Medical treatment changes come from war

AUSTIN (KXAN) - At the Trauma and Critical Care Conference in Austin, doctors from across the country discussed changes to current medical treatments. Many of the ideas are coming from the front lines in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Like many conflicts in the past the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have brought a lot of innovation and new treatment strategies in the care of the injured patients,” says Dr. Carlos Brown, the Trauma Medical Director with University Medical Center Brackenridge . “Specifically the application of tourniquets, extremity tourniquets which were used quite a bit in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and now are going to be used here in Austin Travis County in the EMS system.”

Tourniquets were not used in civilian medicine because of the fear of losing the limb, but Dr. Brown says the practice is coming back.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan also indicate a different way of doing blood transfusions is more effective. By adding more platelets and plasma to the blood cells, patients stop bleeding more quickly.

"So those products are working on the inside of the blood vessels and the doctors and surgeons are working on the outside of the blood vessels and you put all that together and it appears the bleeding stops sooner," said Dr. John Holcomb with University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston .

Dr. Holcomb says Iraq and Afghanistan are not the first wars to influence medical care. During World War I, a broken bone often meant death until medics began using splints. Vascular surgery began during the Korean War. Helicopter transport during the Vietnam War revolutionized trauma care.

"From that experience in Vietnam, EMS and trauma centers came to be in the United States," said Dr. Holcomb.

The Trauma and Critical Care Conference wrapped up Friday. The Seton Family of Hospitals hosted it.