War Injuries & Orthopaedics

John Cinats, M.D., FRCSC
Edmonton, AB

Canada is a nation with a long standing tradition of sending citizens abroad to deal with global issues and conflict. Canada currently has citizens in Afghanistan, providing not only military aid, but medical aid as well.

At the 2009 Canadian Orthopedic Association Annual Meeting in Whistler, British Columbia, I had the honour and pleasure to act as moderator for the "War Injuries" symposium. I had the privilege of meeting Master Corporal Paul Franklin who gave a compelling account of the battlefield injury he sustained while serving as a field medic with the Canadian Armed Forces.

Dr. Robert Stiegelmar, who spoke at the symposium, described the working conditions that a Canadian Military Orthopaedic Surgeon would experience while working in a war zone as harsh, yet deeply appreciated.

Dr. Jacqueline Herbert presented the challenges of rehabilitating injured soldiers upon their return home, which emphasized the difficulty in recovering from war injuries.

For the follow-up feature we're including in this edition of the COA Bulletin, we've also asked Drs. Mike McKee and Sean Comstock to share their perspectives.

I feel this COA Bulletin feature is a tribute to all the Canadian citizens who have served and continue to serve around the world.