Crush Syndrome Patients After the Marmara Earthquake

Overview

Journal Emerg Med J

Specialty Emergency Medicine

Date 2003 May 16

PMID 12748140

Citations 11

Authors

O Demirkiran

Y Dikmen

T Utku

S Urkmez

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: To assess the treatment and outcome of patients with crush injury sustained in the Marmara earthquake.

Methods: Seven hundred eighty three patients were transferred to a university hospital and 25 of them were admitted to the intensive care unit. The medical records of 18 crush injury patients were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: The major associated injuries were in the lower extremities, upper extremities, and chest. Seven patients underwent fasciotomy and six patients had amputations. Twelve patients required mechanical ventilation. Adult respiratory distress syndrome developed in four patients. Oliguria occurred in eight patients. Hyperkalaemia was seen in six patients and four of them underwent emergency haemodialysis. One patient died because of hyperkalaemia on arrival to the intensive care unit. Renal failure was treated with haemodialysis or haemoperfusion in 13 patients. Five patients died because of multiple organ failure and two patients because of sepsis.

Conclusion: Crush syndrome is a life threatening event. The authors believe that early transportation and immediate intensive care therapy would have improved the survival rate.

Citing Articles

Retrospective analysis of earthquake related crush injurie patients in ICU: 6-February earthquake in Türkiye.

Temel S, Yuksel R, Kaynar A, Caliskan M, Demir B, Alkan M Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg. 2025; 51(1):116.

PMID: 39982462 PMC: 11845545. DOI: 10.1007/s00068-025-02771-4.

Crush injuries to the lower limbs at a major UK trauma centre: a retrospective observational study.

Rama E, Jayawant S, Zhang J, Krkovic M Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol. 2024; 35(1):44.

PMID: 39708229 PMC: 11663160. DOI: 10.1007/s00590-024-04164-6.

Mortality risk factors for crush syndrome after an earthquake in Türkiye: Do systemic inflammatory parameters play any role?.

Turktan M, Dogan O, Gok M, Aydin K, Gulec E, Hatipoglu Z Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg. 2024; 30(8):588-595.

PMID: 39092965 PMC: 11372493. DOI: 10.14744/tjtes.2024.09637.

Incidence of Electrolyte Imbalances Following Traumatic Rhabdomyolysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Safari S, Aghili S, Shahlaee M, Jamshidi Kerachi A, Farhang Ranjbar M Cureus. 2024; 16(4):e59333.

PMID: 38817473 PMC: 11137607. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59333.

Surgical and critical care management of earthquake musculoskeletal injuries and crush syndrome: A collective review.

Abu-Zidan F, Jawas A, Idris K, Cevik A Turk J Emerg Med. 2024; 24(2):67-79.

PMID: 38766416 PMC: 11100580. DOI: 10.4103/tjem.tjem_11_24.

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