Introduction: Do you really want to help?- The Conflict and the low resource environment.- General Principles.- Perioperative management with scarce resources.- Practical guides to orthopaedic trauma management in the austere environment.- Common challenges in the austere environment.- Important considerations.
Mr. Juan
de Dios Robinson BA MBBS MRCS Dip SICOT FRCS (Tr and Orth) MSc
(Trauma Surgery)is a consultant in trauma and orthopaedics at
the Major Trauma Centre in St Mary’s Hospital, London. Mr. Robinson has had extensive experience in natural
and man-made disasters. He has participated in rescue efforts and health
projects following earthquakes and conflicts in Latin America and Asia. While
working as an orthopaedic trauma consultant in the Médecins Sans Frontières
(MSF) Kunduz Trauma Centre, Afghanistan, he carried out close to 500 surgeries
in 5 months. An active member of the UK International Emergency Trauma
Register, Mr. Robinson has lectured on civilian orthopaedic trauma in the
conflict and low resource environment in Europe, North America, and Asia.
He was awarded
an MBBS by the Imperial College School of Medicine, London, in 1999 and gained
his membership from The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, UK, in 2006. He
then passed the Intercollegiate Fellowship in Trauma and Orthopaedics and was
elected as a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 2011. Mr.
Robinson completed prestigious Trauma Fellowships at Dalhousie University, Canada
and Oxford. He also holds a Diploma from the International Society of Trauma and
Orthopaedics (SICOT) and an MSc in Trauma Surgery (Military) and in completing
an MSc in Surgical Science and Practice at the University of Oxford.
Orthopaedic trauma represents 75% of the casualties in a disaster. Many of these patients will be cared for by international volunteers. Unfortunately, good intentions are not always matched by good preparation, often resulting in further complications for patients.
This book has been written by a team of international experts with extensive experience of field missions to the most precarious and austere environments in the world, such as Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Haiti, and Syria. After reading the text, volunteers will be able to face situations that are confusing, chaotic, and distressing with a greater sense of direction and confidence. Health care workers involved in the care of the traumatized patient will find in the book answers and guidance that will help them to negotiate their way through the myriad of unfamiliar cases they will face in the field.
The text is divided into sections, each addressing a theme: definition of the austere environment, how best to prepare for missions, how to deal with injuries in austere conditions, how to ensure a positive legacy, and the need for cultural, political, and legal awareness. All of the most common orthopaedic presentations encountered in the austere environment are covered. In addition to evidence-based research, cases and actual experiences from the authors’ missions are included to illustrate and bring to life key points.