title: Antipersonnel mine injuries in Southern Croatia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this retrospective study, antipersonnel mine casualties in Southern Croatia from 1991 to 1995 are analyzed and treatment options are discussed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mechanism, degree of injury according to Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) and Injury Severity Score (ISS), as well as surgical treatment were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of a 2,693 war trauma population, 422 (15.67%) patients sustained antipersonnel mine injuries, 241 (57.11%) from pressure mines and 181 (42.89%) from fragmentation mines. Military personnel were injured in 329 cases, civilians in 60 cases, and children in 33 cases. AIS was 3.01 +/- 0.56 and ISS was 17.92 +/- 6.59. Of 39 fatalities (9.24%) with a mean age of 27.98 +/- 1.70 years, 34 were soldiers, 4 were civilians, and 1 was a child. AIS was 5.35 +/- 0.39 and ISS was 54.94 +/- 2.36.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fatalities and morbidity arising from antipersonnel mines can be reduced by the provision of appropriate surgical and evacuation facilities at the actual battlefield.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Clinical Hospital Split, Spin[caron]cićeva 1, 21 000 Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Vedran
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Radonić
authors.forename: Lovel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giunio
authors.forename: Teo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Borić
authors.forename: Zeljko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mimica
authors.forename: Dubravko
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Furlan
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Definis-Gojanović
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005107:Explosions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014857:Warfare