would hopefully appreciate our find-
ings. We are honored to have our work be accepted by JSOM
Will Lyles is a prior Green Beret A Team Commander who spoke and hope that someone somewhere in a distant land finds our
as a wounded warrior at SOMA, and now works in trauma re- study useful and that it helps save lives.”
search with Dr John Holcomb, is a medical school applicant,
and now is a first author on a JSOM article of relevance. This Accept the challenges so that you can
story resonates with the best traditions of JSOM and SOMA; it feel the exhilaration of victory.*
is a story of who we are. This is as good as it gets. These are just a few of the back stories behind this issue’s con-
If everyone is thinking alike, someone isn’t thinking.* tributions. Every author has poured his or her passion and
time into giving the best information available, ranging from
An article from our Summer 2015 issue, “Rationale for Use of a recommended Combat Medic Bag to a comparison of post-
Intravenous Acetaminophen in Special Operations Medicine” traumatic stress disorder vs. traumatic brain injury. We hope
by Edward Scott Vokoun, MD, continues to generate insight- you enjoy them all.
ful dialogue. Dr Vokoun explains that “at the Department of *All quotes are from General George Patton Jr.

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