Orthopedics in Disasters

Nikolaj Wolfson, MD, FRCSC, FACS, is an orthopaedic surgeon practicing in San Francisco, California. He studied at the Sackler Medical School, Tel Aviv University, before completing his residency at the Division of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Western Ontario and a fellowship at the Division of Orthopedics, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto. After serving as Associate Clinical Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at West Virginia University, he became Assistant Professor in Orthopedics, Orthopedic Trauma, at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. Dr. Wolfson is a visiting fellow at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California. Dr. Wolfson has volunteered his time and expertise in natural disaster response around the world, including in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake. He is Director – Natural Disaster at SICOT, the world’s largest international orthopedic organization, and has also been a member of SICOT’s Trauma Committee since 2008.

Organization: Introduction.- Natural disasters.- Mass casualties.- Disasters and public health.- Epidemiology of disaster casualties and events.- Emergency Medical Services.- Role of the military medicine in disaster response.- Role of the governments and NGOs in disaster response.- International resources.- Disaster preparedness: hospital role.- Documentation. Types of disasters: Earthquake.- Tsunami and floods.- Radiation exposure.- Transportation disasters.- Terror attacks & combat trauma. General Treatment Principles: Triage.- Damage control orthopedics principles.- Primary immobilization: Role External Fixation.- Crush injuries and crush syndrome.- Wound: from primary debridement to final reconstruction.- Vascular injuries.- Anesthesia in mass casualties and natural disasters.- Infection.- Pain management. Orthopedic Injuries: Upper extremity.- Lower extremity.- Spine.- Pelvis.- Pediatric injuries.- Amputations.- Limb Salvage.- Rehab and Prosthetics.- Continuation of care.- Research and new developments.