Long-term Medical Impact of War Injuries on Military Personnel

Beyond short-term multidisciplinary care, the French Armed Forces Health Service provides medical and surgical care, followed by medical and social care and long-term support for the wounded, especially when they have suffered multiple injuries during operations and are severely disabled. This involves primary phases of rehabilitation to limit the after-effects, preserve the functional prognosis and increase the autonomy of the injured person; secondary medical and social phases of rehabilitation and reintegration to restore the injured person's place in society.

The reconstruction stages are therefore essential. However, little data is available on the evolution of these patients' general health.

A similar follow-up cohort was set up by the British Army to monitor physical injuries during the conflict in Afghanistan. The results suggest the possibility of long-term cardiovascular and neoplastic complications in this population.

Furthermore, there is no data available on the evolution of the health status of war wounded in France. A retrospective study is currently underway, TRAUM-IMPACT RETRO, with the aim of assessing the consequences of 10 years of operational engagements from 2013 to 2023. This study should enable the medical French army service to clarify the topography of injuries and the medical and social outcomes of casualties treated at the Percy National Military Institute of Surgery (HNIA Percy) during this period. Initially, a pilot study followed by a cohort study will enable the investigators to standardise the medical follow-up of war casualties and determine their medical and social outcomes.

The population studied in this clinical trial corresponds to all military personnel repatriated and treated at the Percy National Military Hospital for a war injury defined as follows: "Any physical injury of a certain degree of severity directly related to the presence of the enemy, i.e. in combat or indirectly through effective participation in war operations, preparatory to or consequential to combat. " The investigators hypothesise that severely disabled wounded soldiers are at risk of specific complications leading to excess morbidity and disability, complications associated with ageing, and a risk of social and professional isolation. As a result, the participants require lifelong monitoring to prevent, detect and manage these complications, thereby ensuring that the nation gives its wounded children the recognition the participants deserve.