PURPOSE: To report injury patterns and management of musculoskeletal injuries after an earthquake. METHODS: 94 male and 161 female patients aged 17 to 90 (mean, 53) years underwent surgery for musculoskeletal injuries. Their injury patterns, anaesthesia administered, surgeries undertaken, and development of postoperative complications were reviewed. RESULTS: Of the 255 patients, 155 sustained superficial lacerations with minor soft-tissue contusion, whereas 100 sustained injuries that necessitated surgery under anaesthesia. The injuries involved the tibia/ankle (n=90), the hand (n=48), the pelvis/femur (n=41), the radius/ulnar (n=36), the foot (n=20), the humerus (n=10), and the spine (n=10). 30 (12%) of the patients had multiple injuries. The most common procedure performed was debridement (n=58), followed by open reduction and internal fixation with plates and screws for closed fractures (n=20), Kirschner wiring (n=11), external fixation (n=8), and general surgery and others (n=6). Repeated debridements were performed for 19 open fractures; 10 involved the distal tibia. 63 procedures were carried out under anaesthesia or sedation. General anaesthesia involved 2 patients; one had a right hemi-colectomy for an ischaemic bowel and another had an appendicectomy. Regional anaesthesia included sub-arachnoid block for lowerlimb surgeries (n=21), axillary brachial plexus block for upper-limb surgeries (n=11), and femoral and sciatic nerve blocks for a lower-limb surgery (n=1). The remaining 28 procedures involved conscious sedation. The mean number of debridements for open fractures was 2.8 (range, 2-5). The mean followup duration was 10.4 (range, 7-14) days. Only one patient developed a postoperative wound infection. CONCLUSION: Our team was effective in managing orthopaedic injuries after an earthquake. The postoperative complication rate was low. Regional and spinal anaesthesia are relatively safe alternatives to general anaesthesia when carried out under such austere circumstances. The success of the mission depended on collaboration with the local health care workers and external agencies.
PURPOSE: To report injury patterns and management of musculoskeletal injuries after an earthquake. METHODS: 94 male and 161 female patients aged 17 to 90 (mean, 53) years underwent surgery for musculoskeletal injuries. Their injury patterns, anaesthesia administered, surgeries undertaken, and development of postoperative complications were reviewed. RESULTS: Of the 255 patients, 155 sustained superficial lacerations with minor soft-tissue contusion, whereas 100 sustained injuries that necessitated surgery under anaesthesia. The injuries involved the tibia/ankle (n=90), the hand (n=48), the pelvis/femur (n=41), the radius/ulnar (n=36), the foot (n=20), the humerus (n=10), and the spine (n=10). 30 (12%) of the patients had multiple injuries. The most common procedure performed was debridement (n=58), followed by open reduction and internal fixation with plates and screws for closed fractures (n=20), Kirschner wiring (n=11), external fixation (n=8), and general surgery and others (n=6). Repeated debridements were performed for 19 open fractures; 10 involved the distal tibia. 63 procedures were carried out under anaesthesia or sedation. General anaesthesia involved 2 patients; one had a right hemi-colectomy for an ischaemic bowel and another had an appendicectomy. Regional anaesthesia included sub-arachnoid block for lowerlimb surgeries (n=21), axillary brachial plexus block for upper-limb surgeries (n=11), and femoral and sciatic nerve blocks for a lower-limb surgery (n=1). The remaining 28 procedures involved conscious sedation. The mean number of debridements for open fractures was 2.8 (range, 2-5). The mean followup duration was 10.4 (range, 7-14) days. Only one patient developed a postoperative wound infection. CONCLUSION: Our team was effective in managing orthopaedic injuries after an earthquake. The postoperative complication rate was low. Regional and spinal anaesthesia are relatively safe alternatives to general anaesthesia when carried out under such austere circumstances. The success of the mission depended on collaboration with the local health care workers and external agencies.
Authors: Savas Guner; Sukriye Ilkay Guner; Yasemin Isik; Gokay Gormeli; Ali Murat Kalender; Ugur Turktas; Mehmet Ata Gokalp; Abdurrahim Gozen; Mustafa Isik; Sezai Ozkan; Tulin Turkozu; Sevdegul Karadas; Mehmet Fethi Ceylan; Levent Ediz; Mehmet Bulut; Yusuf Gunes; Ayse Gormeli; Cemil Erturk; Metehan Eseoglu; Recep Dursun Journal: Int Orthop Date: 2012-12-12 Impact factor: 3.075
Authors: Jacopo Del Papa; Pierpaolo Vittorini; Francesco D'Aloisio; Mario Muselli; Anna Rita Giuliani; Alfonso Mascitelli; Leila Fabiani Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-05-14 Impact factor: 3.390