The easy to remember mnemonic MARCH reminds us of the priorities in treating casualties during TECC and TCCC situations. MARCH provides a framework to address immediate life threats and gives an organized approach to begin a casualty evaluation. The MARCH mnemonic is preferable to the ABCDE model because it takes into consideration the reason you need an airway and to be breathing is to circulate blood to the casualty’s brain. Recognizing that, the first step in our casualty evaluation should be to look for massive hemorrhage.
Once past massive hemorrhage, A-R-C is loosely approximated by A-B-C. H- is a reminder that a large number of traumatic casualties arrive at the emergency department or medical treatment facility hypothermic which dramatically increases their death rate.
The MARCH mnemonic can be applied to any patient, as the initial casualty evaluation usually rules out massive hemorrhage.
🕖 Reading Time, 8 minutes. (UPDATED 31 March 2024) Researched and written by Mike Shertz, MD/18D, not AI There is little existing medical literature on casualties intentionally run over by vehicles, but several patterns become apparent. On 19 December, 2016 …
BLUF:* Isolated closed femur fractures are extremely rare, the internal thigh bleeding can be substantial, but tourniquet application in these closed injuries is not likely to help. Researched and written by Mike Shertz, MD/18D, not AI 🕖 Reading Time, 4 minutes …
There has been recent discussion about the rarity of significant complications from nasopharyngeal airway (NPA) placement. Many chalk the cases of inadvertent intracranial placement as essentially “something that never happens.” 🕖 Reading Time, 6 minutes Researched and written by Mike …
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…many different ways to manage these wounds, this is one technique using a Foley Catheter (designed for urine drainage) to tamponade bleeding. It is best studied in neck wounds. This…
🕖 Reading Time, 7 minutes In support of our daughter’s experience at a local Girl Scout camp, we agreed to help rewrite the curriculum for their “Rainbow Progression” program of outdoor skills to ensure kids can be prepared. The program …
