Long Range Transport of War-Related Burn Casualties

BACKGROUND:US military burn casualties are evacuated to the US Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center in San Antonio, TX. Patients are transported by US Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Flight Teams, Air Force Critical Care Air Transport Teams, or routine aeromedical evacuation. This study characterizes the military burn casualties transported by each team and reports associated outcomes. METHODS:We performed a retrospective review of burn center registry data, identifying all US burn casualties admitted to the Armyʼs burn center between March 2003 and February 2007. Data included total body surface area (TBSA) burn, ventilatory status, inhalational injury, associated injuries, injury severity, disposition, morbidity, and mortality. RESULTS:During 4 years of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, 540 casualties were admitted to our burn center for treatment of injuries resulting from war-related operations. Mean burn size was 16.7% total body surface area (range,