FM 4-02.25 Employment of Forward Surgical Teams

The forward surgical team (FST) is a 20-man team which provides far forward surgical intervention to render non-transportable patients sufficiently stable to allow for medical evacuation to a Level III hospital (combat support hospital [CSH]). There are 57 patient condition codes (Appendix A) that identify patients with the type of injuries that would benefit most from FST intervention. Surgery performed by the FST is resuscitative surgery; additional surgery may be required at a supporting Level III hospital in the area of operations (AO). Patients remain at the FST until they recover from anesthesia, once stabilized they are evacuated as soon as possible. The postoperative intensive care capacity of the FST is extremely limited, there is no holding capability. The FST is not a self-sustaining unit and must be deployed with or attachedto a medical company or hospital for support. Further, the FST is neither staffed nor equipped to provide routine sick call functions.