Interview: 21st century battlefield pain management

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Pain Medicine
• Military Health

Background:

• Colonel Buckenmaier's extensive experience in anesthesiology and pain management.
• His leadership roles at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
• His academic background includes degrees in Biology and Chemistry, and advanced training in Anesthesia and Regional Anesthesia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the development and implementation of advanced regional anesthesia in military settings.
• To showcase the establishment of the first Acute Pain Medicine Fellowship in the US military.
• To emphasize the role of the Defense and Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Medicine (DVCIPM) in improving pain care for service members and their families.

Main Methods:

• Deployment to Iraq (2003) with the 21st Combat Support Hospital to demonstrate advanced regional anesthesia in a forward-deployed setting.
• Performance of the first continuous peripheral nerve block for pain management in a combat support hospital.
• Deployment to Afghanistan (2009) to establish the first acute pain service in a theater of war.

Main Results:

• Successful application of advanced regional anesthesia techniques in a combat support hospital environment.
• Establishment of a novel Acute Pain Medicine Fellowship within the US military.
• Initiation of the first acute pain service in a war theater, improving pain management for deployed personnel.

Conclusions:

• Advanced regional anesthesia is feasible and highly effective in forward-deployed military settings.
• The establishment of specialized pain medicine fellowships and services is crucial for military healthcare.
• The DVCIPM plays a vital role in advancing pain management for service members and veterans.