Grand Rapids doctors are part of a study by the federal government to determine best field practices for successful treatment of lower leg injuries on the battlefield. Doctors say early surgical procedures can prevent negative lifelong consequences.
According to excerpts from the story:
For the first time, the federal government is tapping the knowledge of civilians like West Michigan trauma surgeon Clifford Jones on how best to treat traumatic battlefield injuries. Jones and other trauma surgeons at Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan are participating in a five-year, $18.5 million study funded by the Department of Defense. Orthopaedic Associates is one of 12 medical centers picked for the program.
Jones knows first hand how split-second decisions on the battlefield can have a lifetime of consequences. He saw his share of amputations caused by infected lower leg injuries during a two-week stint last year in Germany treating soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. One infection caused a former Division I college football tight end to lose most of his leg, Jones said.
"These people are going to have a long time -- if not a lifetime -- of problems from these injuries," Jones said. "If you can do something to intervene early in the correct way, then, hopefully, you can avoid these problems and rehabilitation."
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