Defense & Veterans Pain Management Initiative

ARAPMI Becomes DVPMI

Established in 2003, the Army Regional Anesthesia & Pain Management Initiative (ARAPMI) sought to improve the management of acute pain in military and civilian medicine. Through clinical research efforts, it has become the model of integrated acute and chronic pain medicine. Since 2003, the ARAPMI vision has expanded exponentially. A collaborative working relationship with Navy, Air Force and Veterans Administration (VA) colleagues has been established. The organizational vision will now encompass all aspects of pain management, regardless of where the injury occurs (battlefield, training or motor vehicle accident) beginning at point of injury. The organizational objective is expanded to ensure that pain management services are available at all military treatment facilities, those in-theatre, in Germany and throughout the continental United States.

In 2009, the Military Advanced Regional Anesthesia & Analgesia (MARAA) Consultant Board voted to authorize a name change from ARAPMI to the Defense & Veterans Pain Management Initiative (DVPMI) to better reflect tri-service and VA participation, as well as the importance of pain management across the continuum of care from injury through rehabilitation.

The First Use of Regional Anesthesia in Iraq

SPC Brian Wilhelm - first US soldier treated with continuous nerve block

Doctors at Walter Reed have been using regional anesthesia for years, but Oct. 7, 2003, was the first time they used it on the battlefield. "Army Spc. Brian Wilhelm was the first individual that ever had a continuous peripheral nerve block on the battlefield that was used during evacuation," said COL "Trip" Buckenmaier, program director of DVPMI. "We kept him pain-free from Iraq to Landstuhl and from Germany back to Walter Reed by re-dosing him through those same catheters we inserted in Balad, Iraq. We also used the same catheters during five operations." More>>

Dr Buckenmaier administering an anesthetic

New Procedure Revolutionizes Battlefield Approach to Pain

Read Story>>