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Vella Gulf Corpsmen Provide Critical Care During Medical Emergency

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS081207-09
Release Date: 12/7/2008 7:18:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky, Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group Public Affairs

USS VELLA GULF, At Sea (NNS) -- The guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf's (CG 72) medical team's quick reaction and professional knowledge provided critical, lifesaving aid to a Sailor in need of medical attention Nov. 29.

Vella Gulf's medical team quickly diagnosed the Sailor and determined that an emergency appendectomy procedure was necessary. Since the procedure could not be performed aboard, the team planned a safe transition to a medical facility in Nairobi, Kenya.

"The patient came into the medical department in obvious distress," said Chief Hospital Corpsman Adrian Dunkerley. "He was in a lot of pain. I ran some lab tests on him including a complete blood count, which is using a microscope to count the white blood cells to see if there is an infection. From there, we started an IV on him to administer IV antibiotics and pain medication."

Dunkerley was able to reach back to the resources of Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 8, embarked aboard the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) providing surgical capabilities and in-patient care services for the entire Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG).

"I was in contact with my strike group surgeon aboard Iwo Jima, Cmdr. Linda Beltra, and she was a great resource when it came to medication administration," said Dunkerley. "She also offered advice on starting the cascade of events of getting him medically evacuated."

In order to get the Sailor to a facility that could perform an appendectomy, using an SH-60B from Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 42 Proud Warriors, Vella Gulf transported the Sailor - accompanied by Vella Gulf medical team member Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Corey Harris - to another Navy warship in the area.

The Sailor was fully stabilized and ready for travel thanks to the capable Vella Gulf medical team.
Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Marcia Correia demonstrated on-scene ingenuity while attending to the Sailor's needs.

"Correia was the one who did all the administrative work and started the IV on him," said Dunkerley. "She also created a Heparin Lock, which is used when you're moving a patient that still needs intravenous fluids. We don't have Heparin Locks aboard Vella Gulf but Correia made one, which was pretty ingenious."

Correia explained her improvisation.

"When we discontinued the intravenous fluids, I got a stopcock so he could still have an intravenous line," said Correia. "This way, he would have an open IV line to administer any type of fluids or medication when he arrived aboard the next ship. It's not what we usually use as an available port, but I found it to be the best thing to use. We usually use that to attach different types of tubing, so I improvised on that."

The Sailor received treatment at a private hospital in Nairobi, where the emergency appendectomy was successfully performed.

"When this showed up on our door step, we knew what it was," said Dunkerley. "The biggest piece that made this such an incredible thing was seeing the way the medical side and the logistical side worked together and just the shear amount of people that were involved in this."

"I am very proud of the Vella Gulf medical team for their accurate diagnosis and their quickness in getting the wheels in motion for a medical evacuation," said Command Master Chief Susan A. Whitman. "I am also grateful for the strike group pulling together to take care of my very ill Sailor. In the Navy, we move mountains to take care of our Sailors."

Vella Gulf is deployed as part of the Iwo Jima ESG conducting maritime security operations (MSO) in the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of Operations. MSO helps develop security in the maritime environment. From security arises stability that results in global economic prosperity. MSO complements the counterterrorism and security efforts of regional nations and seek to disrupt violent extremists' use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons or other material.

For more news from Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group, visit www.navy.mil/local/iwoesg/.