Personal injury news

Head injury rise reported in Iraq

It has been revealed that US forces serving in Iraq are receiving head injuries at nearly twice the rate of troops in previous wars.

Statistics show that compared to the Vietnam War, when about 12% of all wounded soldiers sustained a brain injury, in Iraq, 22% of those wounded are put out of action with serious head wounds.

The main reason being cited for the escalation in head injuries is the increasing number of IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) used by rebel forces. Basically a booby trap, an IED can be hidden at the side of a road in a pile of rocks, concealed in a stuffed toy, strapped to a car or put anywhere where it can cause maximum personal injury.

This type of weapon will cause an explosion that will blast shrapnel for a considerable distance and anybody within range is likely to suffer serious wounds unless properly protected. Improved body armour now offers great protection to the body, but the head and face is still vulnerable, and it is for this reason that the number of head injuries suffered in Iraq is so great.

The good news for a soldier injured in Iraq is that medical advances and improved body armour mean that he has a much better chance of survival than his predecessors. In World War Two, 30% of all wounded troops died, Vietnam saw a 24% death rate whilst in Iraq only 9% of those injured currently lose their lives.

So far, nearly 17,000 British and US troops have been injured in Iraq.