The military surgeon and the war on terrorism: a Zollinger legacy.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: One of Dr. Robert Zollinger's greatest contributions during his time in the Army Medical Corps was the development and utilization of mobile surgical units during World War II. After September 11, 2001, the medical services of the United States Air Force and Army were deployed to support combat casualties incurred during the war on terrorism. METHODS: Information is based on the authors' recent experiences in Operation Enduring Freedom. RESULTS: Over an 8-month period, nearly ninety combat casualties, resulting primarily from blasts and penetrating injuries, received surgical care in medical facilities in Southwest Asia provided by the joint efforts of Air Force and Army mobile surgical teams. CONCLUSIONS: The importance of lessons learned from this experience and from history, as well as the joint efforts of military medical services, should be applied to the future care of combat casualties.