Emergency first responder management of combat injuries to the torso in the military, remote and austere settings.

Traumatic injuries to the torso account for almost a quarter of all injuries seen in combat and are typically secondary to blast or gunshot wounds. Injuries due to road traffic collisions or violence are also relatively common during humanitarian and disaster relief efforts. There may also be multiple injured patients in these settings, and surgical care may be limited by a lack of facilities and resources in such a non-permissive environment. The first responder in these scenarios should be prepared to manage patients with severe injuries to the torso. We aim to describe the management of these injuries in the military and austere environment, within the scope of practice of a level 5 registered prehospital practitioner.