Traumatic Facial Tattoo Injuries From Gunpowder and Ammunition: A Case Series

Background and Overview: Gunpowder inclusion injuries are rare occurrences in the civilian sector but are more frequently encountered in the military setting. The authors report a case series of 3 active duty military service members treated by an Army hospital’s Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery service for the removal of embedded gunpowder particles so as to avoid traumatic tattooing. Case Description: Three otherwise healthy active duty military service members were treated for gunpowder inclusion injuries incurred while conducting live fire training exercises at a state-side military installation between 2018 and 2019. All 3 males presented with injuries of the same etiology: Their weapons malfunctioned, and while visually inspecting the action, a round exploded close to the face. This peppered the face with gunpowder particles that were both superficially and deeply embedded. Treatment focused on individual removal using fine forceps. The patients were followed up and healed quickly without any complications, specifically without traumatic tattooing from the gunpowder injuries. Conclusion and Practical Implications: Gunpowder inclusion injuries should be addressed quickly to remove the particles before epidermal healing occurs, thus avoiding the complication of traumatic tattooing. This surgical team recommends meticulous fine forceps removal as the treatment of choice for larger particles.

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Sexsomnia in Active Duty Military: A Series of Four Cases

Military Medicine ◽

10.1093/milmed/usab126 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Juan D Fernandez ◽

Rodolfo Soca

Keyword(s):

Sexual Behaviors ◽

Military Service ◽

Case Series ◽

Rare Condition ◽

Active Duty ◽

Service Members ◽

Active Duty Military ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Challenging Environment ◽

The Military

ABSTRACT Sexsomnia is a type of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) parasomnia in which sexual behaviors arise during sleep; these behaviors are varied and can include masturbation, orgasms with or without self-stimulation, sexual vocalizations and talking, and sexual fondling and/or intercourse with the bed partner. The military creates a challenging environment, with sleep deprivation, shift work, and increased psychosocial stress that may predispose service members to an increased risk for all NREM parasomnias, including sexsomnia. Given that sexsomnia is sometimes invoked in sexual assault military lawsuits, it may behoove the military community to understand how this condition usually manifests so that its medicolegal implications can be addressed more clearly. Here, we present the largest case series of sexsomnia to date in active duty military service members, which adds to the limited literature on such cases in the military and to the broader but still growing literature on this rare disorder. We compare and contrast these cases with the available literature to highlight their similarities and differences in addition to commenting on the relevance of these cases in forensic investigations. As none of these cases were involved in legal issues, they could provide useful information about this rare condition in individuals who are less likely to be affected by the biases that are inherent to litigation.

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‘Master My Demons’: art therapy montage paintings by active-duty military service members with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress

Medical Humanities ◽

10.1136/medhum-2018-011493 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 45 (4) ◽

pp. 353-360 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Marygrace Berberian ◽

Melissa S Walker ◽

Girija Kaimal

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Art Therapy ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Military Service ◽

Active Duty ◽

Service Members ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Active Duty Military ◽

Military Service Members ◽

Post Traumatic

This study involved a thematic analysis of montage paintings and of related clinical records of 240 active-duty military service members collected during their art therapy treatment for traumatic brain injury and underlying psychological health concerns, including post-traumatic stress, at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. Congruent with other research findings, the qualitative analyses of this study suggest that the group art therapy experiences fostered improvement in interpersonal relatedness, hopefulness and gratification for the service members in treatment, aiding in externalisation, progressive exposure and construction of a trauma narrative imperative for recovery. The mixed media nature of the montage painting supported the expression of a range of postcombat symptoms. Results from this study highlighted the complexity of military culture, necessitating a broader scope of analyses for how art therapy helps service members express and communicate their challenges to care providers, peers and family as well as regulate emotion in the short and long term.

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