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Comprehensive head and neck trauma screening: the USS Cole experience
Eric R Helling1, Travis J Pfannenstiel
1Department of Otolaryngology, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany APO AE 09180.
Military Medicine
|February 3, 2006
Summary
Occult head and neck injuries are common after blast incidents. Early identification by a specialized trauma team improves patient outcomes following explosions.
Area of Science:
- Trauma Surgery
- Otolaryngology
- Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Terrorist bombings, such as the USS Cole attack, can cause complex injuries.
- Initial patient triage may miss subtle or occult head and neck trauma.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of occult head and neck injuries in blast survivors.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of specialized otolaryngology screening.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 39 patients evacuated after the USS Cole bombing.
- Comprehensive head and neck examinations by an otolaryngology team.
- Comparison of initial triage diagnoses with post-screening findings.
Main Results:
- Initial triage identified only 9 of 39 patients with head and neck injuries.
- Specialized screening revealed 23 of 39 patients had significant head and neck injuries.
- Most injuries requiring further care were initially unreported.
Conclusions:
- Occult head and neck injuries are frequently present after blast injuries.
- Subspecialty head and neck trauma teams are crucial for early identification and intervention.
- Timely intervention by trauma teams improves outcomes for blast survivors.
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