Citation

Belmont PJ, McCriskin BJ, Hsiao MS, Burks R, Nelson KJ, Schoenfeld AJ. J. Orthop. Trauma 2013; 27(5): e107-13.

Affiliation

1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, TX 2Senior Army Representative, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/BOT.0b013e3182703188

PMID

23187153

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:: This investigation sought to describe orthopaedic wounds sustained by servicemembers deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan from 2005-2009. DESIGN:: Retrospective review of prospective data. SETTING:: Joint Theater Trauma Registry (JTTR) PATIENTS:: The 6,092 musculoskeletal casualties contained in the JTTR. INTERVENTION:: The JTTR was queried to identify all personnel sustaining musculoskeletal injuries in the period 2005-2009. Demographic information, injury mechanism, and nature of wounds were determined for all individuals. Deployment data for all servicemembers was obtained through the Defense Manpower Data Center and the incidence of orthopaedic injuries and wounding patterns was assessed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS:: Pairwise comparisons were made to identify statistically significant differences in incidence, and significant associations, between injury mechanism and injuries/wounding patterns. RESULTS:: The JTTR contained data on 6,092 musculoskeletal casualties with 17,177 wounds. Seventy-seven percent of all casualties sustained a musculoskeletal wound. The incidence of musculoskeletal combat casualties was 3.06 per 1,000 deployed personnel per year, with fractures occurring in 3.41 per 1,000, and soft-tissue wounds most commonly encountered (4.04 per 1,000). Amputations represented 6% of all combat wounds Most musculoskeletal wounds were caused by explosive blast (p<0.001), as were nearly all traumatic amputations. CONCLUSIONS:: This study represents the most complete description of the scope of orthopaedic war trauma. It also presents injury specific incidences that have not previously been described for musculoskeletal combat casualties. Musculoskeletal casualties may occurred in 3 of every 1,000 personnel deployed per year.

Language: en