Dr. Paul Milligan in his surgical scrubs. Courtesy of Paul R. Milligan, MD

According to the U.S. Department of Defense’s Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, during World War II, the likelihood of surviving battlefield wounds was 69.7 percent; by the end of the Vietnam War it had improved to 76.4 percent; and survival of those wounded in the current Iraq War has increased to an astounding 90.4 percent. With approximately 70 percent of war wounds involving the musculoskeletal system, military orthopaedic surgeons are playing an increasingly pivotal role in treating combat casualties in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

According to CAPT D.C. Covey, MD, chair of the department of orthopaedic surgery at Naval Medical Center, San Diego, and orthopaedic consultant to the Surgeon General of the Navy. "During time of war, we are forced to grasp things quickly, but it's extremely important to critically examine our practices so we deliver the best care possible to our injured service members."

This website provides a retrospective on orthopaedics in time of war, and the research and advancement in treatment that are being developed by the orthopaedic surgeons throughout the world.