But already, these procedures have allowed many people too old or frail for an operation to get help for problems that otherwise would likely kill them.

NPR: Heart Repair Breakthroughs Replace Surgeon's Knife

So its decision to get involved in Mali, an operation Hollande said "will last as long as necessary, " underlies the seriousness of France's concern about the situation there.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

After saying in August that an operation would help him "get back to my best", Gay underwent "minor" surgery on Friday on both sides of his groin in Philadelphia.

BBC: Gay set to be fit for new season

"We will need to wait until these children are at least two years of age to get an idea about the therapeutic value of the new operation, " he said.

BBC: Surgery hope for unborn babies

The crisis is being seen by this quintet of finance ministers as an opportunity to get back some of that spirit of international co-operation which marked the response to crisis in the winter of 2008-09.

BBC: Britain pushes hard choices for Europe's hard core

"Your first priority is to get your operation started, " says Kevin Ready, author of "Startup: An Insider's Guide to Launching and Running a Business" and a seasoned entrepreneur in Austin, Texas.

WSJ: Make Social Networks Work for Your Start-Up