Orthopaedic war injuries: from combat casualty care to definitive treatment: a current review of clinical advances, basic science, and research opportunities.
Musculoskeletal war wounds often involve massive injury to bone and soft tissue that differ markedly in character and extent compared with most injuries seen in civilian practice. These complex injuries have challenged orthopaedic surgeons to the limits of their treatment abilities on the battlefield, during medical evacuation, and in subsequent definitive or reconstructive treatment. Newer methodologies are being used in the treatment of these wounds to prevent so-called second hit complications, decrease complications associated with prolonged medical evacuation, reduce the incidence of infection, and restore optimal function. Basic science advances hold the promise of providing foundations for future treatment options that may improve both bone and soft-tissue healing. Research on the treatment of these often devastating wounds also will have broad applicability to trauma resulting from acts of terrorism or from natural disasters.
Covey
Dana C
DC
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Naval Medical Center, San Diego, California, USA.
Aaron
Roy K
RK
Born
Christopher T
CT
Calhoun
Jason H
JH
Einhorn
Thomas A
TA
Hayda
Roman A
RA
Levin
Lawrence Scott
LS
Mazurek
Michael T
MT
Murray
Clinton K
CK
Powell
Elisha T
ET
Schwarz
Edward M
EM
Wenke
Joseph C
JC
D000818:Animals; D035843:Biomedical Research; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014857:Warfare; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000601:surgery*