title: Ejection experience in Serbian Air Force, 1990-2010.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ejection injuries are the problem for air forces. The present risk for injuries is still too high, approximately 30-50%. The aim of this study was to determine factors responsible for and contributing to injuries in the Serbian Air Force (SAF) in the last two decades.
  
  
  METHODS
  All ejection cases in the SAF between 1990 and 2010 were analyzed. The collected data were: aircraft type, ejection seat generation, pilots" age and experience, causes of ejection, aeronautical parameters, the condition of aircraft control and types of injuries. For ease of comparison the US Air Force Safety Regulations were used to define major injuries: hospitalization for 5 days or more, loss of consciousness for over 5 min, bone fracture, joint dislocation, injury to any internal organ, any third-degree burn, or second-degree burn over 5% of the body surface area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 52 ejections (51 pilots and 1 mechanic) on 44 airplanes. The ejected persons were from 22 to 46 years, average 32 years. Major injuries were present in 25.49% cases. Of all the ejected pilots 9.61% had fractures of the thoracic spine, 11.53% fractures of the legs, 3.48% fractures of the arms. Of all major injuries, fractures of the thoracic spine were 38.46%. None of the pilots had experienced ejection previously.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that taking preventive measures is obligatory. Namely, magnetic resonance imaging (MRL) scan must be included in the standard pilot selection procedure and procedure after ejection, physical conditioning of pilots has to be improved, training on ejection trainer has to be accomplished, too.
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pavlović
authors.forename: Janko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pejović
authors.forename: Jovan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mladenović
authors.forename: Radovan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cekanac
authors.forename: Dalibor
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jovanović
authors.forename: Radovan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Karkalić
authors.forename: Danijela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Randjelović
authors.forename: Slavisa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Djurdjević
mesh_terms: D000060:Accidents, Aviation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D000337:Aerospace Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000401:Aircraft; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055771:Serbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult