Implementation of a low titer group O whole blood program for a law enforcement tactical team.

The Texas Ranger Special Operations Group (SOG) performs high-risk warrant service and responds to callouts for evolving kinetic situations and special missions as required. These operations may occur many hours from a trauma center. Fresh whole blood (FWB) transfusions may offer a stopgap for those who are critically injured.

Prolonged Field Care of a Casualty With Penetrating Chest Trauma.

As Special Operations mission sets shift to regions with less coalition medical infrastructure, the need for quality long-term field care has increased. More and more, Special Operations Medics will be expected to maintain casualties in the field well past the "golden hour" with limited resources and other tactical limitations. This case report describes an extended-care scenario (>12 hours) of a casualty with a chest wound, from point of injury to eventual casualty evacuation and hand off at a Role II facility.

Dealing with DIG. A comprehensive review of digoxin and its therapeutic and toxic effects.

Toxicity due to cardiac glycosides is a common and potentially life-threatening problem. Treatment of such toxicity presents unique challenges to the pre-hospital provider, because many of the tools commonly used to treat patients in the field may lead to disaster if inappropriately applied. But with better understanding of the mechanism of digitalis toxicity, prehospital providers can avoid pitfalls of treatment and render lifesaving care.