MTFs and VA medical centers are uniquely positioned to
undertake this mission of restoring function. The networks
that already exist at these facilities enable the orderly adop-
tion of cutting-edge technological devices and associated
rehabilitation techniques to enhance patient function.
These advances are being developed, tested, and evalu-
ated by the same high-performing, motivated population
most likely to bene
fit from them. In this capacity, the MTFs
and VA medical centers can serve as the nation
’s premiere
translational and clinical trial network for traumatic amputee
rehabilitation, offering possibilities for personalized care and
optimal function of these devices.
Microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees offer tangible
examples of how injured service members are getting access
to cutting-edge care, but it is providing these devices with a
well-designed rehabilitation program that truly offers the
opportunity for patients to return to their busy lives and
work, thereby making the goal of optimizing outcomes a
reality. The Return-to-Run program pioneered at the Center
for the Intrepid is one example of coupling high-tech with
rehabilitation, resulting in long-term improvements in physi-
cal performance, pain- and patient-reported outcomes.
In the same vein, research has found that the body, mind,
and spirit should be jointly considered following traumatic
injuries. The Military Extremity Trauma Amputation/Limb
Salvage study
5
showed that service members who underwent
amputation rather than limb salvage returned to full activity
and had a lower likelihood of post-traumatic stress disorder.
There was a time when simply helping a patient regain
some aspect of mobility was considered a success. But this
generation of injured service members has more demanding
medical and interpersonal needs than previous cohorts.
These young men and women typically lived highly active
and athletic lifestyles before their injuries. They want to
return to their busy lives, whether it is through the use of
prosthetic and orthotic devices that help them regain their
mobility or specialized rehabilitation training that helps them
adapt to changing terrains.
The needs of this unique population have spurred many
stunning advancements in patient care over the past 15 years.
It is why programs like the EACE, CRSR, and BADER have
been able to thrive in a relatively short amount of time.
Much is still not known about the challenges injured ser-
vice members will face in the future. Many of these patients
are young, but so are the programs providing the resources
to support these critical research efforts. These heroes, who
face lifelong adaptations to the rigors of the world, need
continued and dedicated teams of specialists trained in their
unique challenges. As the research into these areas faces
greater challenges, it is important for the centers and the col-
laborations to be allowed to grow and mature.
In the coming years, there needs to be an increased effort
to develop research enterprises that will wield the greatest
impact on current and future limb loss partners. Great
research advances have been made during the recent 15 years
of con
flicts, but it is critical that these successes be sustained
in peacetime.
3
Vagaries of combat
—along with the fluctuations in the
number of patients with traumatic extremity injuries who
require care
—present funding and staffing challenges that
could threaten medical advancements and treatment break-
throughs in the future. Only when clinicians and researchers
work together
—along with the DoD and VA leadership—to
develop programs and research capabilities with the greatest
potential for impacting our wounded will these challenges
be overcome.
It is through this larger coordination of effort we can
ensure military health professionals will continue to raise the
bar in the development and implementation of a new normal
where service members who have experienced all kinds of
extremity trauma can achieve their highest level of function
and enjoy a better quality of life.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work was funded by Congressionally Directed Medical Research Pro-
grams (CDMRPs), Peer Reviewed Orthopaedic Research Program (PRORP)
via award number W81XWH-11-2-0222; the NIH-NIGMS (P20 GM103446);
the NIH-NICHD through a collaboration agreement; and the University of
Delaware, College of Health Sciences.
REFERENCES
1. Kishbaugh D, Dillingham TR, Howard RS, Sinnott MW, Belandres PV:
Amputee soldiers and their return to active duty. Mil Med 1995; 160(2):
82
–4.
2. Stinner DJ, Burns TC, Kirk KL, Ficke JR: Return to duty rate of ampu-
tee soldiers in the current con
flicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. J Trauma
2010; 68(6): 1476
–9.
3. Defense Health Board Reports. Sustainment and advancement of ampu-
tee care
—April 8, 2015. Available at http://www.health.mil/About-
MHS/Other-MHS-Organizations/Defense-Health-Board/Reports; accessed
August 19, 2016.
4. Kaufman KR, Wyatt MP, Sessoms PH, Grabiner MD: Task-speci
fic fall
prevention training is effective for war
fighters with transtibial amputa-
tions. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2014; 472: 3076
–84.
5. Doukas WC, Hayda RA, Frisch M, et al: The Military Extremity Trauma
Amputation/Limb Salvage (METALS) study: outcomes of amputation
versus limb salvage following major lower-extremity trauma. J Bone
Joint Surg Am 2013; 95(2): 138
–45.
MILITARY MEDICINE, Vol. 181, November/December Supplement 2016
2
“Raising the Bar” in Extremity Trauma Care