Profile and procedures for fractures among 1323 fracture patients from the 2010 Yushu earthquake, China

• Published in: The American journal of emergency medicine 2016-11, Vol.34 (11), p.2132-2139
• Main Authors: Kang, Peng, Ph.D, Tang, Bihan, Ph.D, Liu, Yuan, Ph.D, Liu, Xu, Ph.D, Shen, Yan, Ph.D, Liu, Zhipeng, Ph.D, Yang, Hongyang, Ph.D, Zhang, Lulu, Ph.D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Ankle Fractures - epidemiology; China - epidemiology; Data collection; Earthquakes; Emergency; Emergency medical care; Emergency medical services; Female; Fractures, Bone - epidemiology; Fractures, Multiple - epidemiology; Hospitals; Humans; Injuries; Injury Severity Score; Lower Extremity - injuries; Lumbar Vertebrae - injuries; Male; Medical records; Middle Aged; Natural disasters; Patients; Pelvic Bones - injuries; Retrospective Studies; Rib Fractures - epidemiology; Seismic activity; Shoulder Fractures - epidemiology; Skull Fractures - epidemiology; Spinal Fractures - epidemiology; Thoracic Vertebrae - injuries; Upper Extremity - injuries; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0735-6757; 1532-8171
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2016.07.064

Abstract Objectives The injuries caused by earthquakes are often complex and of various patterns. Our study included all fracture inpatients from the Yushu earthquake (1323 in total), to learn more about the incidence and distribution of fractures during earthquakes. Methods A retrospective study of the clinical characteristics of hospitalized fracture patients following the 2010 Yushu earthquake was conducted from December 20 to 25, 2010.We reviewed medical records of hospitalized patients who had been evacuated from the Yushu earthquake area between April 14 and June 15, 2010, from fifty-seven hospitals, and also reviewed more than 100 documents assembled from daily medical rescue and disease prevention reports submitted by the front-line rescue organizations. Results In total, 78.0% of fracture patients were admitted to the hospital within three days after the earthquake. There were 1323 patients who presented with 1539 fractures. The most common fracture occurred in the lower limbs, followed by spinal fractures, pelvic, and shoulder-upper limb fractures. The end of the thoracicvertebra and the lumbar vertebra were the high-risk sites for vertebral fractures. A total of 38 patients became paraplegic. A two-level spatial clustering was detected among the 193 patients presenting with two fractures. Conclusions Analysis profiles of the injuries and clinical features of patients with earthquake-related fractures will positively impact rescue efforts and the treatment of fracture injuries caused by possible future natural disasters. We should assemble orthopaedic-related medications and surgical equipment, and allocate them promptly after a major earthquake.