Although infectious diseases, malnutrition and diarrhea account for the vast majority of deaths in many crisis situations, many individuals also suffer from traumatic injuries and other surgically treatable conditions. Understanding the determinants involved in surgical interventions is facilitated by defining baseline, emergent and chronic phases for refugees and internally displaced populations. International aid organizations often expend vast resources on surgical interventions. More detailed assessments and further study may help provide insight into optimizing the success and minimizing the cost of such interventions. This article is a review of the surgical and disaster literature and defines issues for further study.