Activities of the 105th Croatian Army Brigade Medical Corps during the 1991–1992 War

Abstract

The organization and work of the medical corps of the 105th Croatian Army Brigade from Bjelovar, from October 18, 1991 to September 27, 1992, are presented. The brigade operated on the battlefields in East Slavonia, West Slavonia (Novska), and Posavina. Health care was also provided to the civilians living in the area. On their arrival at the battlefield, all members of the 105th Croatian Army Brigade underwent blood group and Rh factor determination and were vaccinated against tetanus. At the battalion and brigade stations, 4,220 diseased and wounded were examined, and 242 surgical procedures were performed, 189 of them under local and 20 under general anesthesia. Respiratory diseases were most common (27.2%), followed by locomotor (14.5%) and gastrointestinal (11.2%) disease. Wounding was recorded in 5.4% of the total number of patients, with 29.3 and 17.5% referring to explosive and gunshot wounds, respectively. Primary care of war wounds was provided in 42.5% of the patients. Total mortality was 2.2%. Wound infection or lethal outcome was not recorded during the triage, treatment, and evacuation.