Mine clearance injuries in South Croatia.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this retrospective study was to describe and analyze casualties in mine-clearance operations in South Croatia from 1991 to 1995. During the war in Croatia, the laying of mines by both sides was largely unplanned, without mapping or documentation, making demining, an already expensive, complicated task, even more dangerous.


METHODS
The study comprised all those injured in mine-clearance operations treated at Clinical Hospital Split. The type of mines used, the mechanism of the incident, and the location and severity of injury according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale and the Injury Severity Score were analyzed.


RESULTS
In a 5-year period, 160 pyrotechnicians of the Croatian Army performed demining in Southern Croatia. In 29 incidents, 53 deminers were injured. The degree of injury according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale was 2.85 +/- 0.6 and Injury Severity Score grade was 19.68 +/- 8.57. Two of the injured died.


CONCLUSIONS
To find and remove approximately 2 million mines laid in Croatia will take at least 10 years and 2,000 to 3,000 specialized personnel. Unfortunately, the results of the study demonstrate that a significant number of deminers will suffer grave injuries or die in the process.
Radonić
Vedran
V
Department of Surgery, Clinical Hospital Split, Spinèićeva 1, 21 000 Split, Croatia.
Giunio
Lovel
L
Vidjak
Vojko
V
Boschi
Vladimir
V
Barić
Dragan
D
Stipić
Radoslav
R
D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005107:Explosions / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008889:Military Personnel; D011481:Protective Clothing; D011482:Protective Devices; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014857:Warfare