title: [Experience in provision of medical services to earthquake victims in Armenia in 1988].
abstract: The most devastating catastrophe in the USSR was the Armenian earthquake occurred on 7th December 1988. The city of Leninakan and towns of Kirovokan, Spitak (the epicenter), Stepanovan were destroyed by the earthquake with a magnitude 10. Up to 25 542 people have died, more than 500 000 were homeless and 39 795 were rescued. Medical service of the Ministry of Defence of the USSR took part in rescue work. Medical service units finished their rescue work on 31st December after results of work were summed up. Lethality rate was an index of successful rescue work of the unit. Only 6% of injured rescued by the medical unit have died, meanwhile 40%-50% of injured have died in Erevan hospitals. Mortality rate in patients with crush syndrome was 8.9% (according to other authors--30-75%). 75 injured remained in hospital, 25 injured were evacuated to central military hospitals for reconstructive plastic surgery. Officers of the medical unit, embodied from the main and central hospitals, successfully completed the task and received experience in provision of medical services to earthquake victims.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Briusov
mesh_terms: D001136:Armenia; D054597:Disaster Medicine / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D055866:Earthquakes / Q000266:history*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D018635:Rescue Work / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration