Role of Selective Management of Penetrating Injuries in Mass Casualty Incidents

Abstract

Terrorist violence has emerged as an increasingly common cause of mass casualty incidents (MCI) due to the sequelae of explosive devices and shooting massacres. A proper emergency medical system disaster plan for dealing with an MCI is of paramount importance to salvage lives. Because the number of casualties following a MCI is likely to exceed the medical resources of the receiving health care facilities, patients must be appropriately sorted to establish treatment priorities. By necessity, clinical signs are likely to prove cornerstones of triage during MCI. An appropriate and effective application of experiences learned from the use of selective nonoperative management (SNOM) techniques may prove essential in this triage process. The present appraisal of the available literature strongly supports that the appropriate utilization of these clinical indicators to identify patients appropriate for SNOM is essential, critical, and readily applicable. We also review the initial emergent triage priorities for penetrating injuries to the head, neck, torso, and extremities in a mass casualty setting.

Keywords: Polytrauma management including pre-hospital and shock room.