title: Operation Enduring Freedom: the 48th Combat Support Hospital in Afghanistan.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, New Jersey Healthcare System, East Orange 07018-1095, USA. Alan.Beitler@med.va.gov
authors.forename: Alan L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Beitler
authors.forename: Glenn W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Wortmann
authors.forename: Luke J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Goff
mesh_terms: 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*