Civilian injuries due to unexploded ordnance in military training areas in southern Israel

Background: The problem of unexploded ordnance (UXO) is global and is usually associated with active or former war zones. Civilian injuries due to UXO in military training areas are not common. Methods: This is a retrospective case series study based on prospectively collected data on patients who sustained injuries from UXO explosions and were admitted to the Soroka University Trauma Center during a five-year period. Results: Twelve patients were included in this series. All patients were Bedouin and the distribution of injuries was concentrated around the head and upper and lower extremities, with sparing of the torso. Conclusion: Awareness and implementation of preventive measures are expected to reduce the incidence of this type of injury.