一位在美國911事件時于五角大廈擔(dān)任急救先遣部隊(first responder)，后來又前往阿富汗與伊拉克戰(zhàn)場執(zhí)行任務(wù)的美國陸軍退役軍人Justin Minyard，在一場于美國國會舉行的簡報會上表示，醫(yī)療科技救了他的性命。 這場簡報會的主題是“創(chuàng)新科技對退伍軍人的醫(yī)療照護”，不過討論焦點不只是集中在戰(zhàn)場上，美國軍方醫(yī)療單位以及醫(yī)療技術(shù)供貨商，目前正在思考的是針對阿富汗 與伊拉克戰(zhàn)役退伍軍人的長期照護──那些退伍軍人有許多需要向美國的榮民醫(yī)院(Veteran Administration hospital)醫(yī)院尋求心理與身體創(chuàng)傷治療。 而Minyard在簡報會上現(xiàn)身，除了是為展示現(xiàn)今醫(yī)療科技的驚人進展，也凸顯出一個更大的問題──美國的榮民醫(yī)院對于退伍軍人的慢性疼痛、夜間盜汗等大大小小癥狀，竟然都傾向于開鎮(zhèn)靜劑來治療。 Minyard在911事件五角大廈遭襲擊時前往現(xiàn)場救援，在搜尋生還者時背部受了傷，但無論是透過外科手術(shù)或是藥物仍無法緩解他的疼痛；后來他前往阿富汗戰(zhàn)場，在一個夜間任務(wù)要從直升機垂降至地面的過程中沒抓好繩索，由20公尺的半空中跌落，脊髓又受了傷。 為繼續(xù)執(zhí)行任務(wù)，Minyard只能先自己注射藥物治療，但最后仍舊因為嚴重疼痛，在轉(zhuǎn)往伊拉克戰(zhàn)場時被送到野戰(zhàn)醫(yī)院；他在醫(yī)院接受了更多手術(shù)治療，癥狀卻沒有改善，下背部甚至被打入8根鈦金屬骨釘。那時候Minyard絕望地想，只有28歲的他，下半輩子恐怕都要在輪椅上度過，還得忍受無休止的慢性疼痛。 從伊拉克回到美國的Minyard開始接受榮民醫(yī)院治療，想當(dāng)然爾也成了鎮(zhèn)靜劑成癮者；他的生活狹隘到每天只能想著怎么才能拿到處方箋、以取得更高的鎮(zhèn)靜劑量?！拔页闪诵惺呷猓弧鄙聿母叽?、如今已能筆挺站立的Minyard回憶起當(dāng)時仍感到深深的遺憾，他說有好幾次他都對著請他講故事的小女兒發(fā)怒：“我的人生成了一片黑暗?！?

美國陸軍退役軍人Justin Minyard
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這種自我厭棄的日子Minyard 再也無法忍受，在過了兩年地獄般的生活后，他開始振作、積極尋找疼痛治療專家，讓他能恢復(fù)正常生活；在漫長的求診過程中，他看過數(shù)不清的醫(yī)師，最后接受了脊髓刺激療法(spinal cord stimulation)：“這種技術(shù)救了我的命?！? 脊髓刺激療法是以電流來刺激神經(jīng)，對Minyard所罹患的慢性背部疼痛通常有緩解效果。他自愿接受“試療”，讓疼痛治療專家在他的皮下植入一個暫時性電極；在治療過程中，電極被連接 到一個患者能自行控制的刺激器。Minyard表示，該技術(shù)對外行人的解釋是，大腦會因此接受到一個“愉悅”的訊號。 無論如何，這個療法成功了，而且非常有效！“它讓我又能重新掌握人生，而不是讓疼痛控制我的生活。”Minyard現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)在皮下植入了一個永久性的刺激器，該裝置配備一小段導(dǎo)線，能連接至神經(jīng)或是插入脊髓；他表示自己是用這種裝置來控制疼痛，而不是依賴鎮(zhèn)靜劑，也相信該技術(shù)能幫助其他遭受慢性疼痛之苦的病友。 本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 本文下一頁：Minyard正游說美國政府履行對所有軍人的義務(wù)

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• 家用醫(yī)療保健市場規(guī)模2018年可達126億美元WElesmc

{pagination} Minyard 背部的脊髓刺激植入裝置是由Boston Scientific制造，該公司的主管也參與了簡報會，并接受那位退伍軍人衷心的感謝。在疼痛獲得控制后，Minyard現(xiàn)在開始騎自行車來健身，一周通常騎400英哩的距離；他也四處旅行，向有相同癥狀的戰(zhàn)友病友推薦脊髓刺激療法，以取代服用鎮(zhèn)靜劑治療的方式。 而就算他不在家，每天晚上還是會抽空透過電話或Facetime念故事書給女兒聽──他們已經(jīng)快講完《哈利波特》第一集了。在簡報最后，Minyard呼吁，從美國最近兩場戰(zhàn)役的退伍軍人應(yīng)該要能享受到最好、最有效的醫(yī)療科技：“我簽過的工作合約是，當(dāng)我從任務(wù)中返回，政府會在我因公受傷時給予照顧?！?

Minyard在演講后與大家交流
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Minyard正以他積極擺脫止痛劑的毅力，游說美國政府履行對所有軍人的義務(wù)；其實治愈他的并不只是幫助他的疼痛治療專家以及醫(yī)療科技，這位曾獲得銅星勛章(Bronze Star Medal)的美國陸軍退役三等士官長，是自己救了自己。 本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 編譯：Judith Cheng 參考英文原文：Patient, Heal Thyself!: How an Army Vet Did While Helping His Comrades，by George Leopold

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• 盤點2014巴西世界杯上的高科技
• 數(shù)字醫(yī)療火爆到讓三星也想分一杯羹
• 家用醫(yī)療保健市場規(guī)模2018年可達126億美元WElesmc

{pagination} Patient, Heal Thyself!: How an Army Vet Did While Helping His Comrades George Leopold WASHINGTON -- Justin Minyard, a 9/11 first responder at the Pentagon who went on to serve tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, insists "medical technology really did save my life." Justin Minyard (Source: US Army) The 13-year Army veteran appeared at a Capitol Hill briefing this week to discuss "innovations in veteran's care." The focus was not just on battlefield care, although there have been plenty of innovations since the beginning of the Afghan war in the fall of 2001. Military doctors and the companies that make medical technologies are now thinking about long-term care for the Afghan and Iraq war veterans standing in long lines at Veteran Administration hospitals seeking treatment for physical and psychological wounds. Minyard's presence at the briefing was designed to showcase the marvels of medical technology, but it is also highlighted a larger problem: the VA's shocking propensity for dispensing opiates by the handfuls as a cure for everything from chronic pain to night sweats. Minyard was swept up in the dysfunction, and could have easily slipped beneath the water as have so many shattered veterans. Instead, Minyard chose to heal himself. Following the September 11, 2001, attack on the Pentagon, Minyard ruptured several discs in his back while searching for survivors. Neither back surgeries nor drug regimens eased his pain. He suffered additional spinal injuries during a nighttime operation in Afghanistan in which he and other soldiers riding in a helicopter were to lower themselves to the desert floor by rope. Minyard missed the rope, fell 20 meters and five fully equipped comrades landed on top of him. By the time he reached Iraq (he speaks Arabic), Minyard's chronic back pain from extensive nerve damage was so debilitating that he had to be medevacked to a field hospital. Prior to his collapse, he was receiving spinal injections and was injecting himself with pain killers before "we would lock and load our weapons and go out the gate" on another patrol. More surgeries followed, but brought no relief. After a complex procedure in which eight titanium rods were inserted in his lower back, Minyard's prognosis boiled down to this: The doctors had done all they could and, at 28, he would be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. "I was in a massive amount of chronic pain that dominated my entire life." Justin Minyard returned from Iraq a broken man, figuratively and literally. His encounters with the breathtakingly incompetent VA healthcare system predictably resulted in his addiction to opiates. His life was now reduced to little more than thinking about refilling his prescriptions and scheming to obtain higher dosages. "I was occupying space," he recalled, deeply regretting the many times he snapped at his young daughter when she asked him to read to her. "My life took a very, very dark turn," the tall, ramrod straight Minyard told a packed room in the Rayburn House Office Building. Next Page: Self-loathing -- the mother of invention Wracked with self-loathing, Minyard could stand it no longer. After two years in hell, he somehow pulled himself together and began a lengthy search for a pain specialist who could end his addiction and give him back his life. No functionary or bureaucrat could stop him. He walked through countless doctor's office lobbies to confront specialists until at long last he found one willing to help. The answer, it turned out, was spinal cord stimulation. Minyard repeated during the Hill briefing, "This technology saved my life." Spinal cord stimulation involves nerve stimulation that uses an electric current to treat chronic pain, often lower back pain like Minyard's. Volunteering for a "test run," a pain specialist inserted a temporary electrode under Minyard's skin. During the outpatient procedure, the electrode was connected to the stimulator a patient can control. The layman's explanation is that the technique essentially tricks the brain into receiving a "pleasure" signal, Minyard said. It worked! In fact, it worked so well that Minyard wanted to go straight to the operating room to have a permanent implant installed. "It was like a lightning bolt," he said. "It put me back in control of my life. Pain was no longer in control of me." Afghanistan and Iraq war veteran Justin Minyard works the crowd after a presentation on medical technologies for treating chronic pain. (Source: George Leopold) A permanent stimulator was implanted under his skin along with small coated leads that can be connected either to nerves or inserted in the spinal canal. Minyard said he uses the device to manage his pain rather than resorting to opiates. He's convinced the technology will work for other vets suffering from chronic pain. Boston Scientific makes the spinal cord stimulator implanted in Minyard's back. Company officials attended the briefing. The Army veteran thanked them profusely during his stirring 15-minute presentation. His pain under control, Minyard has turned to competitive cycling as a kind of physical and spiritual therapy. He typically rides more than 400 miles a week. The veteran's biggest regret is the way he treated his daughter while he was in the throes of addiction. Today, he travels widely to help his fellow vets while raising awareness about spinal cord stimulation as an alternative to opiates in the treatment of chronic pain. But every night he finds the time to read to his daughter over the phone or via Facetime. They've almost finished the first Harry Potter book, he added with obvious satisfaction. Minyard ended by noting that the veterans of America's last two wars deserve access to the best, most effective medical technologies available. "I signed a contract. In return for my service, the government will take care of me if I get injured on the job." The veteran's advocate is now applying the same gumption he summoned to break his addiction to pain killers in a lobbying effort designed to force the government to honor its obligations under that contract. The pain specialist and the medical technology alone did not save him. In the final analysis, US Army Sergeant 1st Class Justin Minyard (Retired), recipient of the Bronze Star Medal awarded for acts of heroism, saved himself.