Pattern of Injury and Outcome of Victims in Ahvaz Terrorist Attack

Background: Responses for medical emergencies can be different during most terrorist attacks in which civilians and military personnel might be killed or wounded. Objectives: The present study aimed to reflect on injury patterns and the outcome of victims in terrorist attacks. Methods: A retrospective research design study was conducted on the data obtained from terrorist attacks in the city of Ahvaz, Iran, on September ۲۲, ۲۰۱۸. In this deadly incident, ۹۲ military and civilian victims had been transferred to hospitals within the first ۲۴ hours. To this end, the data including age, gender, causes, site of injuries, outcomes, and the Injury Severity Score (ISS) values were analyzed.  Data were acquired from the Iranian Legal Medicine Organization, the Iranian Emergency Department, as well as health care facilities. Results: The findings revealed that, out of ۹۲ victims of Ahvaz terrorist attack, ۸۵ cases (۹۲.۴%) were men. The mean age of these individuals was about ۲۸.۶۸±۱۱.۲۲ years and ۴۱.۳% of them were in need of urgent surgical interventions. There was no information regarding casualties in ۲۲.۳% of the cases. Moreover, ۲۵% of the causalities had led to death. The mean of ISS was ۸.۱۹±۱۳. Besides, there was a significant relationship between ISS values and patient outcomes (p <۰.۰۰۰۱). A relationship was also observed between multiple injuries and mortality rates although it did not include main body parts. Conclusion: The results showed that the mortality rate of casualties in the Ahvaz terrorist attack was high. With respect to the findings, extensive actions are needed to maintain the readiness of the emergency medical care services and to manage such events.

Keywords:

Attack , Medical Emergency Team , Task performance , Rapid Response Teams , Medical Countermeasures