Operation Enduring Freedom: the 48th Combat Support Hospital in Afghanistan.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the experience of the 48th Combat Support Hospital (CSH) while deployed to Afghanistan, with an emphasis on trauma care.


METHODS
Before redeployment, a retrospective review was performed on the medical records of all patients treated at the 48th CSH from December 6, 2002 through June 7, 2003.


RESULTS
During the 6-month period, 10,679 patients were evaluated and/or treated. There were 477 hospital admissions (adults, 387; children, 90; trauma, 204) and 634 operating room procedures. The most common mechanisms of injury were land mines/unexploded ordinance (74 = 36%) and gunshot wounds (41 = 20%). Extremities were the most common site. A total of 358 cases was performed on 168 trauma patients (mean, 2 cases per patient; range, 1-12). There were 63 complications in 40 trauma patients and 11 patients died.


CONCLUSIONS
The 48th CSH supported military and humanitarian operations with an ongoing process of re-evaluation, adaptation, and medical education that resulted in low morbidity and mortality rates.
Beitler
Alan L
AL
Department of Surgery, New Jersey Healthcare System, East Orange 07018-1095, USA. Alan.Beitler@med.va.gov
Wortmann
Glenn W
GW
Hofmann
Luke J
LJ
Goff
James M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000346:Afghanistan; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006772:Hospitals, Military / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006775:Hospitals, Packaged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014218:Triage; D014481:United States; D014600:Utilization Review; D014857:Warfare; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*