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- Title
Radiology response in the emergency department during a mass casualty incident: a retrospective study of the two terrorist attacks on 22 July 2011 in Norway.
- Authors
Young, Victoria; Eggesbø, Heidi; Gaarder, Christine; Næss, Pål; Enden, Tone; Young, Victoria Solveig; Eggesbø, Heidi B; Næss, Pål Aksel
- Abstract
<bold>Objectives: </bold>To describe the use of radiology in the emergency department (ED) in a trauma centre during a mass casualty incident, using a minimum acceptable care (MAC) strategy in which CT was restricted to potentially severe head injuries.<bold>Methods: </bold>We retrospectively studied the initial use of imaging on patients triaged to the trauma centre following the twin terrorist attacks in Norway on 22 July 2011.<bold>Results: </bold>Nine patients from the explosion and 15 from the shooting were included. Fourteen patients had an Injury Severity Score >15. During the first 15 h, 22/24 patients underwent imaging in the ED. All 15 gunshot patients had plain films taken in the ED, compared to three from the explosion. A CT was performed in 18/24 patients; ten of these were completed in the ED and included five non-head CTs, the latter representing deviations from the MAC strategy. No CT referrals were delayed or declined. Mobilisation of radiology personnel resulted in a tripling of the staff.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Plain film and CT capacity was never exceeded despite deviations from the MAC strategy. An updated disaster management plan will require the radiologist to cancel non-head CTs performed in the ED until no additional MCI patients are expected.<bold>Key Points: </bold>• Minimum acceptable care (MAC) should replace normal routines in mass casualty incidents. • MAC implied reduced use of imaging in the emergency department (ED). • CT in ED was restricted to suspected severe head injuries during MAC. • The radiologist should cancel all non-head CTs in the ED during MAC.
- Subjects
NORWAY; HEAD injury diagnosis; EMERGENCY medical services; DISASTER medicine; MEDICAL radiology; MEDICAL care; HOSPITAL radiological services; TREATMENT effectiveness; DISASTERS; EMERGENCY management; GUNSHOT wounds; HOSPITAL emergency services; MASS casualties; TERRORISM; TRAUMA centers; MEDICAL triage; RETROSPECTIVE studies; TRAUMA severity indices; DIAGNOSIS
- Publication
European Radiology, 2017, Vol 27, Issue 7, p2828
- ISSN
0938-7994
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1007/s00330-016-4677-8