Boston hospitals confront 'mass casualty event'

Boston hospitals have dealt with emergency department closures, police investigations and hundreds of media requests as they treat patients injured during Monday's explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

The Boston Police Department said that 176 people have been treated at hospitals in the Boston area. At least three people have died.

Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Boston Medical Center have each received 20 or more patients, according to spokespeople at those hospitals. At least three other hospitals have also taken in patients.

Dr. William Mackey, chairman of surgery at Tufts Medical Center, which received 19 patients, said during a news conference that most of the patients had been injured by shrapnel made up of small shards of metal objects. The victims suffered lower extremity injuries.

He said law enforcement officials were on hand to collect the metal shards that had been saved and catalogued by patient.

The hospital also reported Monday afternoon that its emergency department had been closed while police investigated a suspicious package, it was not accepting visitors, and it had halted elective surgeries.

“A mass casualty event is very hard to prepare for,” Mackey said during the conference.

In a statement posted to its website, Mass General said there are outside law enforcement officials located in the hospital as part of heightened citywide security measures. The hospital also said its clinical practice areas and health centers were now open for business although there may be some delays.

In addition, a number of hospitals treating injured patients held news conferences on Tuesday.