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Original Article | Preliminary Reports After the 2023 Türkiye Earthquakes · Open access

Analysis of wound types and wound care methods after the 2023 Kahramanmaras earthquake

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Serap Ulusoy

Department of General Surgery, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye

ORCID: 0000-0001-9014-7070

İbrahim Kılınç

Department of General Surgery, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye

ORCID: 0000-0002-6926-6670

Mustafa Oruç

Department of General Surgery, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye

ORCID: 0000-0002-7918-1689

Buket Özdemir

Department of General Surgery, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye

ORCID: 0000-0002-1043-8108

Hasan Murat Ergani

Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, University of Health Sciences, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye

ORCID: 0000-0002-0305-7032

Ömer Halit Keskin

Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye

ORCID: 0000-0003-2402-8465

Güzelali Özdemir

Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye

ORCID: 0000-0003-4279-0955

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the types of wounds and wound care in earthquake victims rescued from collapsed buildings after the 2023 Kahramanmaras earthquake.

Patients and methods: Between February 8th, 2023 and March 1st, 2023, a total of 94 patients (46 males, 48 females; mean age: 40.2±15.5 years; range, 16 to 77 years) with earthquake-related wounds who were trapped under rubble were retrospectively analyzed. Data including age, sex, duration of being trapped under rubble, type and location of the wound, bacterial cultures from deep tissue, and wound care methods used were recorded.

Results: The mean duration of being trapped under rubble was 58±38.1 h. Wounds were most commonly located on the lower extremities, followed by the upper extremities. The most common type of wounds were abrasions, followed by necrotic wounds due to crushing. Wound and skin antiseptics, debridement and negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) were the most common wound care methods used.

Conclusion: Various types of injuries and wounds may occur after natural disasters. Chronic wound care is as important as the management of life-threatening acute pathologies. Preparations should be made properly for the long-term treatment of patients after disasters. Methods such as NPWT, debridement creams containing collagenase, wound and skin antiseptics, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy can provide satisfactory short-term results. A broader and more intense application of these treatments is thought to be beneficial, particularly in crush injuries.

Declarations

Ethics Committee Approval

The study protocol was approved by the Ankara Bilkent City Hospital No. 2 Clinical Research Ethics Committee (date: 15.03.2023, no: E2-23-3628). The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Author Contributions

Idea/concept: S.U., M.O.; Design: S.U., İ.K.; Control/supervision, critical review: G.Ö.; Data collection and/or processing: İ.K., M.O.; Analysis and/or interpretation: M.O.; Literature review: H.M.E.; Writing the article: B.Ö., References and fundings: İ.K.; Materials: Ö.H.K.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

Financial Disclosure

The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.

Patient Consent for Publication

A written informed consent was obtained from each patient and/or parents or legal guardians of the patient.

Data Sharing Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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