“When you’re one of the only surgeons working in a war zone, your specialty doesn’t matter. You must do everything you can to save the life in front of you. That’s why THE HES BOOK – LIKE our courseS – covers every field of trauma, giving both surgeon and patient the best possible chance of success.”
David Nott of the David Nott Foundation
The authors of the HES Book- surgeons Pete Mathew and David Nott - have a combined experience of over fifty years in humanitarian and military (war) surgery. They designed this book as a practical, logical, no-nonsense approach to the acute management of casualties with high-energy penetrating wounds from from bullet strikes and fragments from exploding munitions, and they have taken great efforts to make sure it is totally fit for purpose as a tool by the surgeon's side. The surgical techniques they describe have been tried-and-tested by them, in the field, over many years, and the book is currently used as a training text for the Frontline course delivered by the David Nott Foundation. You can read more about the authors here.
Note that the HES Book is designed to evolve over time, with updates, revisions and new material to download or buy to add to your copy - no waiting around for the publisher to print a new edition! You will be able to download revised page for free. You can also access the HES Book Forum here, to discuss problems and successes with other surgeons operating in war zones.
ABOUT the HES Book
WHO IS THE HES BOOK FOR?
It is for surgeons working in chaotic emergency facilities in war zones, among far from ideal clinical conditions, with restricted resources and time. It is also for surgeons preparing to work in such places, for whom the prospect can be daunting. It's main purpose is to provide reassurance for managing the damage caused by penetrating wounds of war.
WHAT DOES THE HES BOOK COVER?
It covers the core practical skills required by surgeons faced with injuries from grenades, mortar bombs, rockets, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and anti-personnel mines, with the short-term aim of ‘a live casualty’ with the potential for restoration of as much function as possible. It acknowledges the vast range of skills required by surgeons, who have to control haemorrhage, prevent contamination and infection, repair 'vital' structures, and achieve closure of wounds, including the performance ot traumatic amputations. It encompasses techniques from general, cardiothoracic, vascular and orthopaedic surgery, neurosurgery, maxillofacial and plastic surgery, and also covers burns injuries and obstetric interventions.
IN WHAT WAYS IS THE CONTENT OF THE HES BOOK UNIQUE
It is unlike any other book on the subject, a sharply focused no-nonsense text that gives precisely the information surgeons want, without unnecessary ‘filler content’, and great care has been taken to maximise clarity. [Singularly fit for one purpose.] The unique approach that provides a decision-making framework that focuses on the technical aspects of surgical treatment of open wounds. The information arranged in four main colour-coded sections.
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SECTION I
Here you will find a checklist of surgical approaches to access 'vital' structures, including the brain. Each anatomical region is considered in a logical sequence. The section can also be used as a dissecting-room guide, to practise the incisions and dissections required to gain appropriate access.
SECTION II
This section describes all the potential initial surgical actions necessary to save life while preserving the potential for as much normal function as possible. It gives, in great detail, all definitive surgical techniques and (where appropriate) simpler and quicker surgical options for ‘damage control’.
SECTIONS I & II
are the 'building blocks' required for the surgical decision-making processes covered in SECTION III.
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SECTION III
This is the framework for decision-making, which applies information from Sections I and II to the acute clinical reality. It considers the site of penetrating wounds and systemic blood pressure after resuscitation attempts, with the immediate aim of stabilising the casualty and preventing the development of infection.
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SECTION IV describes the subsequent actions for achieving soft tissue healing and bone healing, with the ultimate aim of restoring as much function as possible.
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APPENDICES
Covers the subsequent actions required to maximise chances of restoration of normal function, covering wound closure, soft tissue healing, bone healing, burns management and obstetric emergencies.
THE Format and structure of the book are critical
to its clinical value
Contains hundreds of full-colour clinical photographs taken
during the authors' many missions in conflict zones.
Most topics laid out across self-contained double-page spreads.
Each section has colour-coded side tabs for locating information quickly and easily.
Decision-making processes illustrated succinctly by simplified flow diagrams and algorithms.
Surgical techniques described step by step, and align perfectly with illustrations - no need to turn pages to locate figures.
Surgeon-drawn diagrams maximise anatomical clarity and
tie in precisely with text descriptions.