Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42519521›Full record

ArticleTrauma surgery & acute care open2026

Flagship response: a descriptive analysis of definitive surgical care at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center following the Afghanistan withdrawal.

Mason Remondelli, Natalia Barzanji, Vera Funk, Kennedy Nye, Jonathan Wang, Joseph Bozzay, Patrick Walker, Ruby Runikera, Judy Logeman, Elliot Jessie and 3 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Trauma surgery & acute care open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Mason RemondelliSurgery, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9559-7272
Natalia BarzanjiSurgery, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Vera FunkSurgery, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Kennedy NyeSurgery, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0005-8993-900X
Jonathan WangSurgery, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Joseph BozzaySurgery, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Patrick WalkerSurgery, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Ruby RunikeraSurgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Judy LogemanSurgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Elliot JessieSurgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Ashley HumphriesSurgery, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Eric ElsterSurgery, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Matthew BradleySurgery, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objectives: We descriptively analyzed the trauma care outcomes of combat casualties arriving at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) following the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal as part of process improvement (PI) initiatives and quality assurance. Methods: A retrospective review of casualty records within the trauma registry at WRNMMC was conducted. The review included all patients who required definitive surgical intervention or critical care at WRNMMC from injuries sustained during the Afghanistan withdrawal. Data abstraction involved a detailed review of electronic medical records to document patient demographics, injury mechanisms, Injury Severity Scores (ISSs), operative reports, perioperative complications, and outcomes. Results: A total of 50 casualties were received at WRNMMC after the Afghanistan withdrawal, including 17 US military service members and 33 Afghan evacuees (20 adults and 13 pediatric). The mean ISS for US service members was 16.3±14.3. The mean ISS of Afghan evacuees was 10.7±6.1 for adults and 16.6±13.3 for pediatric evacuees. Polytrauma was common, with a majority of casualties sustaining injuries to multiple body regions. A total of 234 injuries were seen, with an average of 4.68±3.8 injuries per casualty. 264 operations were performed, averaging 5.2±5.6 per casualty. 23 postsurgical complications occurred in 10 casualties. 28 PI filters were initiated on 22 casualties. Caring for the casualties required multidisciplinary cooperation led by the trauma and acute care surgery service. Conclusion: The trauma care provided at WRNMMC following the Afghanistan withdrawal demonstrated institutional readiness and effective multidisciplinary coordination, but with a sizable burden of postoperative complications and PI filters. Lessons from this experience highlight the importance of continuous PI to optimize care delivery and outcomes, and underscore the need to sustain WRNMMC and strengthen other casualty-receiving Military Treatment Facilities to preserve trauma care readiness for future conflict. Level of evidence: Therapeutic/care management; level V.

Indexed as

critical carehealth policyMultiple Traumapractice guideline

Identifiers

PMID42519521
PMCPMC13384166

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.