Surgery in War Zones: At the Front Line

Battlefield medicine has continuously evolved, driven by the challenges of war. From Civil War field hospitals to mobile surgical units in World Wars and Mobile Army Surgical Hospital units, early stabilization and rapid patient movement have become cornerstones of modern trauma care. In the Global War on Terror, forward surgical teams operating near the front lines enabled timely damage control surgery and expedited patient transfers through a multiechelon trauma system. Today, surgeons must be adept in combat-specific techniques such as damage control, rapid triage, and resuscitation, skills essential for delivering effective frontline surgical care.