title: Burn support for Operation Iraqi Freedom and related operations, 2003 to 2004.
abstract: Thermal injury historically constitutes approximately 5% to 20% of conventional warfare casualties. This article reviews medical planning for burn care during war in Iraq and experience with burns during the war at the US Army Burn Center; aboard the USNS Comfort hospital ship; and at Combat Support Hospitals in Iraq and in Afghanistan. Two burn surgeons were deployed to the military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, and to the Gulf Region to assist with triage and patient care. During March 2003 to May 2004, 109 burn casualties from the war have been hospitalized at the US Army Burn Center in San Antonio, Texas, and US Army Burn Flight Teams have moved 51 critically ill burn casualties to the Burn Center. Ten Iraqi burn patients underwent surgery and were hospitalized for up to 1 month aboard the Comfort, including six with massive wounds. Eighty-six burn casualties were hospitalized at the 28th Combat Support Hospital for up to 53 days. This experience highlights the importance of anticipating the burn care needs of both combatants and the local civilian population during war.
authors.affiliation: US Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234-6315, USA.
authors.forename: Leopoldo C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Cancio
authors.forename: E Eric
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Horvath
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Barillo
authors.forename: Bernard J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Kopchinski
authors.forename: Keith R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Charter
authors.forename: Alfredo E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Montalvo
authors.forename: Teresa M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Buescher
authors.forename: Matthew L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Brengman
authors.forename: Mary-Margaret
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Holcomb
mesh_terms: D002053:Burn Units / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002056:Burns / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006772:Hospitals, Military / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006775:Hospitals, Packaged / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007493:Iraq; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010360:Patient Transfer; D012767:Ships; D013997:Time Factors; D014218:Triage; D014481:United States; D014857:Warfare