[Hospital care for war casualties: forward surgery]

Hospital care for war casualties: forward surgery. War casualties in today's conflicts are often multiple injuries although fatal injuries of the trunk is limited by the use of ballistic protection. The initial surgery procedures (forward surgery) are based on a genuine therapeutic strategy in the context of war and meets the three priorities that are life saving, save the organ or member, and preserve function. The initial surgical treatment is performed on the theater of operations. Procedures are simple, rapid but incomplete. Damage control surgery is used for trunk, vascular lesions or lesions of the members. The definitive treatment will be done once the patient resuscitated, stabilized and sometimes after evacuation.