March

Cardiac surgeon "March": our team saves lives every day.

A year and a half ago, Anton "March" was a civil cardiac surgeon. Now he is a lieutenant of the medical service of the 3rd Operational Brigade "Spartan" named after Colonel Peter Bolbochan, who daily saves the lives of Ukrainian soldiers. In March 2025, the "March" received a presidential award - the medal "For Saving Life".

About the mobilization to the brigade "Spartan"

"March", who worked as a cardiac surgeon, came to the brigade "Spartan" in September 2023.  

"I finished my university, finished my military chair. From the first days of the full-scale invasion was in contact with the local CCC. For a while I continued to work, regularly doing medical examinations. And when it came time for another medical examination, I was told to mobilize.

My friends advised the brigade "Spartan", which was just forming a medical company. I got the contact of our nachmeda, communicate with him, and I mobilized to the part," - said "March".

About work at the stabpoint

The main task of "Marcha" at the stabilization point is to conduct surgical operations to stop bleeding and restore organs in wounded soldiers.

Speaking about the difference between working at the hospital and at the stabilization station, Anton notes limited work resources.

"An environment that requires you to be mobile. You must provide full scope of medical care and be mobile at the same time. If there is a change in the military situation, you must quickly change your location.

It leaves its mark in the sense that you have, with a minimum of equipment and equipment, to provide the most assistance. In this case, the wounded are often in very serious condition. Such patients are found in civil medicine," says "March".

He emphasizes that a large amount of medical care must be provided in conditions of limited resources. We are talking about the required minimum of specialists and tools.

"But with this you can work. We have developed, at that time and us, protocols of action for each situation. These protocols help  to provide assistance to the wounded of any severity," - said "March".

More training

For a year and a half service "March" had to undergo additional training. In particular, he studied abroad in France. These trainings were dedicated to taximedo

In addition, "March" told about several days of training in Lviv. This training was devoted to military surgery, in particular wound surgery, which is used at the stabilization station.

"It was more like consolidating the knowledge that already exists, and sharing experiences with other people who are engaged in military surgery," - said "March".

As for their own developments, the medic said that the team has a clear list of actions when changing the location. If you quickly need to decompose the stabilization point.

"March" notes that the most difficult work in the previous link is to take the wounded from the battlefield and transfer to the stabpochta.

"We have become accustomed to the heavy wounded. Work with us in anigenetic adjustment. Of course, we are saving the ones we're about to bring.

And I always wish that we could save more. To do this, we need a person to be brought as soon as possible," the doctor says.

Unique case

Told "March" and about the unique cases of salvation of the people he witnessed.

Recently, the soldier received multiple wounds. The most critical wound was in the inguinal area - in a place where a large artery and vein passes. This is the so-called nodal area, which can not be applied to the turnstile at the evacuation stages to stop bleeding. The only option to stop bleeding is to press on the wound with a fist and as soon as possible to tie this vessel. 

"We had a patient like that. He managed to stop this nodular bleeding. We used a special balloon that starts through the vessel, swells in the aorta, blocks the blood flow in the lower limb.

Against the background of this blocked blood flow in half an hour, we pulled out the vessels, found, bandaged, which could be bandaged, stitched up, which could be sewn up," says the statement

"March".

He noted that at the time of getting the wounded on the camp site, he lost three liters and without help would have died. But he managed to stabilize, stop bleeding and send to the next stage - to resuscitation to the city hospital.

I remembered the "March" and cases when I had to do a direct massage of the heart and stop bleeding within the left half of the thorax.

Presidential Award

This year, "March" received a presidential award - the medal "For Saving Life".

According to him, this is an award for daily teamwork. 

"When we work actively, we can have 1,000-1,500 wounded in a month. Of these, about 10 percent are heavy. This is every change of severe patients who really save lives. Not just help in the treatment of wounds, pain relief. In fact, they are assisted, without which they can die.

I think that this is more teamwork and reward for the entire amount of work that we provide every day," the "March" said.