Paediatric casualties during OP TELIC.
OBJECTIVE
To audit all paediatric attendances to a British Army Field Hospital during warfighting.


METHODS
All patients <16-years-old who presented to 34 Field Hospital Accident & Emergency (A&E) Department during warfighting phase of OPTELIC (27 Mar 03 to 01 May 03).


METHODS
A retrospective analysis of A&E attendance register, A&E clinical records, and A&E trainees' logbooks from the department of 34 Field Hospital.


RESULTS
Seventy eight children were treated, mean age 7.9 years. 65.4% were male and 34.6% female. Children accounted for 2.9% of all patients (total attendances 2720) and 32.9% of non-coalition patients (non-coalition attendances 237). 44 (56%) children had burns as the principal injury; 7 (9%) had shrapnel injuries, 5 (6%) had blunt trauma from a road traffic accident. Only one child had GSW. 17% of attendances were related to 'medical' complaints rather than trauma. 78% of children required transfer to a specialist facility.


CONCLUSIONS
Recognition of the potential for paediatric casualties is required to facilitate appropriate planning, training and equipping of medical units deployed on future operations.
Gurney
I
I
MDHU Frimley Park Hospital, Surrey.
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006772:Hospitals, Military / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007493:Iraq; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006113:United Kingdom; D014857:Warfare; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy*