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Evidence-based approach best in orthopedic-related conflicts
A symposium at the 15th EFORT Congress — a combined program in partnership with the British Orthopaedic Association — cited active discourse between academic surgeons and colleagues in the field as the best means to resolving orthopaedic-related crises and conflict situations.
“Academic surgery has not yet delved deeply enough into the specific characteristics of traumatology and orthopedics in conflict situations,” Bernhard Ciritsis, MD, said during the Congress, according to a press release.
In a special session focusing on the specific challenges in war, crisis and natural disaster situations, Ciritsis discussed the benefits of sharing facts based in orthopedic-related evidence rather than eyewitness accounts.
“With eye witness reports, there is the danger of resorting to clichés,” Ciritsis said.
To combat this, military units, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and Médecins Sans Frontières have collaborated to set up a scientific network to communicate objectively verified, factual evidence. The network’s aim is to allow for decisions in the field to be made based on conclusions derived from the evidence shared. These conclusions could advance field strategies in natural disasters, quality standards in surgery, safety of medical personnel in the field and managing mass casualty incidents.
The symposium also highlighted the need for an ICRC-generated algorithm relating to the analysis of gunshot wounds. Because such wounds have different biomechanics and kinetics than those in other traumatic events, different symptoms are exhibited that must be quantified.
“The rise in armed conflicts … makes the need for adequate training obvious,” Ciritsis said. “Only then can medical personnel deal with the types of specific patterns of disease and injury occurring in gunshot wounds or explosions.”
Disclosure: Orthopedics Today was unable to determine whether Ciritsis has any financial disclosures at press time.
