The OR experience during operation Desert Storm

1. Setting up an operating room from scratch tests basic OR knowledge. The usual high-technology equipment was absent in the desert. The hospital had to make due with the basics, including a bovie machine, suction machine, Gigli saw, minor orthopedic setup, and a basic laparoscopy set-up. 2. Much training focused on erecting and taking down the hospital; once the war began, urgency was a crucial factor. 3. The majority of the patients were Iraqi prisoners of war with shrapnel wounds to the abdomen, broken bones, and chest injuries; the Americans who were treated were seriously injured. Most of the procedures were orthopedic, thoracic, vascular, and general surgery cases.