War surgical care--experience from Franciscan Hospital "dr. fra Mato Nikolić" in Nova Bila during conflict in Central Bosnia (1993-1994).

This report presents experience in treatment of war injuries in Franciscan hospital »dr. fra Mato Nikolic« in Nova Bila, during the war in Central Bosnia from 1993 to 1994, in conditions of encirclement and typhoid fever outbreak. Descriptive-retrospective analysis of organization, implementation and outcomes of surgical care for patients treated from January 1, 1993 till August 20, 1994. In this period, the hospital took care of 2500 wounded persons, 2286 (91.4%) of them male and 214 (8.6%) female, their the average age being 31.5 ± 12.8. There were 1412 gunshot injuries (56.5%), 1022 explosive injuries (40.9%), and 66 blunt injuries (2.6%). There were 1250 injuries to extremities (50.0%), 349 injuries to head and neck (14%), 233 chest injuries (9.3%) and 193 injuries to abdomen (7.7%). There were also 475 multiple injuries (19%). Surgical operations were performed in 1498 patients (60%), with surgical mortality rate of 4.5%. Total hospital mortality rate was 11.4 percent (n=286). Despite extremely difficult conditions of work and lack of doctors, we achieved a low hospital mortality rate. The hospital continued to work after the war. Today, it is a modern health institution in Lasva Valley, Central Bosnia.