BETHESDA, Md. –
Investigating an innovated procedure to save service members’ lives on the battlefield by controlling bleeding at or near the point of injury, Military Health System (MHS) leadership recently recognized a Walter Reed National Military Medical Center general surgery resident the Young Investigators Award.
U.S. Army Maj. (Dr.) Kennedy Nye received the 2026 Young Investigator Award during the MHS Research Symposium (MHSRS) held in early August in Kissimmee, Florida. Nye’s research focused on ischemia-reperfusion injury associated with resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta, or REBOA. More than 400 projects were submitted for the award, with Nye earning top honors.
Ischemia-reperfusion injury is tissue damage that happens when blood flow returns to an organ after a period of low or blocked blood supply, according to medical providers. While restoring blood is necessary to save tissue, the sudden rush of oxygen triggers harmful inflammation and toxic molecules that can cause even more cell death if not managed effectively.
“Non-compressible torso hemorrhage remains a major cause of preventable death in military trauma, particularly because there are very few ways to control that bleeding at or near the point of injury,” Nye explained. “REBOA can temporarily control hemorrhage by placing a balloon within the aorta, essentially buying time to get a patient to definitive treatment,” he added in detailing the implications the procedure can have on troops injured on the battlefield.
“The challenge is that hemorrhage control is only part of the problem,” Nye continued. “While the balloon is inflated, the organs below it receive reduced blood flow and develop ischemic injury. But restoring blood flow does not simply end or fix that injury. Reperfusion itself can produce a second wave of cellular damage through oxidative stress, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and disruption of normal tissue barriers. In some cases, that response can contribute to progressive organ dysfunction even after the bleeding has been controlled.”
Nye added that ischemia is largely unavoidable when REBOA is used, especially if it remains in place for prolonged periods. “We believe the reperfusion phase may be modifiable. So, our goal was to develop a survivable large-animal model that would allow us to study visceral organ injury, [and] for this study we focused on bowel, and ultimately test therapies designed to reduce it.”
“In future conflicts, particularly large-scale combat operations, we must be prepared for prolonged field care and delayed evacuation,” Nye added. “That means a wounded service member may need temporary hemorrhage-control strategies like REBOA for longer periods than in the past. If we can better understand and reduce the organ injury that occurs during and after prolonged REBOA we may be able to make these life-saving interventions safer and potentially extend the window in which they can be used. Ultimately, the goal is to give medics and physicians more options to keep a severely injured service member alive long enough to reach definitive care.”
Although Nye received the award, he is quick to note that the investigation was a team effort.
“I want to emphasize that this was a team effort by the Battlefield Shock and Organ Support (BSOS) lab at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU),” Nye said. “I was fortunate to work with an outstanding group and receive excellent mentorship.”
Nye shared that applying for a vascular surgery fellowship this year is next for him, adding that before medical school he served four years as an Army infantry officer.
“That experience had a major influence on why I chose surgery,” Nye said. “I wanted to pursue a field where I could have a direct impact on Soldiers injured in the line of duty. Surgery gives me the opportunity to provide for patients when they need it most and make an immediate impact.”
During MHSRS, residents, fellows, doctoral candidates, post-docs, and individuals received awards for their contributions to research centering on the four MHSRS focus areas: warfighter medical readiness, expeditionary medicine, warfighter performance, and return to duty.
U.S. Air Force Col. Scott Sonnek, director of medical research at the 711 Human Performance Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, opened the ceremony by encouraging the researchers to persevere in their dedication to advancing warfighter health. “It’s not necessarily about how smart you are, but how long you stay with things.”
By investigating innovative care to treat service members to enhance force readiness and return to duty, the Walter Reed team is modeling a standard of care that not only serves military beneficiaries but also influences best practices across health systems.