Suicidal bus bombing of French Nationals in Pakistan: physical injuries and management of survivors.

BACKGROUND

Suicidal bombing is particularly devastating and an increasingly common form of terrorist violence. In this paper, we present an epidemiologic description of the physical injuries of patients who survived the suicidal bombing attack in the context of the limited medical resources of a developing nation.

METHODS

The management of individual patients was reviewed from a preprinted trauma form. Information on the nature of injuries, operative management and hospital course was recorded and data analyzed using the Trauma Registry.

RESULTS

Twelve survivors out of 36 bomb blast victims brought to the Aga Khan University Hospital were transferred from primary receiving hospitals. The average number of injuries per patient was eight. The mean Injury Severity Score was 10.8. The majority of patients had secondary and tertiary blast injuries. Most of the survivors had calcaneal injuries; these have not been reported in the literature in similar terrorist attacks. Twelve operative interventions were undertaken. All of the 12 patients were stabilized and evacuated within 24 h of admission.

CONCLUSIONS

All of the 12 patients transferred to the Aga Khan University Hospital survived. Unlike the reported injuries, calcaneal fractures were most commonly encountered in the survivors.