royal medical services experience in vascular injuries during the Palestinian uprising

ABSTRACT

This report summarizes the experience of two vascular surgeons in dealing with vascular injuries at Rafidia surgical hospital- Nablus during the bloody conflict between the Palestinians and Israel. Between January 2000 and June 2001 thirty-nine Palestinians with vascular injuries were received alive at Rafidia Hospital in the city of Nablus. All patients were received in profound shock and underwent emergency surgery. Massive blood transfusion was given almost to all patients. We retrospectively evaluated the outcome and the surgical results. There was one operative death in a patient with injury to the vertebral artery. There were serious complications in 14 patients related to other injuries but all of them were discharged alive from Hospital with no limb loss. War vascular injuries are lethal. However, the presence of an experienced vascular surgeon and anesthesiologist, unlimited supply of blood and blood products combined with the young age of patients who tolerate the state of shock better can tremendously improve the outcome: