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55. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e. V. (DGNC)
1. Joint Meeting mit der Ungarischen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie (DGNC) e. V.

25. bis 28.04.2004, Köln

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Neurosurgery: Part of the international military mission of the German Federal Army?

Neurochirurgie: Teil internationaler Einsätze der Bundeswehr?

Meeting Abstract

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  • corresponding author Stefan Heinze - Abteilung Neurochirurgie, Bundeswehrzentralkrankenhaus Koblenz, Rübenacherstr. 170, 56072 Koblenz
  • P. Klawki - Abteilung Neurochirurgie, Bundeswehrzentralkrankenhaus Koblenz, Rübenacherstr. 170, 56072 Koblenz

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. Ungarische Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. 55. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e.V. (DGNC), 1. Joint Meeting mit der Ungarischen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. Köln, 25.-28.04.2004. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2004. DocMO.14.02

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dgnc2004/04dgnc0135.shtml

Published: April 23, 2004

© 2004 Heinze et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.

Outline

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Objective

Neurosurgery in the armed forces of Germany has to define its new role in changing conditions. It is a political objective to transform the German army being capable not only to keep peace but to implement peace by force in other countries of the world. The authors presents new tasks for military neurosurgeons in Germany.

Methods

Experiences of other nations military medical services, especially USA, and published data of former wars has been analysed to find out, what role neurosurgeons play in medical support units of a fighting army in foreign countries.

Results

At present there are 39 active neurosurgeons in the US army and 11 in the German Bundeswehr. In operation "Desert Storm", also called "Gulf war II" in 1991, eight US neurosurgeons were placed in war area and operated 22 severe head injuries in six weeks of war. At present there are four US neurosurgeons in theatre of operation "Iraqi Freedom" in Iraq conflict and treated about 800 cases during 30 weeks. Until year 2000 there was 1 German neurosurgeon at Bosnia, at present there is no neurosurgeon at one of the 3 major international missions of the German army (Bosnia, Kosovo, Afganisthan).

Conclusions

In armed conflicts there is an increasing amount of neurosurgical cases compared to civilian emergency patients. Especially missile and bomb-fragment injuries of head and spine increase the amount of neurosurgical treatment cases. At present the "peace ceeping" missions of the German Bundeswehr do not require constant presence of a neurosurgeon in theatre, but this may change if "peace implementation" tasks will be given to the German army in future.