Comments on: Unnecessary Amputations At Army Hospitals?

By: spencer_ackerman

spencer_ackerman — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:09:01 +0000

Thanks, Annie, this is very valuable.

By: annie

annie — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:42:10 +0000

I'd be surprised. Traumatic injury triggers complex mechanisms in the body. There are all sorts of factors which go into the decision about whether a limb or body part is salvagable.

There are quality assurance (sometimes referred to as M&M conferences – morbidity and mortality) which look at the rates of complications and deaths, which look at optimal versus actual outcomes and which apply peer review processes. The military healthcare system has a pretty reliable track record around trauma care and stabilization. You should be able to get statistics about amputations at all types of military medical facilities (CSH versus Evac tertiary care hospitals (Germany) versus stateside military hospitals). That's where to start if you are so inclined as to investigate.

By: spencer_ackerman

spencer_ackerman — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Thanks, Annie, this is very valuable.

By: annie

annie — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I’d be surprised. Traumatic injury triggers complex mechanisms in the body. There are all sorts of factors which go into the decision about whether a limb or body part is salvagable.

There are quality assurance (sometimes referred to as M&M conferences – morbidity and mortality) which look at the rates of complications and deaths, which look at optimal versus actual outcomes and which apply peer review processes. The military healthcare system has a pretty reliable track record around trauma care and stabilization. You should be able to get statistics about amputations at all types of military medical facilities (CSH versus Evac tertiary care hospitals (Germany) versus stateside military hospitals). That’s where to start if you are so inclined as to investigate.