Injuries of the lower limbs caused by antipersonnel mines: the experience of the International Committee of the Red Cross

Abstract

Antipersonnel mines are used frequently in armed conflicts. Victims do not sustain their injuries only during the conflict, but sometimes years after it has ended. The object of this paper is to describe the treatment of patients with mine injuries in terms of mortality and the drain on hospital resources. A group of patients with fresh mine injuries who were treated at hospitals of the International Committee of the Red Cross was analysed retrospectively. About 25 per cent of patients need an amputation. The most common surgical amputation is below the knee. The study shows that the level of the amputation is closely connected with the number of operations, the number of units of blood transfused and the number of days of hospitalization.