Neurosurgical injuries resulting from the 2011 tornados in Alabama: the experience at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical Center

Object The April 27, 2011, tornados that affected the southeastern US resulted in 248 deaths in the state of Alabama. The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Medical Center, the largest Level I trauma center in the state, triaged and treated a large number of individuals who suffered traumatic injuries during these events, including those requiring neurosurgical assessment and treatment. Methods A retrospective review of all adult patients triaged at UAB Medical Center during the April 27, 2011, tornados was conducted. Those patients who were diagnosed with and treated for neurosurgical injuries were included in this cohort. Results The Division of Neurosurgery at UAB Medical Center received 37 consultations in the 36 hours following the tornado disaster. An additional patient presented 6 days later, having suffered a lumbar spine fracture that ultimately required operative intervention. Twenty-seven patients (73%) suffered injuries as a direct result of the tornados. Twenty-three (85%) of these 27 ...