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Multiple blast extremity injuries: is definitive treatment achievable in a field hospital for local casualties?

International Orthopaedics volume 38, pages 2565–2569 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

The objective of this report was to analyse injury patterns and definitive management of local casualties with multiple blast extremity injuries in the Kabul International Airport Combat Support Hospital.

Methods

A clinical prospective study was performed from July 2012 to January 2013. Afghan victims of a blast trauma with a minimum of two extremities injured and an Injury Severity Score (ISS) greater than 8 were included. Two groups were considered for analysis: group A including patients with amputations and group LS including patients with limb salvage procedures.

Results

During this period 19 patients were included with a total of 57 extremity injuries. There were six patients in group A and 13 patients in group LS, with a mean number of injuries of 3.5 and 2.8, respectively. The ISS, blood products utilization and overall time of surgery were significantly greater in group A.

Conclusion

Reconstruction of multiple blast extremity injuries may be achieved in a field hospital despite limited resources and operational constraints. However, this activity requires the utilization of significant supplies and major investment from the caregivers deployed.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Clinic of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Desgenettes Military Hospital, Lyon, France

    Laurent Mathieu, Erwan Saint-Macary, Antoine Bertani & Frédéric Rongiéras

  2. Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic

    Martin Frank

  3. Clinic of Abdominal, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Laveran Military Hospital, Marseille, France

    Paul Balandraud

  4. Clinic of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Percy Military Hospital, Clamart, France

    Sylvain Rigal

  5. Department of Surgery, French Military Medical Academy, Ecole du Val-de-Grâce, Paris, France

    Frédéric Rongiéras, Paul Balandraud & Sylvain Rigal

Authors
  1. Laurent Mathieu
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  2. Erwan Saint-Macary
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  3. Martin Frank
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  4. Antoine Bertani
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  5. Frédéric Rongiéras
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  6. Paul Balandraud
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  7. Sylvain Rigal
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Laurent Mathieu.

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Mathieu, L., Saint-Macary, E., Frank, M. et al. Multiple blast extremity injuries: is definitive treatment achievable in a field hospital for local casualties?. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 38, 2565–2569 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-014-2532-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-014-2532-6

Keywords

  • Afghanistan
  • Extremity trauma
  • Blast injury
  • Reconstruction
  • War surgery