@article{ref1,
title="Combat wounds in operation Iraqi Freedom and operation Enduring Freedom",
journal="Journal of trauma",
year="2008",
author="Owens, Brett D. and Kragh, J. F. and Wenke, J. C. and Macaitis, Joseph and Wade, Charles E. and Holcomb, John B.",
volume="64",
number="2",
pages="295-299",
abstract="BACKGROUND: There have been no large cohort reports detailing the wounding patterns and mechanisms in the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. METHODS: The Joint Theater Trauma Registry was queried for all US service members receiving treatment for wounds (International Classification of Diseases-9th Rev. codes 800-960) sustained in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom from October 2001 through January 2005. Returned-to-duty and nonbattle injuries were excluded from final analysis. RESULTS: This query resulted in 3,102 casualties, of which 31% were classified as nonbattle injuries and 18% were returned-to-duty within 72 hours. A total of 1,566 combatants sustained 6,609 combat wounds. The locations of these wounds were as follows: head (8%), eyes (6%), ears (3%), face (10%), neck (3%), thorax (6%), abdomen (11%), and extremity (54%). The proportion of head and neck wounds is higher (p &lt; 0.0001) than the proportion experienced in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam wars (16%-21%). The proportion of thoracic wounds is a decrease (p &lt; 0.0001) from World War II and Vietnam (13%). The proportion of gunshot wounds was 18%, whereas the proportion sustained from explosions was 78%. CONCLUSIONS: The wounding patterns currently seen in Iraq and Afghanistan resemble the patterns from previous conflicts, with some notable exceptions: a greater proportion of head and neck wounds, and a lower proportion of thoracic wounds. An explosive mechanism accounted for 78% of injuries, which is the highest proportion seen in any large-scale conflict.   <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0022-5282",
doi="10.1097/TA.0b013e318163b875",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/TA.0b013e318163b875"
}