Thoracic injuries in US combat casualties: a 10-year review of Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

BACKGROUND

Mortality from thoracic injuries has declined significantly from 63% in the Civil War to 3% in Vietnam. We reviewed the injury patterns, procedures, blood products, and mortality of US soldiers sustaining a thoracic injury during Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF).

METHODS

Data on US soldiers with a thoracic injury during OEF/OIF from January 2003 to May 2011 was collected from the Joint Theater Trauma Registry. Coalition forces, civilians, and soldiers killed in action were excluded. Injuries and procedures were identified using DRG International Classification of Diseases-9th Rev. and Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) codes. Data are presented as mean (SD). Statistical analysis used χ analysis and t test where appropriate.

RESULTS

Thoracic injuries occurred in 2,049 of 23,797 wounded US military personnel for a prevalence of 8.6%. Mean (SD) age was 26 (6.6) years, and mean (SD) chest AIS score was 2.9 (0.9). Penetrating trauma was the most common mechanism of injury (61.5%), and explosive devices were the most common cause of injury (61.9%). Of 6,030 thoracic injuries identified, pneumothorax and pulmonary contusions were most common (51.8% and 50.2%, respectively). Of 1,541 surgical procedures performed in theater, the most common was tube thoracostomy (47.1%). Most patients with penetrating fragmentation injuries (84%) were managed with tube thoracostomy as sole therapeutic intervention. The fresh frozen plasma-to-packed red blood cells ratio was 0.86. Overall mortality was 8.3%. Acute respiratory distress syndrome and inhalation injury were associated with mortality (p < 0.006).

CONCLUSION

Most penetrating fragmentation injuries can be managed with tube thoracostomy. Mortality of patients with chest injury in OEF/OIF is higher than in Korea and Vietnam. This most likely represents advances in prehospital care, personal protective equipment, and rapid transport that have resulted in more severely injured patients arriving alive to a medical facility.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Epidemiologic study, level IV.