title: Review of Van earthquakes form an orthopaedic perspective: a multicentre retrospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This is a descriptive analysis, of victims of Turkey's October 23, 2011 and November 21, 2011 Van earthquakes. The goal of this study is investigated the injury profile of the both earthquakes in relation to musculoskeletal trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 3,965 patients admitted to in seven hospitals. A large share of these injuries were soft tissue injuries, followed by fractures, crush injuries, crush syndromes, nerve injuries, vascular injuries, compartment syndrome and joint dislocations. A total of 73 crush injuries were diagnosed and 31 of them were developed compartment syndrome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients with closed undisplaced fractures were treated with casting braces. For closed unstable fractures with good skin and soft-tissue conditions, open reduction and internal fixation was performed. All patients with open fracture had an external fixator applied after adequate debridement. Thirty one of 40 patients with compartment syndrome were treated by fasciotomy. For twelve of them, amputation was necessary. The most common procedure performed was debridement, followed by open reduction and internal fixation and closed reduction-casting, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study may provide the basis for future development of strategy to optimise attempts at rescue and plan treatment of survivors with musculoskeletal injuries after earthquakes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma and Orthopedic Surgery, Yuzuncu Yil University Medical School Hospital, Van, Turkey. gunersavas@gmail.com
authors.forename: Savas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guner
authors.forename: Sukriye Ilkay
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Guner
authors.forename: Yasemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Isik
authors.forename: Gokay
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gormeli
authors.forename: Ali Murat
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kalender
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Turktas
authors.forename: Mehmet Ata
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gokalp
authors.forename: Abdurrahim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gozen
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isik
authors.forename: Sezai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozkan
authors.forename: Tulin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Turkozu
authors.forename: Sevdegul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karadas
authors.forename: Mehmet Fethi
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Ceylan
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ediz
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bulut
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gunes
authors.forename: Ayse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gormeli
authors.forename: Cemil
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Erturk
authors.forename: Metehan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eseoglu
authors.forename: Recep
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dursun
mesh_terms: D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000293:injuries*; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*