Surgical treatment of patients with penetrating chest injuries sustained in war.
OBJECTIVE
To show our experience in treatment of patients with penetrating chest injuries sustained during the Homeland War in Croatia


METHODS
It was a retrospective study based on the records of the Department of Surgery of the University Hospital of Osijek (Croatia). All patients surgically treated during the wartime period (1991.-1995.) were analysed with respect to death rate, causes of injuries, frequency of injuries of thoracic organs and frequency of combined injuries of thorax and abdomen. Most of our patients were treated with thoracotomy as opposed to the common protocol (thoracostomy) applied in usual treatments.


RESULTS
The study includes 157 patients with penetrating chest wounds, 111 (70.7%) of which were from metal fragments of bursting artillery, 37 (23.6%) of the wounded were exposed to gunshot bullets, and 9 (5.7%) had stab injuries. Lung injuries had 134 (85.4%) patients, and 15 (9.6%) had injuries of the heart. Chest injuries combined with injuries of abdominal organs happened in 30 (19%) cases. The abdominal organs in question were the liver, spleen, stomach, and colon, in eight (26.6%), seven (23.3%), four (13.3%), and three (10.0%) cases, respectively. Thoracotomy was performed in 144 (91.7%) cases, 13 (8.3%) of the patients underwent thoracostomy, and 134 (85.3%) patients stayed alive.


CONCLUSIONS
It points out that, in our case due to organizational problems, aggressive surgical procedure of patients with penetrating chest and multiple injuries sustained in war was the good choice.
Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Osijek, Croatia.
Jozo
J
Kristek
Krunoslav
K
Sego
Borislav
B
Has
D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000150:complications; D017523:Croatia; D006801:Humans; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D014857:Warfare; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000601:surgery*