F A Rathore1, A Ayub, S Farooq, P W New. 1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Combined Military Hospital, Sindh, Pakistan. farooqrathore@gmail.com
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive case series. OBJECTIVES: Describe the unusual etiology and pattern of spinal cord injury due to terrorist suicide bombings in Pakistan. SETTINGS: Spinal Rehabilitation Unit, Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. METHODS: Hundreds of suicide attacks on civil and military forces have occurred over the last 6 years in Pakistan. These have resulted in thousands of death and many more injured. Six victims of terrorist suicide bombings were admitted over the years 2006 to 2009, who had a spinal cord injury (SCI). This is the first case series of SCI, secondary to terrorist suicide blast. RESULTS: All patients were males. The mean age was 30±11 years. Most (five) were injured directly due to splinters from the blast. On admission to rehabilitation, all patients had thoracic complete paraplegia and their SCI was managed conservatively for their spinal injuries. Associated injuries included intestinal perforations, fracture metatarsals, humerus and brachial plexus injury. Pressure ulcer was the commonest complication (3 patients). Two patients had neurological improvement at 1-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: Suicide bombing is an effective weapon of terrorists in the modern world of today. The resulting injuries can be diverse and devastating. Spinal cord injury is an uncommon sequel of suicide bombing, which should be kept in mind while dealing with victims of suicide bombing.
STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive case series. OBJECTIVES: Describe the unusual etiology and pattern of spinal cord injury due to terrorist suicide bombings in Pakistan. SETTINGS: Spinal Rehabilitation Unit, Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. METHODS: Hundreds of suicide attacks on civil and military forces have occurred over the last 6 years in Pakistan. These have resulted in thousands of death and many more injured. Six victims of terrorist suicide bombings were admitted over the years 2006 to 2009, who had a spinal cord injury (SCI). This is the first case series of SCI, secondary to terrorist suicide blast. RESULTS: All patients were males. The mean age was 30±11 years. Most (five) were injured directly due to splinters from the blast. On admission to rehabilitation, all patients had thoracic complete paraplegia and their SCI was managed conservatively for their spinal injuries. Associated injuries included intestinal perforations, fracture metatarsals, humerus and brachial plexus injury. Pressure ulcer was the commonest complication (3 patients). Two patients had neurological improvement at 1-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: Suicide bombing is an effective weapon of terrorists in the modern world of today. The resulting injuries can be diverse and devastating. Spinal cord injury is an uncommon sequel of suicide bombing, which should be kept in mind while dealing with victims of suicide bombing.