ANALYSIS OF MEDICAL AID TO CROATIAN ARMY SOLDIERS WOUNDED AT THE FRONT-LINE

Objective: Analysis of medical aid to Croatian Army soldiers at the fr ont lines, Methods: This investigation concerned 115 severely wounded Croatian soldiers (males, median age 29 years, range 17-57 years) at t hree rehabilitation institutions, All had been wounded at the front li ne by various explosive devices or bullets. In the investigation, semi -structured clinical interviews were used. Results: First aid was prov ided to 47 soldiers (40.9%) within 15 minutes and to 44 soldiers (38.3 %) within 1 hour, First aid was either self-administered or given by f ellow combatants in 55 cases (47.8%), by physicians in 37 cases (23.2% ), and by medical technicians and orderlies in 21 cases (18.2%), The b asic procedures of medical aid were hemostasis, hemodynamic substituti on, immobilization, and analgesia, First surgical operations were perf ormed at health stations on 4 soldiers (3.5%), at war hospitals on 43 soldiers (37.4%), and at evacuation hospitals on 68 soldiers (59.1%). Conclusion: First aid either self-administered or provided by fellow c ombatants is the most important procedure at the front lines before me dical aid is administered.