Injury characteristics and therapeutic strategy of patients injured in "8·8" Jiuzhaigou earthquake

Abstract

To summarize the injury characteristics and therapeutic strategy of patients injured in "8·8" Jiuzhaigou earthquake. The clinical data of 48 patients injured in "8·8" Jiuzhaigou earthquake who were admitted to Mianyang Central Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. There were 25 males and 23 females with an average age of 36 years (range, 5-87 years). The average interval from injury to admission was 30 hours (range, 3-53 hours). The patients from Sichuan province accounted for 45.8% (22 cases), from other province for 52.1% (25 cases), and from abroad for 2.1% (1 case). Patients were primarily hurted by collapsing houses and flying stones. Thirty-seven patients (77.1%) had single injury, mainly involving 36 patients (75.0%) in limbs, and the other 11 patients (22.9%) had multiple injuries. Ten patients (20.8%) had open fractures, including 1 case rated as typeⅠ, 2 as typeⅡ, 3 as type Ⅲa, 2 as type Ⅲb, and 2 as type Ⅲc according to Gustilo classification criteria. The abbreviated injury scale (AIS) score was 2-3 in 37 patients of single injury, and the injury severity score (ISS) was 8-22 (mean, 13.2) in 11 patients of multiple injuries. Sixteen patients (33.3%) were diagnosed as mental disorders by Hamilton rating scale for anxiety (HAMA), including 8 cases had their anxiety scores≥29, 4 cases of 21-28, 3 cases of 14-20, and 1 case of 7-13. Of the 16 patients, 2 showed suicidal tendency. Except 2 referrals, 30 patients received operation［28 patients (93.3%) for orthopaedic surgeries］and 16 patients received conservative treatment. The procedures included internal fixation, soft tissue debridement, external fixation, bipolar femoral head replacement, embolization of carotid cavernous sinus arteriovenous fistula, and amputation. Among the 46 patients treated in this hospital, 21 discharged from hospital at 2-12 days (mean, 6.7 days) after admission, the others received further rehabilitation in this hospital or local hospital. No undesirable consequence occurred in 16 patients with mental disorders. Five cases of infection occurred out of hospital were cured after debridement. No dead and nosocomial infection case reported. Intensive treatment, specialist management, multidisciplinary team, and early intervention of nosocomial infection and deep venous thrombosis are the key to improve the general level of successful earthquake medical rescue.