THE SECOND LEBANON WAR – STATISTICAL DETAILS

Abstract

During the second Lebanon war, between 12/07/06 to 14/08/06, 241 war injuries were admitted to Rambam Medical Center emergency room: 202 soldiers and 39 citizens. (Post traumatic stress disorders victims were not included). Majority of the injured soldiers (98%) were mobilized by the Israeli Air Force helicopters. More then 40 helicopters had landed in the hospital heliport during the war. Distribution of injuries according to the injury type:

1. 110 patients (44% of all injured) had Orthopedic injuries (including hand injuries)

2. 76 patients (31% of all injured) had Orthopedic injuries combined with other injuries

3. Not orthopedic injury – 63 patients (25%) Majority of all wounded (75%) had suffered from an orthopedic injury.

Distributions of soldier’s injuries among soldiers were similar to the above :

1. 81 soldiers (41%) Orthopedic injuries (including hand injuries)

2. 64 soldiers (33%) Orthopedic injuries combined with other injuries

3. 50 soldiers (26 %) Not orthopedic injury

About 75 % of the injured soldiers suffered from orthopedic injuries. Vast majority of the injuries were shrapnel injuries, which were divided to 3 levels:

1. Mild soft tissue damage due to few or superficial shrapnel injury – 107 (49%) soldiers.

2. Moderate soft tissue injuries due to multiple shrapnel injuries – 54 (25%) soldiers.

3. Severe soft tissue injuries had muscular and neurovascular damage.

Organs injury distribution:

1. 24 Patients total of 54 fractures, 24 of those had been long bone fractures

2. 17 Patients had sustained a Major vascular injury.

3. 20 Patients had sustained a nerves injury.

Amputation – 5 soldiers were underwent completion of traumatic lower limb amputation. One soldiers had bilateral below knee amputation, 1 above knee amputation and 3 unilateral below knee amputation.

Two hundred and three orthopedic surgery interventions were done by Orthopedics’ B’ department in Rambam Medical Hospital, during the Second Lebanon War.