Terrorist bombings. Lessons learned from Belfast to Beirut.

Experience in the management of mass casualties following a disaster is relatively sparse. The terrorist bombing serves as a timely and effective model for the analysis of patterns of injury and mortality and the determination of the factors influencing casualty survival in the wake of certain forms of disaster. For this purpose, a review of the published experience with terrorist bombings was carried out, providing a study population of 3357 casualties from 220 incidents worldwide. There were 2934 immediate survivors of these incidents (87%), of whom 881 (30%) were hospitalized. Forty deaths ultimately occurred among these survivors (1.4%), 39 of whom were among those hospitalized (4.4%). Injury severity was determined from available data for 1339 surviving casualties, 251 of whom were critically injured (18.7%). Of this population evaluable for injury severity, there were 31 late deaths, all of which occurred among those critically injured, accounting for an overall "critical mortality" rate of 12.4%. Overall triage efficiency was characterized by a mean overtriage rate (noncritically injured among those hospitalized or evacuated) of 59%, and a mean undertriage rate (critically injured among those not hospitalized or evacuated) of .05%. Multiple linear regression analysis of all major bombing incidents demonstrated a direct linear relationship between overtriage and critical mortality (r2 = .845), and an inversely proportional relationship between triage discrimination and critical mortality (r2 = 0.855). Although head injuries predominated in both immediate (71%) and late (52%) fatalities, injury to the abdomen carried the highest specific mortality rate (19%) of any single body system injury among immediate survivors. These data clearly document the importance of accurate triage as a survival determinant for critically injured casualties of these disasters. Furthermore, the data suggest that explosive force, time interval from injury to treatment, and anatomic site of injury are all factors that correlated with the ultimate outcome of terrorist bombing victims. Critical analysis of past disasters should allow for sufficient preparation so as to minimize casualty mortality in the future.     

Injury Patterns from Major Urban Terrorist Bombings in Trains: The Madrid Experience

BACKGROUND: Terrorist urban mass casualty incidents (MCI) in the last 3 years have targeted commuter trains at rush hour, producing large numbers of casualties. Civilian care providers are usually not familiar with the types of blast injuries sustained by victims of these MCI. METHODS: We focus on the injury patterns sustained by casualties of the Madrid, 11 March 2004, terrorist bombings, at the seven hospitals that received most victims. Data were gathered of casualties who had injuries other than superficial bruises, transient hearing loss from barotrauma without eardrum perforation, and/or emotional shock. The degree of severity in critical patients was assessed with the ISS. RESULTS: The bombings resulted in 177 immediate fatalities, 9 early deaths, and 5 late deaths. Most survivors had noncritical injuries, but 72 (14%) of 512 casualties assessed had an Injury Severity Score (ISS) >15. The critical mortality rate was of 19.5%. The most frequently injured body regions were the head-neck and face. Almost 50% of casualties had ear-drum perforation, and 60% of them were bilateral. There were 43 documented cases of blast lung injury, with a survival rate of 88.3%. Maxillofacial and open long-bone fractures were most prevalent. Gustillo's grade III of severity predominated in tibia-fibular and humeral fractures. Upper thoracic fractures (D1-6 segment) represented 65% of all vertebral fractures and were associated with severe blast to the torso. Severe burns were uncommon. Eye injuries were frequent, although most were of a mild-to-moderate severity. Abdominal visceral lesions were present in 25 (5%) patients. A multidisciplinary approach was necessary in most operated patients, and orthopedic trauma procedures accounted for 50% of the caseload in the first 24 h. CONCLUSIONS: Ninety-three percent of the fatalities of the Madrid trains terrorist bombings were immediate, and most survivors had noncritical injuries. Closed doors increased the immediate fatality rate in the trains. Severely wounded casualties presented specific patterns of injuries, some of them life-threatening and unusual in other types of trauma mechanisms. Ear-lobe amputations and upper thoracic spine fractures were markers of critical injuries.     

Two New York City hospitals' surgical response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack in New York City

BACKGROUND: We describe the surgical response of two affiliated hospitals during the day of, and week following, the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attack at the World Trade Center in New York City. The city of New York has 18 state designated regional trauma centers that receive major trauma victims. The southern half of Manhattan is served by a burn center, two regional trauma centers, and a community hospital that is an affiliate of one of the regional trauma centers. This report accounts for the surgical response by a regional trauma center (Hospital A, located 2.5 miles from the World Trade Center) and its affiliate hospital (Hospital B, located 5 city blocks from the World Trade Center) on September 11th when two commercial jets crashed into the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center mall. METHODS: Hospital A maintained a concurrent log of patients received during the first 5 hours, the first day, and the first week after the disaster which was kept by the Surgical Triage Officer. The trauma registry completed and verified this data by September 18th. Hospital B collected its data by hand counting and verification by chart review. Both hospitals, A and B, had established disaster plans that were implemented. RESULTS: Nine hundred eleven patients were received by two affiliated hospitals from the World Trade Center attack. Seven hundred seventy six patients (85%) were walking wounded, sustaining mild inhalation and eye irritant injuries. One hundred thirty five (15%) were admitted with 18 (13%) of these undergoing surgery. Twenty two of the 23 transfers were from the community hospital to specialized orthopedic or burn centers. Of the 109 patients admitted to Hospital A, 30 were to the surgical service. The mean ISS score of these patients was 12. There were 4 deaths (within minutes of arrival at the hospital) and 6 delayed deaths (day 1-14). Excluding walking wounded and DOAs, the critical mortality rate was 37.5% overall. CONCLUSION: The September 11th, 2001, terrorist attack in New York City, involving two commercial airliners crashing into the World Trade Center, led to 911 patients received at two affiliated hospitals in lower Manhattan. One hospital is a regional trauma center and one was an affiliate community hospital. Eighty five percent of the patients received were walking wounded. Of the rest, 13% underwent surgical procedures with an overall critical mortality rate of 37.5%.     

Overall Asessment of the Response to Terrorist Bombings in Trains,Madrid, 11 March 2004

Objectives  To provide an overall assessment of the response to the terrorist bombings in Madrid, 11 March 2004, which were considered the deadliest terrorist attack on European soil in modern times. Materials and Methods  Overall data on the number of victims treated at the scenes and at primary care facilities and hospitals, as well as the logistics involved, were reported by the EMS and the Health Authority of the Comunidad de Madrid local government. Data were mainly obtained by retrospective chart review, and did not include casualties who had only emotional shock, superficial bruises or transient hearing loss from barotraumas without eardrum perforation. We defined as critical any casualty with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) >15. Results  Over 70,000 personnel were mobilized in the care of the victims. EMS response and total evacuation times at the four blast scenes averaged 7 and 99 min, respectively. There were around 2,000 casualties, and a typical bimodal distribution of deaths, with 177 immediate fatalities and 14 subsequent in-hospital deaths. Almost 60% of casualties were taken to the two closest hospitals. Problems related to security, identification of casualties and record-keeping were encountered at the closest hospital. Closed doors increased the immediate fatality rate in the trains. Most survivors had noncritical injuries, but 14% of the 512 casualties assessed had an ISS >15. The critical mortality rate was 19.5%. The most frequently injured body regions were the head/neck and face. In all, 124 major surgical interventions were performed on 82 victims in the first 24 h, and orthopedic trauma procedures accounted for 50% of the case load. Most patients with lung injuries from the blasts required intubation and mechanical ventilation, and their survival rate was 88.3%. Also, 35% of laparotomies were either negative or nontherapeutic. Conclusion  There was a rapid EMS response and evacuation, but also overtriage, uneven distribution of casualties and difficulties in communication. The sizes and resources of the closest hospitals, as well as the early hour, were probably decisive in the adequacy of the overall response. First Published on January 29, 2007. Doi 10.1080/15031430701680340     

Does prehospital fluid administration impact core body temperature and coagulation functions in combat casualties?

BACKGROUND: Administration of large amounts of fluids to trauma patients, in the absence of surgical control, may increase bleeding, cause hypothermia and coagulopathy which may worsen the bleeding and increase morbidity and mortality. The purpose of our study is to examine the impact of prehospital fluid administration to military combat casualties on core body temperature and coagulation functions. METHODS: Prospective data were collected on all cases of moderately (9 < or = ISS < or = 14) and severely (ISS > or = 16) injured victims wounded in South Lebanon, treated by Israeli military physicians and evacuated to hospitals in Israel, over a two-year period. Data regarding prehospital phase of injury (timetables, amount of fluids) and upon hospital arrival (initial core body temperature, prothrombin time [PT], partial thromboplastin time [PTT]) were examined for monotonic relation using Spearman's non-parametric test. RESULTS: Fifty-three moderately injured and 31 severely injured patients were included in the study. The average evacuation time for the moderately injured group was 109.3 +/- 44.8 min, and for the severely injured 100.3 +/- 38.4 min (P value=NS). The mean volume of fluids administered was 2.39 +/- 1.52 and 2.49 +/- 1.47 l, respectively (P=NS). No statistical correlation was found between core body temperature, PT or PTT, measured upon hospital arrival, and prehospital fluid treatment. In addition, no correlation was found between core body temperature on hospital arrival and prehospital time, or between prehospital fluid volumes and prehospital time. The mean core body temperature of the moderately injured patients was 36.8 degrees C, and that of severely injured was 35.8 degrees C (P=0.026). CONCLUSIONS: With proper control of blood loss and avoidance of excessive fluid administration, moderately and severely injured combat casualties in 'low intensity conflict' in South Lebanon can be resuscitated with fluid volumes that do not result in a coagulation deficit or hypothermia. The core body temperature on arrival at the hospital is related to the severity of the injury.     

The 1983 Beirut Airport terrorist bombing. Injury patterns and implications for disaster management

The casualty profile and results of the medical care provided for the survivors of the terrorist truck bombing of the U.S. Marine Corps facility in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1983 were reviewed to determine the factors that influenced casualty survival. This explosion resulted in 346 casualties, of whom 234 (68%) were immediately killed. The spectrum of injury was determined in 85 survivors using the Injury Severity Score (ISS). There were seven (6.3%) deaths among the 112 immediate survivors. All deaths occurred among the 19 (17%) victims who were critically injured (ISS greater than 15), giving a mortality in this population of 37 per cent. Six (86%) of the seven deaths were associated with an initial delay in treatment. Head injury was the most common fatal injury among both immediate fatalities (71.4%) and immediate survivors (57%). Thoracic injury and burns each accounted for 29 per cent of survivor deaths. Triage efficiency, as determined by the rates of overtriage (80%) and undertriage (0), did not appear adversely to affect mortality. Critical analysis of disasters such as this can contribute to improvements in preparation and casualty care in the event of future disasters.     

Patient distribution in a mass casualty event of an airplane crash

Introduction

Difficulties have been reported in the patient distribution during Mass Casualty Incidents. In this study we analysed the regional patient distribution protocol (PDP) and the actual patient distribution after the 2009 Turkish Airlines crash near Amsterdam.

Methods

Analysis of the patient distribution of 126 surviving casualties of the crash by collecting data on medical treatment capacity, number of patients received per hospital, triage classification, Injury Severity Score (ISS), secondary transfers, distance from the crash site, and the critical mortality rate.

Results

The PDP holds ambiguous definitions of medical treatment capacity and was not followed. There were 14 receiving hospitals (distance from crash: 5.8–53.5 km); four hospitals received 133–213% of their treatment capacity, and 5 hospitals received 1 patient. Three hospitals within 20 km of the crash did not receive any casualties. Level I trauma centres received 89% of the ‘critical’ casualties and 92% of the casualties with ISS ≥ 16. Only 3 casualties were secondarily transferred, and no casualties died in, or on the way to hospital (critical mortality rate = 0%).

Conclusion

Patient distribution worked out well after the crash as secondary transfers were low and critical mortality rate was zero. However, the regional PDP was not followed in this MCI and casualties were unevenly distributed among hospitals. The PDP is indistinctive, and should be updated in cooperation between Emergency Services, surrounding hospitals, and Schiphol International Airport as a high risk area.     

A descriptive analysis of injury triage, surge of medical demand, and resource use in an university hospital after 8.12 Tianjin Port Explosion, China

Objective: The 8.12 Tianjin Port Explosion in 2015 caused heavy casualties. Pingjin Hospital, an affiliated college hospital in Tianjin, China participated in the rescue activities. This study aims to analyze the emergency medical response to this event and share experience with trauma physicians to optimize the use of medical resource and reduce mortality of critical patients. Methods: As a trauma centre at the accident city, our hospital treated 298 patients. We retrospectively analyzed the data of emergency medical response, including injury triage, injury type, ICU patient flow, and medical resource use. Results: There were totally 165 deaths, 8 missing, and 797 non-fatal injuries in this explosion. Our hospital treated 298 casualties in two surges of medical demand. The first one appeared at 1 h after explosion when 147 wounded were received and the second one at 4 h when 31 seriously injured patients were received, among whom 29 were transferred from Tianjin Emergency Center which was responsible for the scene injury triage. After reexamination and triage, only 11 cases were defined as critical ill patients. The over-triage rate reached as high as 62.07%. Seventeen patients underwent surgery and 17 patients were admitted to the intensive care unit. Conclusions: The present pre-hospital system is incomplete and may induce two surges of medical demand. The first one has a much larger number of casualties than predicted but the injury level is mild; while the second one has less wounded but almost all of them are critical patients. The over-triage rate is high. The hospital emergency response can be improved by an effective re-triage and implementation of a hospital-wide damage control.     

汶川地震陇南灾区伤情调查与分析

目的：调查分析汶川地震甘肃陇南伤情情况，进一步讨论如何采取措施应对突发灾害。方法：采用问卷调查、访谈等方法，对甘肃陇南地震受灾人口进行抽样调查，重点对伤员伤情、致伤原因、救治方法进行统计学分析。结果：在此次地震伤抽样调查中共有1652例，死亡16例，四肢骨折患者750例，占45．4％，精神、神经方面40例，占2．4％。通过有组织的及时救助伤员，减少了并发症的发生，降低了死亡率。结论：加强地震伤的预防与救治，从而有效地减少致死率和致残率。     

The surgical management of facial trauma in British soldiers during combat operations in Afghanistan

IntroductionThe recent Afghanistan conflict caused a higher proportion of casualties with facial injuries due to both the increasing effectiveness of combat body armour and the insurgent use of the improvised explosive device (IED). The aim of this study was to describe all injuries to the face sustained by UK service personnel from blast or gunshot wounds during the highest intensity period of combat operations in Afghanistan.MethodsHospital records and Joint Theatre Trauma Registry data were collected for all UK service personnel killed or wounded by blast and gunshot wounds in Afghanistan between 01 April 2006 and 01 March 2013.Results566 casualties were identified, 504 from blast and 52 from gunshot injuries. 75% of blast injury casualties survived and the IED was the most common mechanism of injury with the mid-face the most commonly affected facial region. In blast injuries a facial fracture was a significant marker for increased total injury severity score. A facial gunshot wound was fatal in 53% of cases. The majority of survivors required a single surgical procedure for the facial injury but further reconstruction was required in 156 of the 375 of survivors aero medically evacuated to the UK.ConclusionsThe presence and pattern of facial fractures was significantly different in survivors and fatalities, which may reflect the power of the blast that these cohorts were exposed to. The Anatomical Injury Scoring of the Injury Severity Scale was inadequate for determining the extent of soft tissue facial injuries and did not predict morbidity of the injury.     

New injury severity score (NISS) outperforms injury severity score (ISS) in the evaluation of severe blunt trauma patients

Purpose: The injury severity score (ISS) and new injury severity score (NISS) have been widely used in trauma evaluation. However, which scoring system is better in trauma outcome prediction is still disputed. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the value of the two scoring systems in predicting trauma outcomes, including mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and ICU length of stay. Methods: The data were collected retrospectively from three hospitals in Zhejiang province, China. The comparisons of NISS and ISS in predicting outcomes were performed by using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves and Hosmer-Lemeshow statistics. Results: A total of 1825 blunt trauma patients were enrolled in our study. Finally, 1243 patients were admitted to ICU, and 215 patients died before discharge. The ISS and NISS were equivalent in predicting mortality (area under ORC curve [AUC]: 0.886 vs. 0.887, p ¼ 0.9113). But for the patients with ISS 25, NISS showed better performance in predicting mortality. NISS was also significantly better than ISS in predicting ICU admission and prolonged ICU length of stay. Conclusion: NISS outperforms ISS in predicting the outcomes for severe blunt trauma and can be an essential supplement of ISS. Considering the convenience of NISS in calculation, it is advantageous to promote NISS in China’s primary hospitals.     

Deployment of the Surgical Life-saving Module (SLM) in 2017: Lessons learned in setting up and training operational surgical units

IntroductionThe military operations carried out by the French armed forces, occasionally require the use of the Surgical Life-saving Module (SLM), to ensure the surgical support of its soldiers. Due to its extreme mobility and capacity of fast deployment, SLM is particularly useful in small-scale military operations, such as Special Forces missions. In 2017, the French SLM was for the first time used to ensure surgical support of allied forces, which were lacking forward surgical capabilities.Materials and Methodsthe SLM is a mobile, heliborne, airborne, surgical structure with parachuting capability onto land or sea, therefore essentially focused on life-saving procedures, also known as "damage control" surgery. Due to the need for mobility and rapid implementation, the SLM is limited to a maximum of 5 interventions or, in terms of injuries, to 1 or 2 seriously injured patients.ResultsOver a period of 2 months, 5 medical teams were successively deployed with the SLM. A total of 157 casualties were treated. The most common injuries were caused by shrapnel 561%), followed by firearms (36%), and blunt trauma (2.5%). Injuries included the limbs (56%), thorax (18%), abdomen (13%), head (11%), and neck (2%). The average ISS was 8.5 (1–25) with 26 patients presenting with an ISS greater than or equal to 15. The average NISS was 10.8 (1–75) with 34 casualties having an NISS equal to or greater than 15. The surgical procedures were broken down as follows: 126 dressings, 16 laparotomies, 7 thoracotomies, 12 isolated thoracic drains (without thoracotomy), 1 cervicotomy, 12 amputations, 7 limb splints, 2 limb fasciotomies, 2 external fixators and 1 femoral fracture traction.ConclusionsThe numerous SLM deployments in larger operations highlighted its ability to adapt both in terms of equipment and personnel. Continuous management of equipment logistics, robust personnel training, and appropriate organization of the evacuation procedures, were the key elements for optimizing combat casualty care. As a consequence, the SLM appears to be an operational surgical unit of choice during deployments.     

Gunshot casualties in Israel: A decade of violence

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to identify and characterize casualties hospitalized with assault (non-terror) related gunshot wounds (GSW) in Israel as a basis for determining the incidence, trends and at-risk population groups.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study is based on data from the Israel National Trauma Registry. The data includes GSW casualties hospitalized between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2020. Attempted suicide, unintentional injury, legal intervention, children (ages 0–9) and terror (Israeli-Arab conflict) related GSW were excluded. The remaining population was classified with an ICD-9-CM diagnosis code of 965.0–965.4.ResultsThe study population included 2,763 GSW admissions. A noticeable increase in GSW casualties was reported, from 206 hospitalization in 2011 to 456 in 2020. The proportion of Arab casualties increased from 73.3% of all GSW casualties in 2011 to 90.8% in 2020, far more than their proportion in the population (～20%). The majority of the GSW casualties were males (95.8%) and between the ages of 20 and 29 (42.2%). Among severe/critical casualties, 19% of Arabs and 9.9% of Jews arrived by private car. Severe thoracic and abdominal injuries were the prominent injuries among fatal casualties (47.6 and 40.8, respectively). While the all-severity mortality rate was 5.6% (n = 147), 24.4% (n = 135) of severe/critical (ISS16+) casualties died, with no significant differences between Jews and Arabs. Forty percent of deaths occurred in the emergency department.ConclusionsThis study establishes that during the past decade in Israel, not only has there been a continuous increase in hospitalizations due to GSW, but also Arabs are at great risk of such related hospitalizations. Preventive strategies targeting at-risk groups are crucial for minimizing morbidity and mortality related to GSW in Israel.     

Mortality following helicopter versus ground transport of injured children

IntroductionInjured children may be transported to trauma centers by helicopter air ambulance (HAA); however, a benefit in outcomes to this expensive resource has not been consistently shown in the literature and there is concern that HAA is over-utilized. A study that adequately controls for selection biases in transport mode is needed to determine which injured children benefit from HAA. The purpose of this study was to determine if HAA impacts mortality differently in minimally and severely injured children and if there are predictors of over-triage of HAA in children that can be identified.MethodsChildren ≤18 years of age transported by HAA or ground ambulance (GA) from scene to a trauma center were identified from the 2010–2011 National Trauma Data Bank. Analysis was stratified by Injury Severity Score (ISS) into low ISS (≤15) and high ISS (>15) groups. Following propensity score matching of HAA to GA patients, conditional multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine if transport mode independently impacted mortality in each stratum. Rates and predictors of over-triage of HAA were also determined.ResultsTransport by HAA occurred in 8218 children (5574 low ISS, 2644 high ISS) and by GA in 35305 (30506 low ISS, 4799 high ISS). Overall mortality was greater in HAA patients (4.0 vs 1.4%, p < 0.001). After propensity score matching, mortality was equivalent between HAA and GA for low ISS patients (0.2 vs 0.2%, p = 0.82) but, for high ISS patients, mortality was lower in HAA (9.0 vs 11.1% p = 0.014). On multivariable analysis, HAA was associated with decreased mortality in high ISS patients (OR = 0.66, p = 0.017) but not in low ISS patients (OR = 1.13, p = 0.73). Discharge within 24 h of HAA transport occurred in 36.5% of low ISS patients versus 7.4% high ISS patients (p < 0.001).ConclusionsBased on a national cohort adjusted for nonrandom assignment of transport mode, a survival benefit to HAA transport exists only for severely injured children with ISS >15. Many children with minor injuries are transported by helicopter despite frequent dismissal within 24 h and no mortality benefit.     

Dutch trauma system performance: Are injured patients treated at the right place?

BackgroundThe goal of trauma systems is to match patient care needs to the capabilities of the receiving centre. Severely injured patients have shown better outcomes if treated in a major trauma centre (MTC). We aimed to evaluate patient distribution in the Dutch trauma system. Furthermore, we sought to identify factors associated with the undertriage and transport of severely injured patients (Injury Severity Score (ISS) >15) to the MTC by emergency medical services (EMS).MethodsData on all acute trauma admissions in the Netherlands (2015-2016) were extracted from the Dutch national trauma registry. An ambulance driving time model was applied to calculate MTC transport times and transport times of ISS >15 patients to the closest MTC and non-MTC. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with ISS >15 patients’ EMS undertriage to an MTC.ResultsOf the annual average of 78,123 acute trauma admissions, 4.9% had an ISS >15. The nonseverely injured patients were predominantly treated at non-MTCs (79.2%), and 65.4% of patients with an ISS >15 received primary MTC care. This rate varied across the eleven Dutch trauma networks (36.8%-88.4%) and was correlated with the transport times to an MTC (Pearson correlation -0.753, p=0.007). The trauma networks also differed in the rates of secondary transfers of ISS >15 patients to MTC hospitals (7.8% - 59.3%) and definitive MTC care (43.6% - 93.2%). Factors associated with EMS undertriage of ISS >15 patients to the MTC were female sex, older age, severe thoracic and abdominal injury, and longer additional EMS transport times.ConclusionsApproximately one-third of all severely injured patients in the Netherlands are not initially treated at an MTC. Special attention needs to be directed to identifying patient groups with a high risk of undertriage. Furthermore, resources to overcome longer transport times to an MTC, including the availability of ambulance and helicopter services, may improve direct MTC care and result in a decrease in the variation of the undertriage of severely injured patients to MTCs among the Dutch trauma networks. Furthermore, attention needs to be directed to improving primary triage guidelines and instituting uniform interfacility transfer agreements.     

Is helicopter evacuation effective in rural trauma transport?

Helicopter transport for trauma remains controversial because its appropriate utilization and efficacy with regard to improved survival is unproven. The purpose of this study was to assess rural trauma helicopter transport utilization and effect on patient survival. A retrospective chart review over a 2-year period (2007-2008) was performed of all rural helicopter and ground ambulance trauma patient transports to an urban Level I trauma center. Data was collected with regard to patient mortality and Injury Severity Score (ISS). Miles to the Level I trauma center were calculated from the point where helicopter or ground ambulance transport services initiated contact with the patient to the Level I trauma center. During the 2-year period, 1443 rural trauma patients were transported by ground ambulance and 1028 rural trauma patients were transported by helicopter. Of the patients with ISS of 0 to 10, 471 patients were transported by helicopter and 1039 transported by ground. There were 465 (99%) survivors with ISS 0 to 10 transported by helicopter with an average transport distance of 34.6 miles versus 1034 (99.5%) survivors with ISS 0 to 10 who were transported by ground an average of 41.0 miles. Four hundred and twenty-one patients with ISS 11 to 30 were transported by helicopter an average of 33.3 miles with 367 (87%) survivors versus a 95 per cent survival in 352 patients with ISS 11 to 30 who were transported by ground an average of 39.9 miles. One hundred and thirty-six patients with ISS > 30 were transported by helicopter an average of 32.8 miles with 78 (57%) survivors versus a 69 per cent survival in 52 patients with ISS > 30 who were transported by ground an average of 33.0 miles. Helicopter transport does not seem to improve survival in severely injured (ISS > 30) patients. Helicopter transport does not improve survival and is associated with shorter travel distances in less severely injured (ISS < 10) patients in rural areas. This data questions effective helicopter utilization for trauma patients in rural areas. Further study with regard to helicopter transport effect on patient survival and cost-effective utilization is warranted.     

Mass casualties in the Oklahoma City bombing

The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was partially destroyed by a terrorist bomb on April 19, 1995. Injuries were sustained by 759 people, 168 of whom died. Fatalities occurred primarily among victims in the collapse zone of the federal building. Only 83 survivors required hospitalization. Twenty-two surviving victims sustained multiple fractures. Most victims arrived at local emergency departments by private vehicle within 2 hours. More severely injured survivors were transported by ambulance. The closer receiving hospitals used emergency department facilities and minor treatment areas. Few survivors were extricated from the bombing site more than 3 hours after the detonation. Mass casualty plans must provide for improved communications, diversion and retriage from facilities nearest the disaster site, and effective coordination of community and hospital resources.     

High-energy trauma patients with pelvic fractures: Management trends in Ontario,Canada

IntroductionAlthough fractures of the pelvic ring account for only 2–3% of all fractures, they are present in approximately 7–20% of patients with high-energy polytrauma. High-energy pelvic fractures are life-threatening injuries, with mortality estimates ranging from 6 to 35%. The purpose of this study was to examine trends in the incidence, diagnosis, treatment, and mortality rates of high-energy pelvic fractures in Ontario, Canada over a 10-year period.MethodsA cohort of 3915 patients who sustained a high-energy pelvic fracture in Ontario between 01 April 2005 and 31 March 2015 was identified using the Ontario Trauma Registry and administrative healthcare data linked by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Science (ICES). Severely injured patients (defined as having an Injury Severity Score (ISS) of ≥16) with pelvic fractures following high-velocity mechanisms of injury were identified using applicable ICD-10 codes. Trends were assessed statistically using the Poisson and the Cochrane-Armitage tests for trend. Modified Poisson regression was used to model the adjusted risk ratio of mortality by pelvic fracture treatment.ResultsThe incidence of pelvic fracture remained constant at approximately 4.6 cases per 100,000 population annually between 2005 and 2011. From 2012, there was a decrease in patients with ISS ≥ 16 due to changes in the calculation of the ISS. The proportion of patients presenting with ISS > 50 increased from 8.2% to 14.1% (p = 0.008) over the study period. Automobile collisions or pedestrians struck by vehicles accounted for over half of injuries. Approximately 6% of patients underwent angioembolisation. Treatment with external fixation (15.5%–20.2%) or no surgical intervention (46.2%–61.3%) increased from 2005 to 2015. Mortality remained constant (11% at 30 days), and laparotomy was the only major intervention not associated with decreased risk of death.ConclusionsStable mortality despite increasing injury severity suggests that the quality of care provided to patients with high-energy pelvic fractures has improved over time. However, unchanged incidence suggests the need for ongoing efforts aimed towards injury prevention. ISS at presentation was the most significant predictor of mortality in this patient population.     

Mucormycosis attributed mortality: A seven-year review of surgical and medical management

IntroductionHistorically, mucormycosis infections have been associated with high mortality. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence, associated mortality, and management strategies of mucormycosis in a major burn center.MethodsA retrospective review was performed via obtaining all patients with mucormycosis admitted from January 2003 to November 2009 at our adult burn center was performed obtaining demographic data relevant to fungal burn wound infection or colonization.ResultsThe incidence of mucormycosis at our facility was 4.9 per 1000 admissions; specifically, 11 military casualties and one civilian were diagnosed with mucormycosis. The median percentage Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) burned, 11 patients, or open wound, one patient, was 60 (IQR, 54.1–80.0), and the incidence of documented inhalation injury was 66.7% (8 of 12). Ten patients had surgical amputations. A median of eight days (IQR, 3.5–74.5) elapsed from diagnosis of mucormycosis until death in the 11 patients who expired. The overall mortality was 92%; however, autopsy attributed mucormycosis mortality was 54.5% (6 of 11) with all six patients having invasive mucormycosis.ConclusionAggressive surgical intervention should be undertaken for invasive mucormycosis; additionally, implementation of standardized protocols for patients with large soft tissue injuries may mitigate mucormycosis superimposition.