Brice Malgras1, Olivier Barbier2, Ludovic Petit3, Sylvain Rigal4, François Pons5, Pierre Pasquier6. 1. 14th Parachutist Forward Surgical Team, France; Department of Digestive Surgery, Val de Grace Military Teaching Hospital, 74 boulevard de Port Royal, 75005 Paris, France. Electronic address: bricemalgras@hotmail.com. 2. 14th Parachutist Forward Surgical Team, France; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Begin Military Teaching Hospital, 69 avenue de Paris, 94160 Saint Mandé, France. 3. Medical Unit of the 8th French Military Parachutist Unit, avenue Jacques Desplats, 81100 Castres, France. 4. Clinic of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Percy Military Teaching Hospital, 101 avenue de Henri Barbusse, 92140 Clamart, France. 5. French Military Health Service Academy, Ecole du Val de Grace, 1 place Alphonse Laveran, 75005 Paris, France. 6. 14th Parachutist Forward Surgical Team, France; Intensive Care Unit, Begin Military Teaching Hospital, 69 avenue de Paris, 94160 Saint Mandé, France.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: On January 11th 2013, France launched Operation Serval in Mali following Resolution 2085 of the Security Council of the United Nations. Between January and March 2013, more than 4000 French soldiers were deployed to support the Malian National Army and the African Armed Forces. METHODS: All of the patients who had surgery during Operation Serval were entered into a computerised database. Patients' demographic data (age, sex, status) and types of performed surgical procedures (specialties, injury mechanisms) were recorded. RESULTS: 268 patients were operated on in Gao's Role 2 with a total of 296 surgeries. Among those operated on, 40% were Malian civilians, 24% were French soldiers, and 36% were soldiers of the International Coalition Forces. The majority of the surgeries were orthopaedic, and visceral surgeries were common as well, representing 43% of the total surgeries. Specialised surgical procedures including neurosurgery, thoracic, and vascular surgery were also performed. Forty percent of the surgeries were scheduled. War-related traumatic surgeries represented 22% of the surgical procedures, with non-war related surgeries and non-trauma emergency surgeries making up the rest. CONCLUSION: this analysis confirms the specific characteristic of asymmetric warfare that it results in a relatively reduced number of war-related casualties. Forward surgical teams have to deal with a wide range of injuries requiring several surgical specialties. Surgeries dedicated to medical aid provided to the population also represented an important part of the surgical activity. Because of the diversity and the technicality of the surgical procedures in Role 2, surgeons had to be trained in war surgery covering all of the surgical specialties, while they maintained their specific skills. In France in 2007, the French Military Health Service Academy (École du Val-de-Grâce, Paris, France) offered an advanced course in surgery for deployment in combat zones, with a special focus on damage control surgeries and the management of mass casualties incidents.
INTRODUCTION: On January 11th 2013, France launched Operation Serval in Mali following Resolution 2085 of the Security Council of the United Nations. Between January and March 2013, more than 4000 French soldiers were deployed to support the Malian National Army and the African Armed Forces. METHODS: All of the patients who had surgery during Operation Serval were entered into a computerised database. Patients' demographic data (age, sex, status) and types of performed surgical procedures (specialties, injury mechanisms) were recorded. RESULTS: 268 patients were operated on in Gao's Role 2 with a total of 296 surgeries. Among those operated on, 40% were Malian civilians, 24% were French soldiers, and 36% were soldiers of the International Coalition Forces. The majority of the surgeries were orthopaedic, and visceral surgeries were common as well, representing 43% of the total surgeries. Specialised surgical procedures including neurosurgery, thoracic, and vascular surgery were also performed. Forty percent of the surgeries were scheduled. War-related traumatic surgeries represented 22% of the surgical procedures, with non-war related surgeries and non-trauma emergency surgeries making up the rest. CONCLUSION: this analysis confirms the specific characteristic of asymmetric warfare that it results in a relatively reduced number of war-related casualties. Forward surgical teams have to deal with a wide range of injuries requiring several surgical specialties. Surgeries dedicated to medical aid provided to the population also represented an important part of the surgical activity. Because of the diversity and the technicality of the surgical procedures in Role 2, surgeons had to be trained in war surgery covering all of the surgical specialties, while they maintained their specific skills. In France in 2007, the French Military Health Service Academy (École du Val-de-Grâce, Paris, France) offered an advanced course in surgery for deployment in combat zones, with a special focus on damage control surgeries and the management of mass casualties incidents.
Authors: Henri de Lesquen; Marie Bergez; Antoine Vuong; Alexandre Boufime-Jonqheere; Nicolas de l'Escalopier Journal: Mil Med Date: 2020-11-10 Impact factor: 1.437
Authors: Zhao-Wen Zong; Zhi-Nong Wang; Si-Xu Chen; Hao Qin; Lian-Yang Zhang; Yue Shen; Lei Yang; Wen-Qiong Du; Can Chen; Xin Zhong; Lin Zhang; Jiang-Tao Huo; Li-Ping Kuai; Li-Xin Shu; Guo-Fu Du; Yu-Feng Zhao Journal: Mil Med Res Date: 2018-10-04