Authors: Peoples, George E.; Gerlinger, Tad; Craig, Robert; Burlingame, Brian

Source: Military Medicine, Volume 170, Number 6, June 2005 , pp. 462-468(7)

Publisher: AMSUS - Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Abstract:

Background: The 274th Forward Surgical Team (FST) was the first FST deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan, to provide surgical care for combat casualties during the initial phases of Operation Enduring Freedom. This is an analysis of the distribution, cause, and severity of wounds for combat casualties and the surgical procedures they required. Methods: A prospective database was maintained for combat casualties cared for by the 274th FST. The database included demographic data, vital status, mechanism of injury, distribution and severity of wounds, and surgical care provided. Results: The FST cared for 224 combat casualties, including 153 U.S. soldiers, 19 coalition soldiers, 32 Afghan militia forces soldiers, and 20 detainees. Fragments were the most common mechanism of injury (49%), and the extremity was the most common location of injury (58%), whereas gunshot wounds were the most common cause of death (57%). There were few significant head, chest, or abdominal wounds (13%). The FST treated 103 surgical cases (73 with combat wounds), including neurosurgical, thoracic, general, orthopedic, and vascular cases, with a total of 180 procedures. Conclusions: The distribution, cause, and severity of wounds were similar to those in the Persian Gulf War, despite the obvious differences between these conflicts. The use of modern technologies, such as compact, portable, ultrasound and digital X-ray systems, expanded the capabilities of the FST. Even low-intensity conflicts can produce significant numbers of combat casualties, and the FST must be manned, trained, equipped, and supplied to treat a wide variety of combat wounds.

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 2005-06-01

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• Military Medicine is the Association's official monthly journal. The objective of the Journal is to promote awareness of Federal medicine by providing a forum for responsible discussion of common ideas and problems relevant to Federal healthcare. Its mission is: To increase healthcare education by providing scientific and other information to its readers; to facilitate communication; and to offer a prestige publication for members' writings.
  
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