title: Injury Patterns After the Landslide Disaster in Oshima, Tokyo, Japan on October 16, 2013.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Landslides represent a frequent and threatening natural disaster. The aim of this study was to investigate the injury patterns observed after a landslide and to discuss how to minimize the damage caused by a landslide disaster.
  
  
  METHODS
  A landslide occurred on Oshima Island, Japan, on October 16, 2013. A total of 49 victims with landslide-related injuries were identified and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients ranged in age from 5 to 89 years with an average age of 61.0±19.3 years. Of all patients, 69.4% were triaged as black. Of 15 patients who were treated in the nearest hospital (the only hospital on the island), 8 were triaged as red and yellow with severe chest or pelvic injury and a high Injury Severity Score (average score, 25.6; range, 4-45). Of these, 75% had chest injury and 75% had pelvic injury. The percentage of chest and/or pelvic injury was 100% in patients triaged as red or yellow. Traumatic asphyxia was diagnosed in 62.5% of these patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compression of the trunk was the main injury in patients triaged as red or yellow after this landslide disaster. Evacuation in advance, the rapid launch of emergency medical support, and knowledge of this specific injury pattern are essential to minimize the potential damage resulting from landslide disasters.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,Juntendo University,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7891-3024
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Homma
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,Juntendo University,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: Taiji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watari
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,Juntendo University,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: Tomonori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.affiliation: 2Oshima Medical Center,Oshima machi,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: Misako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: 2Oshima Medical Center,Oshima machi,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: Tadanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.affiliation: 2Oshima Medical Center,Oshima machi,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,Juntendo University,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takazawa
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,Juntendo University,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,Juntendo University,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaneko
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D054597:Disaster Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055876:Landslides / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014041:Tokyo / Q000453:epidemiology; D014218:Triage; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: disaster medicine; landslides; triage