(P1-105) The Surgical Care of Children with Gunshot Wounds in a Children's Field Hospital

Abstract

Introduction

The treatment of victims with gunshot wounds has gained importance over the past 10–15 years due to continuous military conflicts and the increase in terrorist and criminal acts. Since 1992, a group of pediatric surgeons has been trained to treat gunshot wounds in both children and adults in field hospitals of the Russian Service of Disaster Medicine in Northern Caucasus.

Methods

Two working models of a Children's Field Hospital (ChFH) were reviewed. In the first model, a ChFH was implemented for 14 months (April 2001–July 2002) during a military conflict in the Chechen Republic. There were no other hospitals rendering medical aid to children in the area. In the second model, a field hospital was created for children following a terrorist act in Beslan, Northern Ossetia in 2004.

Results

Over the 14 month period, the Chechen Republic ChFH rendered medical aid to 102 adults and 20 (16.4%) children with gunshot wounds. Self-made explosives and unexpected munitions were blamed for explosive trauma in children. Two children died in the ChFH, and one child with amputated lower limbs was transported to Moscow for prosthetics placement. Three hundred eleven children presented to ChFH, including 55 children not requiring medical aid, and 256 wounded children, who were divided into 3 groups: 5 dying; 52 wounded and requiring emergency treatment; and 199 wounded who were transported to hospitals in Vladikavkaz after receiving initial medical aid at the ChFH. In total, 47 operations were performed, including seven abdominal and chest surgeries. Re-animation aid was provided at the Intensive Care Department of the ChFH for the stabilization of the critically wounded prior to their evacuation.

Conclusion

In the situation of mass admissions of wounded patients, the most important considerations are triage and the arrangement of operations according to urgent indications.