Medics
in Kirkuk save Iraqi infant’s life
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| Airman
1st Class Nicole Schmitt holds a 3-month-old local boy
after medics with the 506th Expeditionary Medical Squadron
here successfully performed surgery to save the baby's
life. (U.S. Air Force photo)
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By
Tech. Sgt. J. LaVoie
506th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
KIRKUK AIR BASE, Iraq -- Medics here recently
saved the life of a local 3-month-old infant suffering from
severe infection.
The child’s father brought him to a forward-operating base
where officials arranged for the baby to be brought here for
care.
Though the 506th Expeditionary Medical Squadron’s Airmen do
not routinely care for civilians, much less infants, an exception
was made because of the immediacy of care needed in this case.
“The Army physician at the (forward-operating base) immediately
recognized that the infant was within 24 hours of dying from
infection and bleeding,” said Col. (Dr.) Brian Peyton of the
506th EMEDS.
When medics first discovered they had an infant heading their
way, they immediately started evaluating their capabilities.
Not only were there doctors and nurses with pediatric experience
on hand, but Capt. Dawn Graham, a nurse with pediatric intensive
care unit experience, had already put together pediatric ICU
equipment after she deployed here -- just in case.
Once the infant arrived, the medics began working to save
his life.
“The first task was to place intravenous lines and stabilize
him,” said Col. (Dr.) Steve Chambers, 506th EMEDS commander.
“We gave him fluids, blood and antibiotics and prepared him
for surgery.”
The medics determined the baby was in shock from blood loss
and infection secondary to an abscess of infected glands in
his chest wall. Once he was stabilized, Peyton performed the
one-hour surgery.
During the infant’s stay, the hospital staff noticed his blood
was not clotting normally and had to replace clotting factors
as well. The squadron is not equipped to perform the more
complex clotting tests available at major academic hospitals.
Therefore, Airmen began working with the Iraqi Ministry of
Health to find a local doctor who could provide not only follow-up
care for the surgery, but could help treat the infant if the
blood issue continued.
Using an interpreter, they taught the father to change the
dressings and care for the wound.
“Despite the language barrier, the father took to caring for
the wound as well as, or better than, anyone in the states,”
Peyton said.
After five days and several surgeries, the infant was ready
to leave and receive follow-up care from local civilian hospitals.
“It shows the flexibility of EMEDS,” Chambers said. “The entire
EMEDS staff helped with the care of this infant -- as they
do with every patient.”
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