More than 200 wounded troops have arrived at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany from Iraq within the past three days, medical officials said.
The majority of the injuries are a result of the fighting in Fallujah, where American and Iraqi government troops trying to subdue insurgents in the city have come under heavy sniper fire, according to news reports.
Lt. Col. Richard Jordan, a physician at the hospital’s Deployed Warrior Center, was quoted by The Associated Press as saying the majority of injuries were “significant, but not major.”
Incoming wounded are assessed at the center after their six-hour plane trip from the Middle East.
Marie Shaw, an LRMC spokeswoman, said most injuries are from blasts, burns or gunshot wounds.
However, there were several intensive-care cases involving brain or spinal injuries or traumatic amputation of limbs, Jordan said.
The rest of the wounded are receiving general and orthopedic surgeries, Shaw added.
The medical center has stepped up its capacity load by adding 10 beds to the intensive care unit, now making 28 slots available, as well as increasing the medical/surgical ward by 40 beds, allowing for about 200 patients, Shaw said.
She said the wounded will be staying at Landstuhl long enough to become stable and then will either be moving to stateside facilities or back downrange, if well enough.
“We have constant movement of patients coming in and out,” Shaw said. “We’re very busy.”
Shaw said the change in environment is working wonders for the injured troops.
“The patients are in good spirits. Their attitude is upbeat and they’re doing well,” she said.
“Coming to the facility has made them a whole lot more confident.”
Jordan said the staff was coping well with the heavy work load, the AP reported.
“We have had some people calling and volunteering to come in from other bases to help out,” Jordan said.
Shaw said Army and hospital officials will issue a formal update on the wounded by Sunday and patients will be available for comment by Monday.
