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(A21) Injury Patterns of Blast Type Antipersonnel Land Mine Victims

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 May 2011

L. Dassanayake
Affiliation:
Disaster Preparedness and Response Unit, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka
A. Karunarathne
Affiliation:
Disaster Preparedness and Response Unit, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka
D. Munidasa
Affiliation:
Disaster Preparedness and Response Unit, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka
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Abstract

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Anti-personnel land mines are deployed in many regions of conflict around the world. A large number of civilians and militants are affected regularly due to the blasts of such mines. Once set, they remain as silent concealed killers for decades and challenge the safety of the civilians even during the times of peace. A descriptive study was carried out at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital during a six month period starting in July 2007. The total number of anti-personal land mine injuries admitted during this period was 89. In all cases, the body part primarily in contact with the mine had been a lower limb. Except for few occasions, extensive soft tissue damage associated with compound fractures necessitated some form of an amputation for those limbs in primary contact with the blast mines. Closed fractures of the calcareous, talus, and the tarsal bones were seen in two cases. Nearly two thirds of the patients sustained either soft tissue or bone injuries to the opposite lower limb. Twelve percent of the victims had compound fractures on the opposite tibia and fibula. Injuries to external genitalia were seen in 8% of the cases. Upper limb injuries were not rare and predominantly found on the contra lateral upper limb (17%). The majority of them were soft tissue injuries. Chest wall injuries were seen among 2% of the cases. Superficial facial injuries were seen among 7% of the cases. In one occasion a gingival injury was detected. Seven percent of the victims developed deterioration in level of consciousness. None of them clinically showed any external physical trauma to the head. In some instances, the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was ranked as 7 in which tracheal intubation and ventilation were needed. It was evident in this study that the majority of the affected patients sustained severe injuries in both lower limbs in contrast to some of the previous available studies.

Type
Abstracts of Scientific and Invited Papers 17th World Congress for Disaster and Emergency Medicine
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2011