Boston Marathon Terrorist Attack and Injuries

Like all Americans, we were horrified to hear of the terrorist act today at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. While reports are still coming in, there were at least two people killed and numerous people injured, some critically. This event hits home for us at InsideSurgery.com in several ways. First, this writer, who is a trauma surgeon, attended the Boston Marathon last year as a spectator and managed to wangle a spot right at the finish line where the first bomb went off. Last year on Patriot’s Day as I made my way across the Boston common and toward the corner of Boylston and Ring Avenue I was amazed and a little intimidated by the crush of humanity on the streets of Boston. At the finish line, which I had to step on tip toe to see, the crowd that I stood in across the street from the viewing stands was 8-10 people deep, packed closely shoulder-to-shoulder. It was a warm day and people were in shorts and t-shirts. After about thirty minutes, I left because of the heat, but as I made my way back to my apartment, the thought did cross my mind that it would be the perfect set up for some low life piece of vermin if they wanted to do some harm. Second, Boston is a town with truly world class medical care. In fact, I have collaborated with many of the physicians in the emergency departments and surgery departments of the Massachusetts General Hospital (regularly ranked as the No. 1 or 2 top US hospital) and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in their writing of...
Source: Inside Surgery - Category: Surgeons Authors: Tags: Musings amputation attack Boston marathon Brigham complex injuries MGH physicians soft tissue terrorist Source Type: blogs