BACKGROUND: The pattern of injury in Thai military personnel had been changed since the conflict in southern Thailand. The increasing number of blast injuries from improvised explosive devices caused more complex injury pattern. The purpose of the present study was to report characteristics of blast and firearm injury and distribution of injuries and body region involvement. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records of Thai military personnel injured from conflict in southern Thailand who required admission and then referred to Phramongkutklao Hospital from January 2007 to December 2007. RESULTS: There were 100 victims with 188 body region injuries. All were male. Most of them (55%) ranged from ages 18 to 30 years. Blast injury was the most common injury and affected 71% of the victims. The most common type of blast injury was type II (bomb fragments), 73.24%. Firearm injury was 29%. All firearm injuries were high-velocity gunshot wounds. The most common region of injuries was extremities 51.6% (blast, 37.8% and firearm, 13.8%). The torso (chest, abdomen, trunk, pelvis) was the second most injured region, 24.5% (blast 18.1% and firearm 6.4%). The third most affected region was other parts of the head 21.8% (blast 19.7% and firearm 2.1%). CONCLUSION: Conflict in southern Thailand has increased the number of blast injuries mostly type II in Thai military personnel and the most common affected region was upper and lower extremities due to no protective suit. The rate of injuries of torso and unprotected part of the head was still in the second and third places that should be of concern. The difference of characteristics and distribution of blast and firearm injuries is very important for effective medical treatment and preparing equipment for prevention of injuries in the future.
BACKGROUND: The pattern of injury in Thai military personnel had been changed since the conflict in southern Thailand. The increasing number of blast injuries from improvised explosive devices caused more complex injury pattern. The purpose of the present study was to report characteristics of blast and firearm injury and distribution of injuries and body region involvement. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records of Thai military personnel injured from conflict in southern Thailand who required admission and then referred to Phramongkutklao Hospital from January 2007 to December 2007. RESULTS: There were 100 victims with 188 body region injuries. All were male. Most of them (55%) ranged from ages 18 to 30 years. Blast injury was the most common injury and affected 71% of the victims. The most common type of blast injury was type II (bomb fragments), 73.24%. Firearm injury was 29%. All firearm injuries were high-velocity gunshot wounds. The most common region of injuries was extremities 51.6% (blast, 37.8% and firearm, 13.8%). The torso (chest, abdomen, trunk, pelvis) was the second most injured region, 24.5% (blast 18.1% and firearm 6.4%). The third most affected region was other parts of the head 21.8% (blast 19.7% and firearm 2.1%). CONCLUSION: Conflict in southern Thailand has increased the number of blast injuries mostly type II in Thai military personnel and the most common affected region was upper and lower extremities due to no protective suit. The rate of injuries of torso and unprotected part of the head was still in the second and third places that should be of concern. The difference of characteristics and distribution of blast and firearm injuries is very important for effective medical treatment and preparing equipment for prevention of injuries in the future.