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Victims of terrorism-related disasters: experience of a hospital on the border of Iraq
, 2, 3, 4
Affiliations- Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Türkiye
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Manisa Merkezefendi State Hospital, Manisa, Türkiye
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Türkiye
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Manisa City Hospital, Manisa, Türkiye
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION: We aimed to analyze the data of patients who were admitted to our emergency department (ED) because of terrorism-related injuries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We have retrospectively analyzed the patients who were admitted to a state hospital’s ED with terrorism-related injuries between 01.01.2016 and 01.01.2018. The data about mechanism of injury, injured body part, Abbreviated Injury Scale scores, management, and outcomes: discharge from the ED, hospitalization to the ward, transfer to the operation room and/or intensive care unit, transfer to a tertiary hospital, the length of stay in the hospital, exitus, and re-admission were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 296 patients admitted, 93.9% were male and 6.1% were female, and 14.2% of the cases were children. Gunshot wounds represented 66.2% of the cases, whereas 33.8% of them had explosion injuries. Overall ED mortality rate was 15.5%. The mortality rate was higher in gunshot wounds. The most affected regions were the extremities, pelvis and external organs. Thorax injuries had the highest rate of mortality. Of the patients, 42.2% were discharged from the ED. The highest rate of ED discharge was with extremities, pelvis and external organ injuries. The ED mortality rate in the pediatric group was 21.4%. Gunshot wounded group had a higher mortality rate. Similar to adults the highest mortality rate was in the thoracic injury group. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the variety of injuries, the management of terrorism victims requires a broad perspective. We think that the ED mortality rate can be used to assess the quality of the critical care provided.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: We aimed to analyze the data of patients who were admitted to our emergency department (ED) because of terrorism-related injuries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We have retrospectively analyzed the patients who were admitted to a state hospital’s ED with terrorism-related injuries between 01.01.2016 and 01.01.2018. The data about mechanism of injury, injured body part, Abbreviated Injury Scale scores, management, and outcomes: discharge from the ED, hospitalization to the ward, transfer to the operation room and/or intensive care unit, transfer to a tertiary hospital, the length of stay in the hospital, exitus, and re-admission were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 296 patients admitted, 93.9% were male and 6.1% were female, and 14.2% of the cases were children. Gunshot wounds represented 66.2% of the cases, whereas 33.8% of them had explosion injuries. Overall ED mortality rate was 15.5%. The mortality rate was higher in gunshot wounds. The most affected regions were the extremities, pelvis and external organs. Thorax injuries had the highest rate of mortality. Of the patients, 42.2% were discharged from the ED. The highest rate of ED discharge was with extremities, pelvis and external organ injuries. The ED mortality rate in the pediatric group was 21.4%. Gunshot wounded group had a higher mortality rate. Similar to adults the highest mortality rate was in the thoracic injury group. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the variety of injuries, the management of terrorism victims requires a broad perspective. We think that the ED mortality rate can be used to assess the quality of the critical care provided.
Keywords
emergency department, mortality, pediatric, terrorism
About this articleTitle
Victims of terrorism-related disasters: experience of a hospital on the border of Iraq
Journal
Disaster and Emergency Medicine Journal
Issue
Article type
Research paper
Pages
26-32
Published online
2021-02-26
Page views
457
Article views/downloads
415
DOI
Bibliographic record
Disaster Emerg Med J 2021;6(1):26-32.
Keywords
emergency department
mortality
pediatric
terrorism
Authors
Yunus Emre Ozluer
Sinem Dogruyol
Kıvanç Karaman
Talha Dogruyol
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