Venous Thromboembolism Among Military Combat Casualties

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) complicates trauma no matter whether injuries occur in the civilian or combat setting. Combat casualty care is further challenged by the requirement to rapidly evacuate patients by air from the combat zone to definitive care destinations in the USA. The Joint Trauma System (JTS) is charged with ensuring optimal management of the combat injured across the global care continuum. The JTS first released guidelines for “Prevention of deep venous thrombosis” in December 2004 and regularly revises it to ensure it reflects current, best practice. This review presents a perspective on VTE impact on wartime care and the US military medical system’s effort to prevent these complications.