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

Evaluation of musculoskeletal injuries after the 2023 Kahramanmaras earthquake: A local hospital experience

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Burak Kulakoğlu

Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Kilis Prof. Dr. Alaeddin Yavaşca State Hospital, Kilis, Türkiye

ORCID: 0000-0002-5590-8484

Zafer Uzunay

Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Kilis Prof. Dr. Alaeddin Yavaşca State Hospital, Kilis, Türkiye

ORCID: 0009-0005-5340-6826

Kaan Pota

Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Kilis Prof. Dr. Alaeddin Yavaşca State Hospital, Kilis, Türkiye

ORCID: 0000-0002-9250-9140

Nurettin Varhan

Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Kilis Prof. Dr. Alaeddin Yavaşca State Hospital, Kilis, Türkiye

ORCID: 0009-0009-1424-3699

Mahmut Gazi Fırat

Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Kilis Prof. Dr. Alaeddin Yavaşca State Hospital, Kilis, Türkiye

ORCID: 0000-0003-4335-5584

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate musculoskeletal injuries, clinical follow-ups and treatments of trauma patients admitted to our hospital after the 2023 Kahramanmaras earthquake.

Patients and methods: Between February 6th, 2023 and February 16th, 2023, a total of 957 trauma patients (452 males, 505 females; mean age: 36.2±19.9 years; range, 0 to 97 years) who were affected by the earthquake were retrospectively analyzed. Age, sex, presence of orthopedic consultation, diagnosis of open/closed fracture, diagnosis of dislocation, presence and classification of soft tissue injury, additional system injury, preoperative and postoperative neurovascular examination status, presence of compartment syndrome, conservative/surgical applications, operation side, fasciotomy surgery and level, amputation surgery and level, length of stay in the hospital and intensive care unit (ICU), the Mangled Extremity Severity Score (MESS) score were collected.

Results: A total of 811 of the survivors were Turkish and 146 were Syrians. Of 957 earthquake victims, 40% had soft tissue injuries, 19% had closed fractures, 8.9% had other system injuries, 7.7% had crush injuries, 4.1% had nerve injuries, 2.1% had compartment syndrome, 2.1% had vascular injury, 1.8% had dislocation, and 1.7% had open fracture. Surgical or conservative treatments were applied to 574 patients with musculoskeletal injuries. Conservative treatment was applied to 322 of 574 patients and surgical procedure was applied to 252 patients.

Conclusion: The highest patient density is experienced within the first 24 h after a devastating earthquake. The most common injuries due to high-energy trauma are isolated soft tissue injuries and fractures. The definition of the demographic characteristics and clinical outcomes of earthquake patients is critical to the development of preparedness, response, and recovery policies for future disasters..

Declarations

Ethics Committee Approval

The study protocol was approved by the Ankara City Hospital Clinical Research Ethics Committee (date: 08.03.2023, no: E1-23-3368). The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Author Contributions

Idea/concept, analysis and/or interpretation, critical review, materials: B.K., Z.U.; Design, literature review: K.P., N.V.; Control/supervision: M.G.F.; Data collection and/or processing, writing the article, references and fundings: B.K, Z.U.

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 the parents and/or legal guardians of the patients.

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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