Surgical treatment results of Iranian abdominal trauma casualties in the Iran and Iraq War

Abstract

Introduction: Military medicine is a field to which a great deal of manpower, time, and effort is devoted. Abdominal traumatic injuries in field hospitals are among the major lesions to be treated, and laparotomies have a special role in the treatment of these injuries. This study was performed to assess the care of abdominal lesions in Iranian troops so that the results can be used in future planning programs. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study, 522 cases of laparotomies were studied by the census method. These troops were injured from 1982 to 1987. Primary site of injury, general medical condition, location of the hospitals, and ensuing complications were studied. Results: Most of the patients were younger than 30 years, and the mortality rate was greater in rearward hospitals. Seventy-four patients had poor general condition at the time of admission; 30% of them ultimately died, which showed a statistically significant difference between the patients in field hospitals and those in rearward hospitals with regard to final prognosis (p > 0.05). The colon, small intestine, and thorax were the most common sites of injuries. The trend of complications somewhat followed the trend of the primary lesions, with some specific variations. Discussion: This study offers a full review of a great number of the abdominal surgical cases, their modes of treatment, and the ensuing complications. Also, the role of field hospitals is emphasized. Patients with poor initial general conditions should receive vigorous attention. In all patients, even the least common sites of injury should not be neglected or lethal complications could ensue.