Humanitarian Mission of Plastic Surgery Service One Year Experience From Military Hospital to Camp Zaatari: About 1643 Cases

Abstract

Plastic surgery in humanitarian missions, aims to help patients who are victims of war or disaster. Following the outbreak of the conflict in Syria, the health service of the Royal MoroccanArmed Forces deployed a fieldhospital in 2012 in Camp Zaatari. The objective of thisstudyis to shareourexperiencewithany plastic surgeon wishing to participate in a humanitarian mission, by shedding light on the difficultiesencountered. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospectivestudy of the refugeeswhoweretaken care of by the Moroccanhumanitarian mission between 2012 and 2013. Results: The seriesincludes 1643 patients, of which 81.6% wereburns, 4.9% hadburnsequelae, 9.37% hadwounds and loss of substances and 4% consulted for otherreasons. Patients receivedappropriate care, the surgicaltreatment of whichwas a skin graft in 7 patients. Patients withlimbwounds or cephalicextremityweresutured (115 patients). Severe cases (polytrauma) wereevacuated to the Jordanianregionalhospital. Discussion: The demand for plastic surgeryisenormousgiven the large number of burns and wounds. Our mission ischaracterized by the factthatwe practice the basics of ourspecialty in a new and painfulenvironment, by a precarious place of practice, by particular pathologies encountered and by the need to know many horizons of plastic surgery. We have therefore been obliged to orient our mission according to the needs of the environment.