War surgery in DR Congo: A new splint for the wounded
The ICRC's new traction splint can be put together in five minutes, folded up and adjusted to any size of femur. What's more, it doesn't rust and is available at an unbeatable price. ICRC surgeon Hassan Nasreddine drew on his long experience in the field to design this splint for leg fractures. From Ndosho hospital in Goma, DR Congo, he explains the advantages for both patient and doctor.
Last of a series of five videos that illustrate different aspects of war surgery in a bare-bones context.
See also:
The first in the series - DRC: An innovative approach to lifesaving war surgery
The second - War surgery in DRC: Emergency triage
The third - DRC: Performing war surgery without electricity
The fourth - DRC: After the operation, learning to move again
In eastern DRC, the ICRC trains specialists in war surgery to ensure the best possible treatment for patients with bullet or knife wounds. Since the beginning of the project in November 2012 in Goma (North Kivu), and then in Bukavu (South Kivu) in February 2013, 1,500 patients have had surgery. For the time being, the ICRC maintains an expatriate surgical team in Bethesda/Ndosho hospital in Goma. In Bukavu general hospital, local surgeons no longer need direct help from the ICRC and, since July 2015, we have provided only technical supervision and financial and material support.
