Lower urinary tract injuries in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)

WAR INJURIES The historical incidence of combat urologic injuries is 0.5 to 8.0%. Current conflicts in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) or Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) have resulted in greater than 50,000 American trauma casualties with over 16,000 trauma admission entries in the Joint Theater Trauma Registry (JTTR). In the study by Serkin et al, 819 patients (5%) had one or more genitourinary (GU) injuries for a total of 887 GU injuries in OIF/OEF from October 2001 to January 2008. Lower urinary tract (bladder and urethra) trauma accounts for approximately 30% of these GU injuries. It is crucial that these injuries are promptly recognized and appropriately managed in theater.