[Orthopedic surgery and traumatology]

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Disaster Medicine
• Public Health

Context:

• Terrorist explosions cause widespread destruction and mass casualties, significantly challenging healthcare capacity.
• Recent years have seen an increase in devastating terrorist attacks globally, necessitating robust emergency response strategies.
• The authors detail the experience of a university hospital's trauma department during a major terrorist incident.

Purpose:

• To describe the intervention and management of victims following a large-scale terrorist attack.
• To analyze the types of injuries sustained by victims of terrorist explosions, including penetrating wounds, blast injuries, and burns.
• To critically evaluate the hospital's response and identify lessons learned for future disaster preparedness.

Summary:

• A university hospital's trauma department responded to a terrorist attack resulting in nearly 2,000 wounded and 191 fatalities.
• Victims presented with severe and extensive tissue damage, characteristic of blast injuries, penetrating wounds, and burns.
• The response highlights the critical need for effective disaster management protocols in mass casualty events.

Impact:

• Provides insights into the medical challenges posed by terrorist attacks and the required healthcare system surge capacity.
• Contributes to the medical literature on disaster response, offering valuable lessons for trauma centers worldwide.
• Emphasizes the importance of analyzing past events to refine future strategies for managing mass casualty incidents.