ABSTRACT
During 18 months of the 1991/92 war against Croatia, 4,545 injured were treated at the Department of Surgery of Osijek Clinical Hospital. Some, 2,544 (55.9%) sustained shell fragment injuries and 807 (17.8%) bullet injuries. Shell fragments lead to a higher number of polytraumatized patients than did bullets (6.8% versus 5.3%). The postoperative complication rate for fragment injury (5.8%) was significantly higher than that for bullet injury (4.1%). Mortality rate did not differ significantly (3.9% versus 4.5% respectively).
Subject(s)
Blast Injuries/epidemiology , Warfare , Wounds, Gunshot/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Blast Injuries/complications , Blast Injuries/surgery , Child , Child, Preschool , Croatia/epidemiology , Female , Forensic Medicine , Humans , Infant , Male , Middle Aged , Military Personnel , Wounds, Gunshot/complications , Wounds, Gunshot/surgeryABSTRACT
During 18 months of the 1991-1992 war against Croatia, 14 persons wounded by antipersonnel mines were admitted to the Department of Surgery at Osijek University Hospital. Twelve had injury of the calcaneal region. Kirschner wires were used for minimal osteosynthesis. Delayed wound closure was performed 14 to 21 days after injury. The methods used were delayed direct closure, split skin-thickness graft, or microvascular free flaps. Osteitis did not develop, and all patients walked with full weight after 1 year.
Subject(s)
Blast Injuries/surgery , Foot Injuries/surgery , Fracture Fixation, Internal/instrumentation , Military Personnel , Warfare , Blast Injuries/diagnostic imaging , Bone Wires , Croatia , Explosions , Foot Injuries/diagnostic imaging , Fracture Fixation, Internal/methods , Humans , Prognosis , Radiography , Surgical Flaps/methods , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
During 18 months of the 1991-1992 war against Croatia, 4425 injured were treated at the Department of Surgery, Osijek University Hospital. Among them 46 had tendon injuries, 20 with tendon laceration and 26 with total rupture. In 12 wounded primary repair was performed, 4 of an extensor tendon, 7 of a flexor tendon and 1 of both flexor and extensor. Four patients with primary flexor tendon repair had a good functional result. In other 34 no primary repair was done. Good function was achieved in 18 cases.
Subject(s)
Tendon Injuries/surgery , Warfare , Croatia , Female , Humans , Male , RuptureABSTRACT
During the war against Croatia in 1991-1992, 85 wounded with war injuries of major vessels in the extremities were admitted to the Department of Surgery, Osijek Clinical Hospital. These 85 included 13 (15.3%) wounded with injuries of the popliteal artery. In 12 cases an allograft was used as a substitute conduit. One early thrombosis and two infections occurred. Two amputations had to be performed because of massive soft tissue destruction and infection in the leg tissue. Our experience shows that an allograft is an acceptable choice for popliteal artery reconstruction in a highly contaminated war wound.
Subject(s)
Blood Vessel Prosthesis , Leg Injuries/surgery , Military Personnel , Popliteal Artery/injuries , Warfare , Wounds, Gunshot/surgery , Adult , Angiography , Croatia , External Fixators , Female , Humans , Male , Popliteal Artery/diagnostic imaging , Popliteal Artery/surgery , Postoperative Complications/diagnostic imaging , Veins/transplantation , Wounds, Gunshot/diagnostic imagingABSTRACT
During the war in Croatia, the surgical department of Osijek Hospital was the place of primary and definitive surgical management of the wounded from the city of Osijek and the entire northeastern region of Croatia. Our surgical experience with the management of war injuries of major extremity vessels, collected from May 2, 1991, through April 12, 1992, is reviewed. During that time, 60 wounded were admitted to the hospital with injuries of major blood vessels of the extremities, all of them directly from the battlefield or from the streets of Osijek. The method of surgical treatment depended on the type of vascular injury and associated injuries. Our methods were arterial injury reconstruction and monitoring of the early results when autogenous vein grafts or synthetic prostheses were used. The results indicate that one should not resist using synthetics for reconstruction of arterial injuries in a highly contaminated area.
Subject(s)
Blood Vessels/injuries , Extremities/blood supply , Extremities/injuries , Vascular Surgical Procedures , Warfare , Adult , Aged , Blood Vessel Prosthesis , Croatia , Extremities/surgery , Humans , Middle Aged , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
A four-year-old girl who sustained an explosive injury to the femoral artery and vein underwent vascular reconstruction. An allograft was used as a substitute conduit for both the artery and the vein. Eight months after reconstruction there was no pulse deficit and decrease in systolic blood pressure, nor were there any signs of venous obstruction.
