Injuries from Antitank Mines in Southern Croatia

Military Medicine,  Apr 2004  by Radonic, Vedran,  Giunio, Lovel,  Biocic, Mihovil,  Tripkovic, Andro,  Et al

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Objective: Antitank mines inflict devastating injuries that are usually fatal. The objective of this retrospective study was to analyze antitank mine casualties in South Croatia during the period from 1991 to 1995. Methods: Mechanism, degree of injury according to Abbreviated Injury Scale and Injury Severity Score, as well as surgical treatment were analyzed. Findings: Of 464 mine victims, 42 (9.0%) patients sustained antitank mine injuries, and 12 of these were fatal (29%). Abbreviated Injury Scale of the antitank mine injuries was 5.3 ± 10.6. Military personnel were injured in 29 cases, and civilians were injured in 13 cases. Conclusion: Although injuries from antitank mines were ravaging, and frequently fatal, a significant number of patients survived.

Introduction

Antitank mines are designed for the destruction and damage of armored and other vehicles, usually by creating mine-fields on the roads used by tanks. These mines, with great range, a huge amount of strong explosive, and great destructive force, can be buried in all types of ground, on railroad lines, in coastal areas and river approaches, and they can be buried in groups to form minefields or separately.

The first antitank mines appeared in World War I as a weapon against the first armored vehicles. During World War II, technological progress in the production of antitank mines enabled their widespread tactical application. One-fourth of all German tanks were destroyed by mines in the Russian-German conflict.1,2 Further technological improvement after World War II made the antitank mine one of the most efficient and least expensive lethal weapons. There are several hundred different types of antitank mines in the world today. The war in Croatia had the characteristics of conventional contemporary conflict with the significant use of mine-explosive devices.3-9 The conditions for the application of antitank mines were markedly favorable.10, 11 Antitank mines amount to 20% of the presumed total 2 million land mines laid during the war in Croatia. The purpose of this article was to describe injuries inflicted by antitank mines in South Croatia in the period from June 1991 through December 1995 with regard to the type of mines used, the mechanism and location of injury, and Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) and Injury Severity Score (ISS).12-17

Methods

Patients injured by antitank mines in Southern Croatia from June 1991 to December 1995 admitted to Clinical Hospital Split were analyzed. Age, sex, military or civilian status of casualties, type of explosion incident, and mechanism of injury were noted. The severity of injury was assessed according to AIS and ISS. Surgical treatment and outcome were analyzed.

Results

Of the total number of 464 mine victims during the 5-year period, 42 (9.0%) were injured by antitank mines (Fig. 1). The mean age of the injured was 32 years, and all but one were men, with the only woman injured while sitting by the driver (Table I). Most of the injured (29) were armed forces personnel and 13 were civilians, mostly refugees. Among civilian victims were three American reporters whose vehicle went astray (lost its way) and met with the mines on a secondary road. A 12-year-old refugee boy was injured sitting by the driver. Of 26 vehicles that met with the mines, there were 15 cars, 3 lorries, 2 buses, 2 jeeps, 1 transporter, 1 excavator, 1 tractor, and 1 ambulance. The mean time of the vehicle meeting the mine was 13.00 ± 3.13 hours. AIS of the antitank mines injuries was 5.3 + 0.6. Of 42 injured, 3 patients had severe injury with massive tissue destruction and traumatic amputation of the upper leg and 1 had severe injury with massive tissue destruction and traumatic amputation of both upper legs as well as a ruptured liver.

There were two cases of traumatic amputation of the lower leg accompanied in both by fractured calcaneus of the opposite leg, and in one by an eye injury. Eye injuries were present in seven additional patients, and the driver of the excavator lost both of his eyes. One of these injured underwent a laparotomy because a large stone crashed into his abdomen, injuring omentum and mesentery. Calcaneus fractures, often with luxation, were found in six more injured. Two of them had a fractured tibia, one had a fracture of the femur, but with fractures of both calcanei. Three patients had only a lower leg fracture. A fractured mandibula was found in three patients, and a fractured maxilla with an eye injury in was found in one patient. Cranium fractures were found in two patients, and one of them had a brain prolapse.