Stéphane Bonnet1, Antoine Bertani2, Pierre-Henri Savoie3, Laurent Mathieu4, Guillaume Boddaert5, Federico Gonzalez1, Antoine Poichotte6, Xavier Durand7, Frédéric Rongiéras2, Paul Balandraud8, François Pons9, Sylvain Rigal4. 1. Department of Digestive Surgery, Percy Military Teaching Hospital, 101 Avenue Henri Barbusse, BP 406, 92141 Clamart Cedex, France. 2. Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Desgenettes Military Teaching Hospital, 108 Boulevard Pinel, 69003 Lyon, France. 3. Department of Urology, Sainte-Anne Teaching Hospital, BP 20545, 83041 Toulon Cedex 09, France. 4. Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Percy Military Teaching Hospital, 101 Avenue Henri Barbusse, BP 406, 92141 Clamart Cedex, France. 5. Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery Percy Military Teaching Hospital, 101 Avenue Henri Barbusse, BP 406, 92141 Clamart Cedex, France. 6. Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Loire Vendée Océan Hospital, Boulevard Guérin, 85300 Challans, France. 7. Department of Urology, Val de Grâce Military Teaching Hospital, 74, Boulevard de Port Royal, 75005 Paris, France. 8. Department of Digestive Surgery, Sainte-Anne Teaching Hospital, BP 20545, 83041 Toulon Cedex 09, France. 9. French Military Health Service Academy (Ecole du Val-de-Grâce) 1, Place Alphonse Laveran, 75230 Paris Cedex 05, France.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The aims of this study were as follows: first to quantify and review the types of surgical procedures performed by military surgeons assigned to a Forward Surgical Team (FST) providing medical support to the population (MSP) in the Ivory Coast (IC), and second to analyze how this MSP was achieved. METHODS: Between 2002 and 2012, all of the local nationals operated on by the different FSTs deployed in the IC were included in the study. The surgical activity was analyzed and divided into surgical specialties, war wounds, nonwar emergency trauma, nontrauma emergencies, and elective surgery. Demographics, circumstances of health care management, wounded organs, and types of surgical procedures were described. RESULTS: Over this period, surgeons operated on 2,315 patients and performed 2,556 procedures. Elective surgery accounted for 78.7% of the surgical activity, nontrauma emergencies accounted for 12.7%, nonwar emergency trauma accounted for 8%, and war wounds accounted for 0.6%. The main surgical activities were visceral (43.8%) and orthopedic (including soft tissues) surgeries (38.5%). CONCLUSION: The FSTs contributed widely to MSP in the IC. This MSP required limited resources, standardization of the procedures and specific skills beyond the original surgical specialties of military surgeons to fulfill the needs of the local population. Reprint &
INTRODUCTION: The aims of this study were as follows: first to quantify and review the types of surgical procedures performed by military surgeons assigned to a Forward Surgical Team (FST) providing medical support to the population (MSP) in the Ivory Coast (IC), and second to analyze how this MSP was achieved. METHODS: Between 2002 and 2012, all of the local nationals operated on by the different FSTs deployed in the IC were included in the study. The surgical activity was analyzed and divided into surgical specialties, war wounds, nonwar emergency trauma, nontrauma emergencies, and elective surgery. Demographics, circumstances of health care management, wounded organs, and types of surgical procedures were described. RESULTS: Over this period, surgeons operated on 2,315 patients and performed 2,556 procedures. Elective surgery accounted for 78.7% of the surgical activity, nontrauma emergencies accounted for 12.7%, nonwar emergency trauma accounted for 8%, and war wounds accounted for 0.6%. The main surgical activities were visceral (43.8%) and orthopedic (including soft tissues) surgeries (38.5%). CONCLUSION: The FSTs contributed widely to MSP in the IC. This MSP required limited resources, standardization of the procedures and specific skills beyond the original surgical specialties of military surgeons to fulfill the needs of the local population. Reprint &