Hand grenade blast injuries in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo: a case series of 38 patients
Dublin Core
Title
Hand grenade blast injuries in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo: a case series of 38 patients
Subject
Confict, Democratic Republic of Congo, Grenade injury, Trauma, Survival
Description
Introduction: The armed confict in the Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo has caused close to
12,000 deaths. One of the most lethal weapons in armed conficts is the high explosive hand grenade. The study
aimed to describe the epidemiology, presentation, and outcomes of hand grenade blast injuries (HGBI) in the Kivu
province.
Methods: In this case series, the authors present 2017 to 2020 HGBI admissions at a Congolese trauma center.
Measures of central tendency and spread were computed for continuous data. Complication and mortality rates were
equally computed. Admission-to-discharge data were disaggregated by the body part injured and by complication
status and visualized using time-to-event curves.
Results: Thirty-eight HGBI patients aged 31.4 (range 17–56) years were included in the study. Twenty-six (68.4%) were
male and the patients were admitted 1.8days post-injury on average. The patients were hemodynamically stable at
admission; 84.2% received the antitetanic vaccine, 21.1% received broad-spectrum antibiotics, and all were debrided
(100.0%). The complication rate was 13.2%, and the most common complication was anemia (7.9%). In addition, the
mortality rate was 2.6%. The median admission-to-discharge time was 17.0 (range 4–71) days, and it was prolonged in
patients with lower extremity injuries (23.0days).
Conclusion: HGBIs cause avertable death and disability in the Kivu regions. These data suggest that the burden of
HGBIs can be reduced with appropriate preventive and health systems strengthening interventions.
12,000 deaths. One of the most lethal weapons in armed conficts is the high explosive hand grenade. The study
aimed to describe the epidemiology, presentation, and outcomes of hand grenade blast injuries (HGBI) in the Kivu
province.
Methods: In this case series, the authors present 2017 to 2020 HGBI admissions at a Congolese trauma center.
Measures of central tendency and spread were computed for continuous data. Complication and mortality rates were
equally computed. Admission-to-discharge data were disaggregated by the body part injured and by complication
status and visualized using time-to-event curves.
Results: Thirty-eight HGBI patients aged 31.4 (range 17–56) years were included in the study. Twenty-six (68.4%) were
male and the patients were admitted 1.8days post-injury on average. The patients were hemodynamically stable at
admission; 84.2% received the antitetanic vaccine, 21.1% received broad-spectrum antibiotics, and all were debrided
(100.0%). The complication rate was 13.2%, and the most common complication was anemia (7.9%). In addition, the
mortality rate was 2.6%. The median admission-to-discharge time was 17.0 (range 4–71) days, and it was prolonged in
patients with lower extremity injuries (23.0days).
Conclusion: HGBIs cause avertable death and disability in the Kivu regions. These data suggest that the burden of
HGBIs can be reduced with appropriate preventive and health systems strengthening interventions.
Creator
Paul Munguakonkwa Budema, Romeo Bujiriri Murhega, Tshibambe Nathanael Tshimbombu, Georges Kuyigwa Toha, Fabrice Gulimwentuga Cikomola, Paterne Safari Mudekereza, Léon‑Emmanuel Mubenga, Ghislain Maheshe Balemba, Darck Cubaka Badesire and Ulrick Sidney Kanmounye
Publisher
BMC Emergency Medicine
Date
(2022) 22:43
Contributor
Fajar bagus W
Format
PDf
Language
English
Type
Text
Files
Collection
Citation
Paul Munguakonkwa Budema, Romeo Bujiriri Murhega, Tshibambe Nathanael Tshimbombu, Georges Kuyigwa Toha, Fabrice Gulimwentuga Cikomola, Paterne Safari Mudekereza, Léon‑Emmanuel Mubenga, Ghislain Maheshe Balemba, Darck Cubaka Badesire and Ulrick Sidney Kanmounye, “Hand grenade blast injuries in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo: a case series of 38 patients,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed March 12, 2025, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/3948.