The evolving pattern of war-related injuries from the Afghanistan conflict.

This is a retrospective study of 922 victims of the Afghanistan war admitted to Mekkah Mukarramah Surgical Hospital, a 120-bed hospital, from April 1987 to April 1989. The range and extent of war-related injuries were reviewed. The lower limbs were the most common site of injuries. The ratio of critical-area wounds (trunk, head, and neck) to extremity wounds was 0.17, which reflects the lack of early emergency medical care for the wounded. This ratio can be used to monitor and evaluate the efficiency of the evacuation plans in a war situation.