Moving toward point-of-care surgery in Ukraine: testing an ultra-portable operating room in an active war zone.

Purpose: In conflict zones, providers may have to decide between delaying time-sensitive surgeries or performing operative interventions in the field, potentially subjecting patients to significant infection risks. We conducted a single-arm crossover study to assess the feasibility of using an ultraportable operating room (U-OR) for surgical procedures on a porcine cadaver abdominal traumatic injury model in an active war zone.

Methods: We enrolled participants from an ASSET-type course designed to train Ukrainian surgeons before deployment to active conflict zones.