War Injuries, Trauma, and Disaster Relief

Summary: Some volunteer surgeons may be interested in providing care for civilian victims of war in developing countries. More commonly, volunteers will be increasingly confronted with nonintentional acute and chronic trauma cases, mostly from road traffic accidents. On rare occasions, they might even participate in the relief and reconstruction efforts after natural disasters. There are significant differences between the type and management of cases seen overseas versus those seen at home. Key Words: Injuries—Trauma—War—Volunteer.