Improvised explosive devices (IED) blast injuries in Maiduguri north eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Improvised explosive devise blast injury is fairly common where terrorism flourishes especially when suicide bombers are involved, leading to mass causalities. Materials and methods: The study reviewed all victims of improvised explosive device blast injuries in Specialist Hospital Maiduguri North Eastern Nigeria between January 2014 to December 2015. Results: A total of 323 patients were studied age ranged from 6 months to 81 years with male to female ratio of 4.38:1. The peak age group was 20 - 29 years accounting for 26.93%. Site injured were extremities in 69.66%, and abdominal in 15.48%. Procedures performed were wound debridement in all patients, and exploratory laparotomy in 34.00% of abdominal injuries. Post-operative complications were surgical site wound infection in 11.46%, and ileus in 0.93%. The mortality was 6.50%. Conclusion: The approach to such mass causality is to have good pre hospital care, prompt and adequate resuscitation, and definitive treatment by multidisciplinary team Language: en