Military surgeons in operations: needs of a basic training and practice as generalist surgeon

As French Military Forces expected to be deployed in operationsabroad, surgeons belonging to the Health Department of the FrenchArmed Forces have to complete war-time surgery principles: rapidpreparation and use of multi purpose material, simple surgery techniquesin a surgical environment with limited capabilities; "easy tolearn" surgery techniques in order to facilitate further implementation,either by local or international surgeons.Those principles of surgery practices imply a wide training in generalsurgery, in traumatology, but also in visceral, thoracic andvascular emergency.From the experience of four surgeons of Army Instruction HospitalDESGENETTES of LYON, the author underlines the obvious necessityof an overall initial training, for Armed Forces MilitarySurgeons, and points out the required qualities for such a practice:adaptability to surgical techniques with limited capacities, knowledgeand ability to use a large panel of various medical items andequipments, ability to work within a multinational staff.Therefore, each Military Surgeon has to be especially prepared tomilitary operations and to face such difficulties while carrying outhis primary mission: to take care of patients.