Naslov
Children War Casualties during the 1991-1995 Wars in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina

Autori
Terzić, Janoš ; Meštrović, Julije ; Đogaš, Zoran ; Furlan, Dubravko ; Biočić, Mihovil

Izvornik
Croatian medical journal (0353-9504) 42 (2001), 2; 156-60

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
Bosnia and Herzegovina; child behavior; children; Croatia; explosives; trauma; war; wounds and injuries; wounds; multiple

Sažetak
Aim. To analyze clinical course of war-related injuries in children treated at the Split University Hospital during the wars in Croatia (1991-1995) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992-1995). Methods. Medical records of 94 treated children were analyzed. The severity of wounds was scored according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) and Injury Severity Score (ISS) evaluation systems. Results. Most children were wounded during shelling/bombing (n=28, 10 boys and 18 girls) and by leftover explosive devices (n=26). Children injured by leftover explosive devices were predominantly boys (23/26 children), aged 10 to 16 years (19/26 children). Extremities were the most frequently wounded body regions (43% of all wounded regions). The wounds to the head/neck (median AIS=5.0, range 1-6) and abdomen (median AIS=4.5, range 3-5) were the most severe. Abdominal wounds required surgical procedures (p<0.001) and antibiotic treatment (p<0.05) most frequently, as well as patients with greater AIS and ISS scores (p<0.05). According to the treatment outcome, more patients wounded to the abdomen and extremities showed improvement than no change or complete recovery (p<0.05). Permanent disability remained in 37 (39.4%) children and three (3.3%) children died. Conclusion. Boys in upper elementary grades and high school were at greater risk of being wounded by fragments of leftover explosive devices than younger boys or girls. The most severe wounds were to the head/neck and the abdomen and inflicted during the shelling or bombing. This should be taken into account in organization of surgical care for the children with war-related injuries.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Kliničke medicinske znanosti

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