Landmine associated injuries in children in Turkey

Can, Muhammet; Yildirimcan, Humeyra; Ozkalipci, Onder; Melek, Mehmet; Edirne, Yesim; Bicer, Umit; Uner, Huseyin Bulent

doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2009.07.017

« Previous Next »Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
Volume 16, Issue 8 , Pages 464-468, November 2009

Landmine associated injuries in children in Turkey

Muhammet Can, MD (Assistant Professor of Forensic Medicine)
- Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Yuzuncu Yil, Van, Turkey
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +90 505 2342574; fax: +90 432 2168352.
Humeyra Yildirimcan, MD (Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology)
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Yuzuncu Yil, Van, Turkey
Onder Ozkalipci, MD (Forensic Medicine Specialist)
- International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), Copenhagen K, Denmark
Mehmet Melek, MD (Assistant Professor of Pediatric Surgery)
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Yuzuncu Yil, Van, Turkey
Yesim Edirne, MD (Assistant Professor of Pediatric Surgery)
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Yuzuncu Yil, Van, Turkey
Umit Bicer, MD (Professor of Forensic Medicine)
- Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Kocaeli, Kocaeli, Turkey
Huseyin Bulent Uner, PhD (Professor of Forensic Medicine)
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey

Received 2 April 2009; accepted 1 July 2009.

Abstract

This study aims to examine trends of injuries due to landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) and to determine problems during and after the treatment of children and adolescent victims in Turkey. Data from the records of 23 children injured from landmines and UXO were analyzed from April 2001 to October 2008. Cases consist of 21 (91.3%) males and two (8.7%) females with a mean age of 12.8years. Cause of injury was landmine explosion in 20 (87.0%) and UXO in three (13.0%) cases. Injuries in upper and lower extremities were determined in eight (34.8%) children. Hand amputation was the result in 10 (43.5%) children where in two cases a leg, in one case an eye, in one case a hand and arm, in two cases a hand and leg, in one case an eye and a leg and in three cases a hand and eye were lost. One case of death was recorded from UXO with an autopsy performed. Contaminated areas in our region should be cleared according to international contracts to prevent injuries in children, centers providing rehabilitation services should be established and policies regarding social support for child victims should be ascertained.