Abstract

NAVARRO SUAY, R. et al. Analysis of the lesional topography in the combat casualty: The Spanish Medical Service experience in Herat (Afghanistan). Sanid. Mil. [online]. 2011, vol.67, n.2, pp.78-83. ISSN 1887-8571.

Introduction: Along the history the localization in the combatant's body of the wounds due to firearms and explosive artifacts has followed different patterns. The anatomical distribution of these injuries in the last conflicts has proven that the most affected areas are the limbs followed by the head and neck. The objective of this study is to describe the experience of the Spanish medical officers deployed in the military hospital in Herat (Afghanistan) about the body parts injured in combat casualties from 2005 to 2008. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, transversal study was carried out including all civilian and military personnel wounded by explosive artifacts or firearms in the West Region of Afghanistan and taken care of in the Spanish Role 2 from 2005 to 2008. Results: The total number of cases analyzed was 256. In the studied casualties the most affected area was the lower limbs (n=123; 48%), followed by the upper limbs (n=99; 39%) and abdomen (n=56; 22%). The anatomical area where explosives (n=85) and firearms (n=38) have caused more injuries is the lower limbs. A little more than half the casualties (n=142; 55%) presented only one affected area: 59 (23%). Conclusions: In our study the lower and upper limbs have been the anatomical areas most affected by explosives as well as firearms. These data coincides with the results obtained in other series.

Keywords : Anatomy; Firearm; Explosive; Afghanistan; Spanish Medical Service.

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