Shark attacks: New treatment protocol could mean difference between life and death for victims

As shark attacks rise globally - increasing 23% in the past 20 years – the healthcare system is struggling to provide the necessary care for victims, many of whom suffer life-threatening injuries and long-term psychological impacts.

But now, a groundbreaking new study from Matthew Levenson, a graduate student in the Physician Assistant Studies program at Canisius University, proposes a comprehensive treatment protocol designed to drastically reduce morbidity and mortality in shark attack victims.

Levenson’s research, published in the Journal of Emergency Medicine, highlights several key gaps in the treatment of shark attack victims, including the lack of standardized healthcare protocols for both prehospital and hospital care.

His proposed protocol focuses on three critical areas:

1. Prehospital management: Implementing blood transfusions in the field to prevent hypovolemic shock and exsanguination, which are major risks for shark attack victims.

2. Hospital Management: Administering prophylactic antibiotics to combat marine-borne infections, which are often missed by standard trauma protocols.

3. Psychological Support: Assessing and addressing mental health needs post-trauma, to prevent long-term psychological conditions such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

Levenson’s systematic review calls for urgent action in establishing a unified, evidence-based approach for shark attack treatment. His findings suggest that such a protocol could significantly improve outcomes, reduce infection rates, prevent shock, and ensure better psychological recovery for survivors.

This important research has the potential to shift the way healthcare providers respond to shark attacks, bringing much-needed clarity and structure to an area that has long lacked a standardized approach.