Colorectal war injuries

Mil Med. 2000 Mar;165(3):186-8.

Abstract

During the war in Croatia (1991-1995), 851 war casualties were treated by the surgical teams of Rijeka Clinical Hospital. Among them, 66 patients (7.8%) had colon and/or rectum injuries, usually combined with trauma of other abdominal organs, most often jejunum and ileum (24.2%). Regarding the site of injury, right and sigmoid colon were the most frequently traumatized areas (30.3% and 31.8%, respectively). All patients received surgical treatment within 3 hours from wounding. In 89% of patients, relieving colostomy was formed after the resection of the damaged part of the intestine; 11% of patients were treated with primary resection or sutures without colostomy. The mortality rate of 3% (2 patients) was caused by mutilating multiple organ abdominal trauma combined with massive brain injury.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Colon / injuries*
  • Colostomy / adverse effects
  • Colostomy / methods
  • Colostomy / statistics & numerical data
  • Croatia
  • Humans
  • Military Medicine / methods
  • Military Personnel / statistics & numerical data*
  • Rectum / injuries*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Warfare*
  • Wounds and Injuries / classification
  • Wounds and Injuries / epidemiology
  • Wounds and Injuries / etiology
  • Wounds and Injuries / surgery