TY - JOUR
T1 - Battlefield Neck Injuries
T2 - Contemporary Insights From the Israeli National Trauma Registry
AU - Israel Trauma Group
AU - Tsur, Nir
AU - Dudkiewicz, Dean
AU - Talmy, Tomer
AU - Radomislensky, Irina
AU - Givon, Adi
AU - Katorza, Eldad
AU - Bahouth, H.
AU - Bala, M.
AU - Bar, A.
AU - Braslavsky, A.
AU - Czeiger, D.
AU - Fadeev, D.
AU - Goldstein, A. L.
AU - Grevtsev, I.
AU - Hirschhorn, G.
AU - Jeroukhimov, I.
AU - Kedar, A.
AU - Klein, Y.
AU - Korin, A.
AU - Levit, B.
AU - Schrier, I.
AU - Schwarz, A. D.
AU - Shomar, W.
AU - Soffer, D.
AU - Weiss, M.
AU - Yaslowitz, O.
AU - Zoarets, I.
AU - Twig, Gilad
AU - Rittblat, Mor
AU - Shapira, Shahar
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025
PY - 2025/8/1
Y1 - 2025/8/1
N2 - Objectives: Neck injuries in warfare are critical due to the concentration of vital structures within a relatively unprotected anatomical region. This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the epidemiology, severity, and outcomes of neck injuries during Military operations under “Operation Swords of War,” leveraging data from the Israeli National Trauma Registry. Methods: Data were retrospectively collected for casualties from October 7, 2023, through December 31, 2023. Injury characteristics, time to surgical exploration, and in-hospital outcomes were analyzed. Results: A total of 1815 trauma casualties were recorded, with 147 (8.1%) suffering from neck injuries. The majority of these injuries were due to penetrating trauma (89.8%), with a significant number leading to surgical exploration (45.0%). The study highlighted the extensive use of resources for managing these severe injuries, including operating rooms and intensive care units. Conclusion: The findings underscore the high prevalence and severity of neck injuries in military conflicts and the critical need for rapid assessment and intervention. Comparisons with previous conflicts suggest an improvement in survival rates due to enhanced medical response and triage efficiency. In conclusion, neck injuries remain a significant concern in combat settings, necessitating specialized trauma care and rapid intervention strategies. The results from this study provide vital insights that can help improve trauma care protocols and outcomes in future conflicts.
AB - Objectives: Neck injuries in warfare are critical due to the concentration of vital structures within a relatively unprotected anatomical region. This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the epidemiology, severity, and outcomes of neck injuries during Military operations under “Operation Swords of War,” leveraging data from the Israeli National Trauma Registry. Methods: Data were retrospectively collected for casualties from October 7, 2023, through December 31, 2023. Injury characteristics, time to surgical exploration, and in-hospital outcomes were analyzed. Results: A total of 1815 trauma casualties were recorded, with 147 (8.1%) suffering from neck injuries. The majority of these injuries were due to penetrating trauma (89.8%), with a significant number leading to surgical exploration (45.0%). The study highlighted the extensive use of resources for managing these severe injuries, including operating rooms and intensive care units. Conclusion: The findings underscore the high prevalence and severity of neck injuries in military conflicts and the critical need for rapid assessment and intervention. Comparisons with previous conflicts suggest an improvement in survival rates due to enhanced medical response and triage efficiency. In conclusion, neck injuries remain a significant concern in combat settings, necessitating specialized trauma care and rapid intervention strategies. The results from this study provide vital insights that can help improve trauma care protocols and outcomes in future conflicts.
KW - ICU admission and outcomes
KW - combat-related neck trauma
KW - military conflict epidemiology
KW - penetrating injuries
KW - rapid intervention strategies
KW - surgical exploration
KW - trauma registry analysis
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105008564555
U2 - 10.1016/j.acepjo.2025.100211
DO - 10.1016/j.acepjo.2025.100211
M3 - Article
C2 - 40641888
AN - SCOPUS:105008564555
SN - 2688-1152
VL - 6
JO - JACEP Open
JF - JACEP Open
IS - 4
M1 - 100211
ER -