Mass casualty management after a suicidal terrorist attack on a religious procession in Quetta, Pakistan

To determine the effectiveness of hospital management, considering triage system, hospital staff response, medical resources availability, and surgical management depending upon the nature and pattern of injuries in a mass casualty incident.

Descriptive.

Combined Military Hospital, Quetta, Pakistan in March 2004.

All injured by gunshot or blast in a terrorist attack and reported to the hospital were included in this study. Patients were triaged by the triage team using "triage sieve" into priority I, II, III, and IV. Priority I patients were further triaged by using "trauma index" to prioritize for surgery. Phase I included life saving, Phase II limb saving surgery and Phase III for debridement. All data was recorded and analyzed.

Hospital received 161 casualties among whom 20 were brought in dead, and 141 patients were admitted to the hospital. Mean age was 26.63 +/- 13.97. The cases were categorized as Priority-I 22.7%, Priority-II 14.72%, Priority-III 50.31% and Priority-IV 12.27%. Maximum casualties reached within the first 2 hours. Eighty-eight patients had pre-dominantly splinter injuries and 53 patients had dominantly gunshot wound injuries. In priority I, the trauma index was 15.55 +/- 5.74. Six patients having trauma index 20 or above could not even be resuscitated. Seventy five percent of staff reported to the hospital within 15 minutes. Only 30% of reserve medical store was consumed. Total management cost to the hospital was Rs. 362,1856/- (British Pounds approx 32,052/-.) calculated by the hospital rates for treatment of non-entitled patients. Death rate in hospital survivors was 4%.

Mass casualty management in a terrorist act requires prompt hospital response, appropriate triage, efficient surgical approach, and dedicated postoperative care. A good response can help to decrease mortality rate in salvageable injuries.