Combat Injuries of the Elbow

Abstract

Improvements in the design of combat body armor have made injuries to the chest, abdomen, and head much less common than in any other conflict in history. Unfortunately, the extremities remain largely exposed due to weight and mobility considerations. As a combat surgeon, you will see more extremity injuries than any other type of injury. For this reason, surgeons who are involved with acute combat casualty care should have a working knowledge of extremity war injury management. Specifically, this chapter will focus on elbow injuries.