I will have to ask him again as it was my understanding, from him, that this was the case. He said that the medics (PRT only) were carrying injectable cefazolin.
Of intrest I was reviewing prophylaxis antibiotic therapy in an anaesthesia reference and I came across the following table:
Contaminated wound:
- fresh trauma would, entry hollow viscus with spillage, especially colon. Operative site contaminated by infecting bile or urine, acute inflammation present
- Infection rate 15-20%
Dirty wound:
- Old traumatic wound with devitalized tissue, presence of foreign body, fecal contamination or existing infection
- Infection rate: 25-40%
I think for the most part we can assume that the wounds are going to be 'dirty.' The ideal timeline from a surgical standpoint was to administer antibiotics 0-2 hours before surgery and extend coverage for at least 24 hours. So from a field perspective, and I am assuming this, as I haven't tracked down a reference specific to 'military' medicine yet, but if we manage to get wounded evaced within 2 hours front line antibiotic coverage should be to much of a problem. That is a big 'if' though but I think until medics and troops start carrying antibiotics we will have to bank on this if.
Oh, JANES, I meant to ask you do you know which specific super-bug is causing problems? I am curious as I was assuming that maybe military medical facilities might be a bit light on the superbugs as they don't have the classic bug breeding grounds that hospitals have, namely ICUs.