engleski

Mortality caused by war wounds to the head and neck encountered at the Slavonski Brod Hospital during 1991-1992. war in Croatia

From July 1, 1991, until January 1, 1993, a total of 7720 patients (soldiers and civilians) with war wounds were treated at Dr Josip Benčević General Hospital in Slavonski Brod, Croatia. Treatment was provided for 7043 patients, whereas 677 individuals (8.8%) killed in action (KIA) were examined at the Forensic Department. There were 1456 patients (18.9%) with head and neck wounds: 1176 soldiers and 280 civilians. The mortality rate was significantly greater in patients with head and neck wounds (N=271, 40 %) than in those with injuries to the thorax (N=163, 24.1%) and abdomen (N=62, 9.2%, p<0.01 for both). During treatment, 188 patients (2.4%) died of wounds (DOW). The DOW mortality was 5.2% (61 of 1185), 4.0% (41 of 1026), and 2.9% (25 of 867) for wounds of the head and neck, thorax, and abdomen, respectively. There was no significant difference in the mortality rate between head and neck and thorax wounds: however, the former exceeded the mortality rate recorded for abdominal wounds (p<0.05). The proportion of head and neck injuries did not differ significantly from literature reports on recent conventional wars. The site of wounding, i.e., at the battlefield or elsewhere, had no effect on the prognosis of wounds to the head and neck. Gunshot head and neck injuries showed significantly higher mortality rate.

war; wounds; head; neck

nije evidentirano