PREFACE

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an impartial, neutral and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and the dignity of victims of war and internal violence and to provide them with assistance.

The ICRC assists the wounded when war prevents society from providing them with the health care they need. It may furnish existing health facilities with medicines, equipment or staff, or set up independent ICRC hospitals. It may also help evacuate the wounded or treat them in first-aid posts. It provides training of all kinds to the medical staff involved, either on the spot or by organizing or participating in courses, seminars and conferences around the world.

Since the early 1970s, the ICRC has sent many civilian surgeons to war-torn countries. Most of them have no previous experience of war surgery, yet they are called upon in the course of their mission to treat all types of war-related injuries to different parts of the body. Moreover, given the early subspecialization of modern medical training, few surgeons have hands-on experience of head or maxillo-facial injuries, chest or abdominal wounds, or the different kinds of fractures.

This book is intended for surgeons who have volunteered to work with war wounded or who might suddenly find themselves in a situation where they have to deal with war wounded. It was written by surgeons with firsthand experience of war surgery. This third edition takes into account the comments made by the many surgeons who have used the manual over the years. It is dedicated to all the surgeons working in conflict areas to alleviate the suffering of the wounded.

Dr. Pierre Perrin
Chief Medical Officer