The experience of a tertiary level hospital in the 2023 Turkey double earthquake zone; management of 1,092 musculoskeletal injuries in the first week

M.Y. Gökmen, M. Uluöz

Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of Health Sciences, Adana City Training and Research Hospital, Adana, Turkey. mehmet_yigit_gokmen@hotmail.com

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• Orthopedics
• Public Health

OBJECTIVE: The double earthquakes that occurred on February 6, 2023, are currently called the disaster of the century, in Turkey. This study is the first to report the experiences in the treatment of orthopedic emergency patients hospitalized in Adana City Training and Research Hospital (ACH), the largest tertiary hospital in the region.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included the retrospective analysis of the files of the victims of the earthquakes admitted to the ACH between February 6, 2023, and February 13, 2023. The age, gender, time of admission, types and localization of injuries, treatment modalities of earthquake victims, and orthopedic surgical treatment data were recorded.

RESULTS: In the first week of the quakes, 3,699 patients were admitted to the ER with earthquake-related injuries. A total of 1,092 patients with musculoskeletal injuries were hospitalized, and 827 (75.7%) received orthopedic surgery. Surgical procedures included wound debridement under anesthesia (n=392, 47.4%), large bone fractures and/or pelvic ring fractures (n=224, 27.1%), fasciotomies (n=327, 69.1%), and amputations (n=121, 14.6%).

CONCLUSIONS: Although Orthopedics and Traumatology Clinic staff have the highest workload, all hospital personnel should be equipped with basic orthopedic approaches related to the disaster. We believe that taking a more active role in the follow-up of orthopedic patients will help improve the management of the chaotic processes and increase overall treatment success.

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