[Treatment of penetrating craniocerebral injuries from the Vukovar conflict, 1991-1992. Analysis of a series].

Throughout the course of Vukovar conflict from July, 1991, to May, 1992, there were 37 patients with war craniocerebral injuries evacuated to our Clinic. 29 patients suffered penetrating missile craniocerebral injuries, in 14 (48%) there were fragment wounds and in 15 (52%) gunshot wounds. The series was analyzed according to wounding agents, sites of head penetration, CT scan findings, neurological findings, operative and postoperative complications, and mortality. We have found significant difference in mortality between wounded who sustained fragment wounds (14%) and those with gunshot wounds (27%). Further we emphasize the necessity of CT scanning, concerning a high haematoma incidence of 27 percent. Presence of retained in-driven bone or metal fragments in our series had no influence on development of either seizure disorder or an infectious complication. This supports a thesis of a limited brain debridement as a correct approach in the treatment of penetrating missile injuries.