Roles of the Anesthesiologist During Mass Casualty Events

The medical community has exhibited an increased interest in mass casualties over the past few years with the occurrence of many natural disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.), disease epidemics (SARS, Ebola, etc.), transportation accidents (motor vehicle, train, etc.), biochemical and radioactive disasters, and the frighteningly rising number of terrorist acts. The mechanisms of injury include blunt and penetrating trauma, burns, and chemical and radiation injuries.¹  A mass casualty event (MCE) occurs when the number of victims surpasses the treatment ability and resources provided by a medical center. An MCE is a dynamic situation that requires the coordination and organization of many personnel through various phases of care in an attempt to decrease the strain put on health care personnel and systems due to the overwhelming demand for medical attention in the setting of seemingly less available resources, equipment and providers.²  Even at level I trauma centers with an activated...