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By Petty Officer 3rd Class Amanda L. Kilpatrick
SAN DIEGO -- Naval Medical Center San Diego’s Project Comprehensive Aesthetic Restorative Effort is the only DoD multidisciplinary reconstructive program and has provided treatment to more than 130 traumatically wounded, ill and injured active duty service members since August 2010.
The program focuses on aesthetic rehabilitation and offers numerous services such as reconstructive surgery, mental health support and wound care. NMCSD has been treating patients since 2009 and the program was formally structured in August 2010.
“We’ve treated approximated 400 total patients if you include all of those treated since the start of the war,” said Capt. Craig J. Salt, Staff Plastic Surgeon and department head for the Division of Plastic Surgery.
Marine scout-sniper Cpl. Povas Miknaitis is a patient of Project CARE and has received plastic surgery on his lips and ear from wounds received in Afghanistan.
“I am still receiving treatment here [at NMCSD],” said Miknaitis. “The occupational therapy is helping along with plastic surgery and laser to reduce the scarring on my face.”
Active duty service members are eligible for the program after suffering from trauma related to combat, training accidents, or civilian injuries through a referral from their medical provider.
“Our mission is to provide emotional support along with surgical and non-surgical care in an effort to improve the appearance, function, and self-esteem of the injured service member,” said Salt. “We believe that even the slightest improvement can dramatically increase self-esteem and quality of life.”
Miknaitis said he has never before been in a hospital but through the program and the workforce at NMCSD, he is making the best of his stay and recovering from his surgeries well.
“The staff here has been great,” said Miknaitis. “San Diego is a nice area to be in and the hospital is very nice.”
NMCSD is the first military treatment facility to institute a Project CARE program and hopes to coordinate with other facilities to establish a national program for all service members.
“It occurred to me that if we could combine all the different specialties that provide surgical and rehabilitation services and then bring in psychiatric support, we could deliver a better product for our wounded, ill and injured service members,” said Salt.
Project CARE collaborates with the Comprehensive Combat and Complex Casualty Care program at NMCSD, which focuses on prosthetics, occupational therapy, physical therapy and rehabilitation.
“My vision for the future is to have a very well structured and coordinated team that’s tied to the rehabilitation program at NMCSD and throughout the Department of Defense, so that we in the military can provide comprehensive aesthetic recovery for every single combat casualty in America,” said Salt.
NMCSD Project CARE also provides follow up care for patients uniquely tailored to each member’s injuries and emotional state.
“I think it’s a great program,” said Salt. “I believe that as the programs grows and takes hold we will see the face of rehabilitation change throughout the nation to include aesthetic recovery as a primary rehabilitation goal.”
Salt has been a plastic surgeon at NMCSD since 2003.
For more information about Project CARE, visit http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmcsd/Patients/Pages/ProjectCARE.aspx
| Date Taken: | 02.14.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 03.21.2011 15:35 |
| Story ID: | 67485 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 271 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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