Toxicology and Military Anaesthesia

The combination of trauma and poisoning is a situation likely to be faced by a deployed force at some point. This article provides practical advice on how to deal with poisoned patients without deviating from the concept of damage control resuscitation. The constraints of limited diagnostics, both a...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMJ military health 2010-12, Vol.156 (Suppl 4), p.S327-334
Main Author: Nicholson-Roberts, TC
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anesthesiology
Burns
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Chemical Warfare
Chlorine - poisoning
Cyanides - poisoning
Humans
Military Medicine
Phosgene
Poisoning
Smoke Inhalation Injury
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The combination of trauma and poisoning is a situation likely to be faced by a deployed force at some point. This article provides practical advice on how to deal with poisoned patients without deviating from the concept of damage control resuscitation. The constraints of limited diagnostics, both at the scene and clinically, and lack of antidotal therapy are fundamental to the practice of clinical toxicology. Some of the specific therapies such as atropine and oximes were not evaluated prior to their introduction and there are few randomised controlled trials of poisoned patients. Most of the diagnoses will be made on clinical grounds and most of the therapy will be supportive; this article aims to reassure military anaesthetists in the process of dealing with the poisoned trauma patient.
ISSN:0035-8665
2633-3767
2052-0468
2633-3775
DOI:10.1136/jramc-156-04s-11