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Anti-personnel Landmine Injuries during Peace: Experience in a European Country

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Stamatios A. Papadakis*
Affiliation:
Orthopedic Department, General Hospital of Didimoticho, Greece
Eleni C. Babourda
Affiliation:
Orthopedic Department, General Hospital of Didimoticho, Greece
Thomas C. Mitsitskas
Affiliation:
Orthopedic Department, General Hospital of Didimoticho, Greece
Sotirios Markakidis
Affiliation:
Surgery Department, General Hospital of Didimoticho, Greece
Costas Bachtis
Affiliation:
National System for Emergency Care, Athens, Greece
Dimitrios Koukouvis
Affiliation:
496 Military Hospital, Didimoticho, Greece
Apostolos A. Tentes
Affiliation:
Surgery Department, General Hospital of Didimoticho, Greece
*
Stamatios A. Papadakis, MD, PhD 28th Octovriou Str, 54 15236 N. Pendeli, Greece E-mail: snapmd@in.gr

Abstract

Introduction:

The purpose of this study is to report the incidence of landmine injuries during peacetime in a European country.

Methods:

Forty victims of landmine explosions were admitted to Didimoticho General Hospital in Greece, from December 1988 to March 2003. A total of 19 people survived (47.5%) these events; all of the others were dead upon admission to the hospital. All of the victims were men, either suspected smugglers or migrants entering the country illegally, with an aver- age of 30 years (range: 15–56 years).

Results:

Most victims presented in groups, with multiple traumatic injuries, including lower extremity wounds. The mortality rate in the minefield prior to hospital admission was 52.5%, and the amputation rate for the survivors was 37%. There were no deaths of the patients admitted to the hospital.

Conclusions:

Landmines cause highenergy injuries with high mortality and amputation rates. Illegal migrants are the main victims of landmine explosions in Greece.

Type
Original Research
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2006

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