This past #SOMSA19 (Special Operations Medical Association Scientific Assembly 2019) was particularly special and nostalgic to me… After years of background service, SOFsono has earned its own slot and prime time at the most important SpecOps medical conference worldwide. I was truly humbled by the outpouring of unanimously positive feedback and supportive reactions. That “Ma’am – you knocked it out of the park” really stuck with me. Yet one big shoutout in particular has actually brought tears to my eyes. Oh yes, ladies do cry 🙂 A huge compliment to “Kasia, a lady from Poland” coming from the SOF community. JJ and doc Rush on PJ Medcast took me a little bit by surprise! Continue Reading
During a nighttime hostage rescue mission your team undertakes a strenuous swim in cold water. Shortly after climbing on board of a large watercraft one of your teammates becomes acutely ill. He is short of breath and he is coughing a lot. Thankfully, your team has successfully eliminated the threat and you can focus on helping your buddy. Continue Reading
Your team is being deployed to Africa. One of your teammates has had a respiratory infection for the past week. A few hours after a 14-hour flight, he comes to you reporting shortness of breath and pain on the right side of his chest whenever he takes a deep breath. Continue Reading
Your ODA is on a training mission in the southern Philippine islands. While conducting base defense improvements and inspections, your engineering sergeant (18C) has an accident resulting in a large splinter impaled into his right upper thigh. You remove it and 2 days later the 18C complains of pain, swelling, warmth, and redness around the initial puncture wound. Continue Reading
Your team was tasked with setting up an observation post in the Hindu Kush mountains. As you complete the mission and descend down a snow covered slope, one of your team members slips and slides. He is able to self-arrest using an ice axe. Unfortunately he sustains an injury to his right shoulder.
Your team is participating in a remote operation in Afghanistan together with an Afghan team. As a result of an IED blast, 2 Afghanis are killed in action, and one of your team members is injured. On the initial assessment the U.S. operator has reassuring vitals:
This time let’s get straight to the point! No need to keep repeating what SOFsono JSOM cases are all about!
During a Partner Nation Force (PNF) field training exercise (FTX), you are called to a scene of a motor vehicle accident (MVA). Two all-terrain vehicles (ATV’s), carrying a total of 5 US and PNF service members, crashed into each other. As you TRiAGE the victims, you realize that all 5 potentially need further medical care. The closest hospital is 90 minutes away, and your local ambulance service is capable of transporting only two patients at a time.
Yet another quarter has gone by, and the SOFsono JSOM case #2 is out in the Journal of Special Operations Medicine (fall issue). As promised, we are following with further discussion here on the blog.
Our goal is to provide you with a series of SOF-focused and case-based ultrasound education TiDBiTS. We want to show you how ultrasound can help you solve a number of OPERATiONAL and CLiNiCAL DiLEMMAS, especially in prolonged field care settings. Tidbits are defined as small and particularly interesting pieces of information, hence brevity is intentional!
It is finally happening! The very first SOFsono JSOM case is out in the Journal of Special Operations Medicine (summer issue), and we are following with further discussion here on the blog.
Our goal is to provide you with a series of SOF-focused and case-based ultrasound education TiDBiTS. We want to show you how ultrasound can help you solve a number of operational and clinical dilemmas, especially in prolonged field care settings. Tidbits are defined as small and particularly interesting pieces of information, hence brevity is intentional!
Now, let me begin by saying that MARSOC guys are tough dudes – no doubt about that! This case is a tribute to their educational aspirations in point-of-care ultrasonography – and for this very reason our patient is a MARSOC operator – one of their very own! It’s an honor to count them in as my students! Continue Reading
We have a great announcement! At #SOMSA16 SOFsono has partnered with the Journal of Special Operations Medicine (a.k.a JSOM) to start a series of SOF-focused and case-based ultrasound education tidbits. JSOM will provide you with a brief introduction to the case. A more detailed discussion with live clips, images, pearls and essential references will follow here at SOFsono.org. We want to show you how ultrasound can help you solve a number of operational and clinical dilemmas, especially in prolonged field care settings. Tidbits are defined as small and particularly interesting pieces of information, hence brevity is intentional! Continue Reading
