Craniocerebral injuries in combat soldiers treated at the Sapna war hospital, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

AIM To assess the importance of the first aid and medical care administered on the battlefield and at a field surgical unit for the outcome of craniocerebral war injuries. METHODS State of consciousness of 38 persons with craniocerebral injuries was assessed by the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), and follow-up of the vital signs and neurological deficit were determined by GCS outcome scale. RESULTS Total mortality was 36.8%. The mortality highly correlated with the extent of injury. In general, all patients with Glasgow Coma Scale score of 7 and less died, and those with a higher score survived. CONCLUSION A strict application of the basic principles of the first aid and medical care is a prerequisite for the improvement of the outcome of craniocerebral injuries.