Approach and Management of Multiple Victims of Civilian Bombing Events With Abdominopelvic Injuries: A 20-Year Institutional Experience in Pakistan.

Abstract

PurposeBomb blast injuries in non-combat settings have seen a surge in the last two to three decades. Third-world countries like Pakistan have been at the receiving end of these attacks. However, the extent of the damage inflicted in these regions is not fully understood due to gross underreporting. We aim to assist radiologists in identifying common abdominopelvic injuries in bomb blast victims and highlighting specific injury patterns to guide more effective management.MethodsThis was a retrospective observational study designed to analyze abdominopelvic injuries among bomb blast victims treated at our institution. Data were retrieved from the hospital's electronic health records and included demographic information (age and sex), injury classification, imaging results, treatment received, and clinical outcomes.ResultsChi-square and t-tests showed no statistically significant difference in the gender or mean age distribution between patients who underwent abdominopelvic surgery and those who did not. The most common single injury category among the patients analyzed was secondary injury, while the most common combination of injuries observed was a combination of secondary and tertiary injuries. CT was the most frequently requested first-line radiological investigation, while US was most frequently requested as a second-line modality. Injuries to the liver were the most frequently observed solid-organ injury.ConclusionEfficient practices are essential in radiology departments to manage the surge in patient numbers seen after bomb blast incidents. Our study emphasizes the role of radiology scans and details the types of abdominopelvic injury patterns observed in bomb blast victims.