The evaluation of trauma patients in Turkish Red Crescent Field Hospital following the Pakistan earthquake in 2005

To provide better emergency and outpatient services in well-equipped field hospitals, organisation and team and equipment selection are of utmost importance to meet the demands of the earthquake zone. In the planning stage, the evaluation of data collected after the earthquake is essential. On 14 October 2005, following the earthquake in the city of Muzafferabad of Kashmir, Pakistan on 8 October 2005, Turkish Red Crescent Field Hospital was established and equipped with health professionals. A total of 2892 patients were treated and followed up. All the patients were prospectively evaluated. The profiles of the patients transferred, operated, or followed up within this period were documented. Furthermore, the patients who applied with post-traumatic musculoskeletal trauma were also documented. Of 1075 patients, who applied to orthopaedics outpatient clinic, 543 were female and 632 were male. The patients were evaluated based on their fracture as follows: pelvis (n = 45), femur (n = 59), tibia (n = 87), ankle and foot (n = 45), vertebra (n = 41), clavicle (n = 10), humerus (n = 38), forearm (n = 20) and hand and wrist (n = 45). Medical necessities in an earthquake zone are dynamic and change rapidly. Field hospitals must be prepared for requested changes to their mode of activity and for extreme conditions. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.