Air Force doctors present at DoD conference Published Sept. 15, 2010 By Sue Campbell 59th Medical Wing Public Affairs LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Doctors from the 59th Medical Wing recently participated in the 2010 Advanced Technology Applications for Combat Casualty Care conference. The ATACCC conducts a Department of Defense scientific meeting each year addressing critical advances in trauma medicine and the unique medical needs of the warfighter. The conference focuses on growing and changing operational issues and the technologies available today and in the future that can be used to meet these increasingly complex goals. DOD combat casualty care scientists presented their latest research results at the event, held Aug. 16-19 in St. Pete Beach, Fla. "As Air Force physicians we contribute to the care for combat injured in theater every time we deploy," said Lt. Col. (Dr.) Vikhyat Bebarta, e59th Emergency Medical Squadron Emergency Physician and Medical toxicologist. "Since we deliver so much of that care, it's good that we contribute to the research, and dissemination of the research, through conferences like this." Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.) Todd Rasmussen, U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research deputy commander, served as a co-chairman for the conference. Maj. (Dr.) Julio Lairet, 59th EMS Emergency Medicine physician, and director, Enroute Care Research Center, USAISR, was the Air Force liaison for the Air Force Surgeon General's Medical Modernization Office. Both doctors sat on the program abstract selection committee for general sessions. Abstract presentations by 59th MDW personnel included: - Incidence and Mortality of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Combat Casualty Care - Lt. Col. (Dr.) Jeremy Cannon, 59th Surgical Specialties Squadron Staff surgeon - Vascular Injury Rates form the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - Colonel Rasmussen; - Direct Vascular Control Results in Less Physiologic Derangement than Proximal Aortic Occlusion in a Porcine Model of Non-Compressible Extra-Thoracic Torso Hemorrhage- Capt. Nickolay Markov, 59th SSS resident - Prehospital Burn Management in a Combat Zone, - Army Maj. (Dr.). Kimberly Lairet, USAISR, and Major Julio Lairet. Major Julio Lairet served as a panel member during a breakout session addressing joint platforms and settings for remote damage control resuscitation. Colonel Rasmsussen conducted a breakout session titled "Time is Tissue: The Value of Early Versus Late Restoration of Flow in the Setting of Extremity Vascular Injury." Poster presentations by 59th MDW personnel included: A Proteomic Approach to Pain Management and Hydrocodone Mis-use in the Military A Human Systems Biology Analysis - Colonel Bebarta Evaluation of a Method for Analysis of Hydrocodone and Metabolites in Urine by Tandem Mass Spectrometry - Colonel Bebarta A Comparison Of Proximal Tibia, Proximal Humerus and Distal Femur Infusion Rates Under High Pressure - Major Lairet. During the conference, the first meeting of the DoD Hemorrhage and Resuscitation Committee was held. This committee is responsible for reviewing and making recommendations regarding major program objectives, funding levels, priorities, and top-level strategies to meet the needs of wounded service men and women. The scope of the program runs from basic science and discovery research through clinical development and Food and Drug Administration approval of new drugs and devices. It includes Army, Navy, Air Force and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency research programs, with total funding of more than $120 million per year. Members from the 59th MDW who sat on this committee included Dr. Debra Niemeyer, 59th MDW chief scientist and Air Force Medical Service representative; Col. (Dr.) David Smith, Surgery Department chairman, 59th SSS; and Major Lairet. Additionally, Colonel Rasmussen provided an overview of vascular injury management research being conducted in collaboration with the 59th MDW. "This marked the first year for such robust 59th MDW participation and presentations of cutting-edge research at this conference," Dr. Niemeyer said.