Feasibility and usability of a combat medical early warning system for simulated mass casualty triage during a naval exercise – A pilot study
Rattachement africain : fr. Niveau de preuve : code pays fourni par la source.
Le résumé fourni par la source
INTRODUCTION: Mass casualty incidents (MASCAL) in modern naval large-scale combat operations (LSCO) present unique triage challenges due to the confined environments, operational constraints, and saturation of medical resources. Combat Medical Early Warning Systems (CMEWS)-integrating wearable biosensors with automated early warning scores (EWS)-may support dynamic triage, but their use in a naval military setting has not been previously studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective observational pilot study was conducted aboard a French Navy amphibious helicopter carrier during the POLARIS 25 naval LSCO simulation (May-June 2025). The tested CMEWS combined new-generation autonomous OXYFLEX® biosensors with a trauma-adapted EWS, displayed via color-coded LEDs. Biosensors collected heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), oxygen saturation (SpO₂), and transcutaneous hemoglobin (SpHb) every 10 s. Simulated scenarios included onboard and task force-level MASCAL events with aeromedical evacuation. Primary endpoints were data quality-defined by the proportion of valid physiological data points-and usability, evaluated using the System Usability Scale (SUS), Computer System Usability Questionnaire (CSUQ), and After Scenario Questionnaire (ASQ). Data quality assessment focused on technical feasibility and signal robustness under operational conditions rather than measurement accuracy against a reference standard. RESULTS: Twenty-two simulated combat casualties were monitored, including 10 during helicopter evacuation. Over 34 h of monitoring yielded 12,476 data points per variable. New-generation biosensors provided 79 % valid data-indicating technically feasible physiological signal acquisition under operational conditions. HR showed the highest proportion of valid data (91.2 %) and RR the lowest (59.6 %). Lower proportions of valid data were observed during helicopter evacuation. Usability feedback was favorable (N = 21): SUS 86 (SD 7.6) (Grade A), CSUQ 1.9 (0.9), ASQ 1.6 (0.6). Participants reported ease of use, improved situational awareness, and enhanced triage efficiency. Reported limitations included absence of blood pressure monitoring and a basic interface. CONCLUSION: CMEWS deployment in a naval MASCAL setting proved technically feasible, logistically achievable, and well-accepted by users. While biosensor performance was robust in static conditions, further technical optimization and clinical validation in real operational and clinical settings are needed for broader operational use.
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Le contrôle bibliographique ouvert
DOI retrouvé dans Crossref DOI retrouvé ; titre concordant.
- Titre Crossref
- Feasibility and usability of a combat medical early warning system for simulated mass casualty triage during a naval exercise – A pilot study
- Date Crossref
- 01/05/2026
- Éditeur
- Elsevier BV
- Type
- journal-article
Ce recoupement confirme des métadonnées liées au DOI. Il ne confirme ni la méthode ni les conclusions de l’étude, et il ne compte pas comme une seconde source scientifique indépendante.
Où se fait cette recherche
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Université de Toulon pays non établi dans la noticeUniversité ou école supérieure
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Université Gustave Eiffel Sainte Anne Military Teaching Hospital pays non établi dans la noticeUniversité ou école supérieure
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Laboratoire de Biomécanique Appliquée pays non établi dans la noticeStructure de recherche
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Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Sainte-Anne pays non établi dans la noticeÉtablissement de santé
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Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique pays non établi dans la noticeOrganisme public
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Laboratoire d’Informatique et Systèmes pays non établi dans la noticeStructure de recherche
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Sainte Anne Military Teaching Hospital Federation of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care pays non établi dans la noticeÉtablissement de santé
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Medical Directorate pays non établi dans la noticeInstitution
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French Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute Combat Traumatology Department pays non établi dans la noticeStructure de recherche
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French Armed Forces Academy pays non établi dans la noticeInstitution
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Toulon University pays non établi dans la noticeUniversité ou école supérieure
Université de Toulon, Sainte Anne Military Teaching Hospital — Université Gustave Eiffel et Laboratoire de Biomécanique Appliquée, avec 8 autres affiliations.
Une affiliation ne permet pas de déduire la nationalité d’un auteur.