Combat triage
Background
- Triage refers to sorting of patients by immediate medical need
- In a combat scenario, there are limited resources for treatment and transport, as well as tactical considerations for medical care
Principles
- Accomplish the greatest good for the greatest number of casualties
- Employ the most efficient use of available resources
- Return personnel to duty as soon as possible
Combat Triage Categories
Green
Also MINIMAL
- These are the walking wounded
- These should be treated by self-aid or Combat Life Saver
- They can be used to continue the mission but may need to play an augmented role
- Injuries may include small burns, lacerations, abrasions, and small fractures
Yellow
Also DELAYED
- These patients are more seriously injuried
- They may eventually need surgical intervention
- Their general condition allows for treatment to be delays without endangering life or limb
- Medical treatment (splinting, pain control, etc.) will be required but it can wait
- Injuries may include hemodynamically stable patients with large soft tissue wounds, long bone fractures, intra-abdominal or thoracic wounds, or burns to less than 20% of total body surface area
Red
Also IMMEDIATE
- These patients require immediate life saving intervention
- Locate these individuals as quickly as possible
- If not triaged and treated, they will die
- Injuries may include hemodynamically unstable patients with airway involvement, chest or abdominal injuries, massive external bleeding, or shock
Black
Also EXPECTANT
- In these patients, survival would be highly unlikely
- If able, they should receive comfort measures, pain medications
- Injuries may include penetrating or blunt head wounds and those with absent radial pulses
Protocol
Tips
- Patients who can ambulate and follow instructions usually will fall into the minimal category
- Statements such as “If you hear me, move behind this wall" can triage a large portion of the casualties in a short time
- Patients with obvious signs of death should be considered Expectant
- Massive bleeding can be life threatening and may need a tourniquet, a hemostatic agent, or a pressure bandage
- Once life saving intervention is completed, they can be re-triaged