An anesthesiological approach to nerve agent victims.
The potential use of weapons of mass destruction has recently become a real threat even in the areas of ongoing armed conflicts. Mass casualty victims can suffer from psychological and physical trauma. The exposure of physically injured patients to a toxic substance, in a scenario of mass injury, has recently gained major attention among planners of future protocols for emergency medical services. Because rapid deterioration and multiorgan involvement are to be expected after physical injuries, proper organization and complex but efficient acute medical care systems must be organized and deployed to ensure a maximal number of saved lives. These victims will inevitably require urgent surgical intervention and prolonged perioperative care. Understanding the interdependence between the toxic and traumatic occurrences and the drugs used to prevent or treat nerve agent intoxication (pyridostigmine bromide, a reversible inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase; atropine, a muscarinic receptor antagonist that is one of the on-site, first aid, pharmacological resuscitation drugs; and oxime-like pralidoxime chloride or obidoxime chloride, acetylcholinesterase reactivators) is vital. In addition, the administration of anesthesia and emergency surgery pose further unpredictable threats to the central nervous system, the cardiovascular system, and respiratory function, all of which may be compromised after chemical intoxication and physical trauma. It is noteworthy that information concerning the effects of nerve agent intoxication among human subjects is derived largely from reports of incidents of intentional terrorist attacks or of accidental exposure to organophosphate pesticides, compounds that are chemically related to nerve agents.