Patient characteristics and interventions at a trauma stabilization point in Gaza- a retrospective analysis

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Public Health in Conflict Zones
• Prehospital Care Systems

Background:

• Timely prehospital care is critical for trauma survival in conflict zones.
• Civilian systems often lack rapid stabilization and evacuation capabilities.
• Trauma Stabilization Points (TSPs) adapt military models for forward-deployed care in Gaza.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe patient characteristics, clinical presentations, and outcomes at a TSP in Khan Younis, Gaza.
• To analyze interventions and referral patterns at a TSP during the 2024 conflict.
• To evaluate the role of TSPs in managing casualties in a high-intensity conflict setting.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of patient data from a TSP in Khan Younis, Gaza (Feb-Apr 2024).
• Inclusion of all patients presenting to the TSP.
• Descriptive statistics and logistic regression to assess patient characteristics, interventions, and outcomes.

Main Results:

• 1,928 patients analyzed; 47% trauma-related, 53% non-traumatic.
• 94.8% of patients were stable on arrival (Interagency Integrated Triage Tool).
• 80.6% discharged on-site; 19.3% referred to hospitals; 0.1% died. Basic care dominated interventions (86%).

Conclusions:

• The TSP functioned mainly as a triage and primary care point, not a trauma center.
• On-site treatment and discharge suggest the TSP offloaded non-urgent cases from overwhelmed hospitals.
• The TSP likely reduced demand on limited ambulance resources and hospital capacity.