[Humanitarian plastic surgery missions. Actions and reflections].

After recalling the various possible objectives of humanitarian missions in underprivileged countries, the authors describe the context of their plastic surgery missions, each lasting two to three weeks, with the support of Interplast. These missions have been conducted in India, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam and Afghanistan. The organization is now classical: on site supply of anaesthetic and all disposable material, 50 to 100 operations over a fortnight in a local hospital. The diseases most frequently observed were cleft lip and palate and post-burn skin retractions. The authors emphasize the fact that the mission director must be an experienced surgeon in order to select the most reliable and the simplest procedure. They analyse the meaning of their commitment and the way in which this humanitarian action is perceived by the recipient country.