Hard times call for creative solutions: Medical improvisations at the Israel Defense Forces field hospital in Haiti

Authors

  • Guy Lin, MD
  • Haim Lavon, MD
  • Reuven Gelfond, RN, BA
  • Avi Abargel, MD, MHA
  • Ofer Merin, MD

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/ajdm.2010.0023

Keywords:

improvisations, field hospital, Haiti, earthquake

Abstract

Mass disaster medicine is characterized by the need to manage limited resources that are far inadequate to meet the population’s demands. Under these hectic conditions, lack of specific medical equipment is expected and requires improvisation using available items.
We describe the innovative use of medical improvisations at the Israel Defense Forces field hospital, working in the earthquake zone, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on January 2010.
Creative solutions were found to several problems in a variety of medical fields: blood transfusion, debridement and coverage of complex wounds, self-production of orthopedic hardware, surgical exposure, and managing maxillofacial injuries.
We hope that the methods described will help to inspire medical teams working in disaster regions.

Author Biographies

Guy Lin, MD

Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps Field Hospital; Trauma Unit, Western Galilee Hospital, Nahariya, Israel.

Haim Lavon, MD

Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps Field Hospital; Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Unit, Ziv Medical Center, Safed, Israel.

Reuven Gelfond, RN, BA

Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps Field Hospital; Operating Rooms Department, Hadassah Har Hatzofim Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.

Avi Abargel, MD, MHA

Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps Field Hospital; Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Assaf Harofe Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel.

Ofer Merin, MD

Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps Field Hospital; Trauma Unit and Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Shaare Zedek Medical Center; Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.

References

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Published

05/01/2010

How to Cite

Lin, MD, G., H. Lavon, MD, R. Gelfond, RN, BA, A. Abargel, MD, MHA, and O. Merin, MD. “Hard Times Call for Creative Solutions: Medical Improvisations at the Israel Defense Forces Field Hospital in Haiti”. American Journal of Disaster Medicine, vol. 5, no. 3, May 2010, pp. 188-92, doi:10.5055/ajdm.2010.0023.

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 3 (2010): May/June

Section

Case Studies

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