The epidemiology and clinical management of craniocerebral injury caused by the Sichuan earthquake

Abstract

Earthquake is one of the most devastating natural disasters that threaten human lives. Worldwide more than 3 million deaths have been caused by earthquakes in recent 20 years. To analyze clinical features of head injuries after Sichuan earthquake. From May 12 to June 12, 2008, Departments of Neurosurgery in major Hospitals in Sichuan Province admitted 1368 patients with head injuries caused by the Sichuan earthquake; the epidemiology, mechanism, severity, complications, treatments and outcome of head injury were retrospectively analyzed. Of the 1,368 patients, 755 were men and 613 women. Collapsing building was the most important cause of head injury. Most of the patients, 85% had mild to moderate head injury. The type of injury was open scalp injury in 65% of patients. About 47% of the head-injured patients were admitted within 72 h after earthquake. Skeletal bone fracture was the most common associated injury (9%). Only 98 patients received surgery. Glasgow Outcome Scale on discharge or transfer was: 5 in 1,121 (82%) patients, 4 in 173 (13%) patients, and 3 or less in 74 (5%) patients. Overall 33 (2%) patients died. The characteristics of Sichuan earthquake-related head injury are quite distinct. Early standardized treatment is important to have better outcomes.