US Army Forward Surgical Teams (FST) are small, mobile surgical units fielded since the 1990s. FSTs are utilized in a variety of ways, and can be attached to a Forward Support Medical Company (FSMC), Area Support Medical Company (ASMC), Brigade Medical Company also known as C-Med or in some cases stand alone (with appropriate support) to provide a surgical capability for those patients unable to survive MEDEVAC to a Role 2 or 3 (hospital) care. Surgeons perform hemorrhage control on combat casualties within the "Golden Hour" of injury. Casualties can then be packaged for medical evacuation to a higher level of care. The FST typically includes 20 staff members: 4 Surgeons, 3 RN's, 2 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA)'s, 1 Administrative Officer, 1 Detachment Sergeant, 3 Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN)'s, 3 Surgical Techs and 3 Medics.
By doctrine, the team is capable of continuous operations with a divisional or non-divisional medical company for up to 72 hours with a planned caseload of 30 critical patients. The FST can sustain surgery for 24 total operating table hours and has the ability to separate into two teams that function independently. A functional operating room can be established within one hour of being on scene and break down to move to a new location within two hours of ceasing operations.
The Forward Surgical Team is organized into four functional areas:
The unit's equipment and supplies are packed into six HMMWVs with trailers. The unit can be slingloaded onto cargo helicopters and moved by the headquarters unit. Also there currently are 5 Airborne capable FSTs in the Army today (4 stationed at Ft. Bragg NC and 1 in Germany).
All FSTs operate IAW FM 4-02-25 (March 2003) and ARTEP 8-518-10
FSTs are currently deployed in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
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