Descriptive Study of Earthquake-Related Spinal Cord Injury in Türkiye-Kahramanmaraş

Yıl 2024, , 108 - 111, 30.06.2024

Meryem Kösehasanoğulları , Nilüfer Aygün Bilecik , Özge Göksu Körlü

https://doi.org/10.36516/jocass.1488747

Öz

Objective: We aimed to review the epidemiological data of patients who were rescued from under the rubble in the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes on February 6 and developed earthquake-related spinal vertebral fractures.
Materials and Methods: Our study included 69 patients with spinal vertebral fractures and/or spinal cord injuries (SCIs) who were admitted to the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic of Adana City Training and Research Hospital after the 6 February Kahramanmaraş Pazarcık and Elbistan earthquakes. Patients with peripheral nerve damage or loss of muscle strength due to pelvic and extremity fractures were not included in the study.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 40.43±15.24 years (min=8-max=72). The median time of rescue from under the rubble was 15 (1-106) hours. The median visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score was 7 (0-10). 69.6% of the patients were female. Among the patients with a vertebral spinal injury, 72.5% had an incomplete SCI and 27.5% had a complete SCI. 84.5% of the patients underwent surgery, and posterior spinal instrumentation was performed in 56.5% of them.
Conclusion: There has been a significant increase in the number of SCI cases after the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. Rehabilitation centers should be established, patients' access to these centers should be facilitated, and complications should thus be prevented or optimized. Injured people should be helped to return to their social lives.
Keywords: February 6th Kahramanmaraş, Earthquake, Spinal Cord Injury

Anahtar Kelimeler

February 6th Kahramanmaraş, Earthquake, Spinal Cord Injury

Kaynakça

• 1. Clover AJ, Jemec B, Redmond AD. The extent of soft tissue and musculoskeletal injuries after earthquakes; describing a role for reconstructive surgeons in an emergency response. World J Surg. 2014;38(10):2543-50.
• 2. Taviloğlu K. 17 Ağustos 1999 Marmara depreminin ardından: Felaket organizasyonunda neredeyiz? Ulusal Cerrahi Der. 1999;15:333-42.
• 3. Atasoy S, Ziyalar N, Alsancak B. Earthquake epidemiology in Turkey: 1900-1995. (Poster) American Academy of Forensic Sciences 51. Annual Meeting. Orlando, Florida, USA. 1999; February: 15-20.
• 4. Groves CC, Poudel MK, Baniya M, et al. Descriptive study of earthquake-related spinal cord injury in Nepal. Spinal Cord. 2017; 55: 705–710.
• 5. Rathore MF, Rashid P, Butt AW, et al. Epidemiology of spinal cord injuries in the 2005 Pakistan earthquake. Spinal Cord. 2007; 45: 658–663.
• 6. Burns AS, O'Connell C, Landry MD. Spinal cord injury in postearthquake Haiti: lessons learned and future needs. PM R. 2010; 2: 695–697.
• 7. Li Y, Pan F, Li Y. Analysis of rehabilitation needs, measures taken, and their effectiveness for the wounded following the Wenchuan Earthquake. J Evid Based Med. 2009; 2: 258–264.
• 8. Gosney JE, Reinhardt JD, von Groote PM, et al. Melvin JL. Medical rehabilitation of spinal cord injury following earthquakes in rehabilitation resource-scarce settings: implications for disaster research. Spinal Cord.2013; 51: 603–609.
• 9. Priebe MM. Spinal Cord Injuries as a Result of Earthquakes: Lessons From Iran and Pakistan. The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine. 2007; 30(4): 367-368.
• 10. Maruo S, Matumoto M. Spinal fractures resulting from the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake of the Kobe-Osaka area of Japan. Spinal Cord. 1996;34:382–386.
• 11. Tauqir SF, Mirza S, Gul S, et al. Complications in patients with spinal cord injuries sustained in an earthquake in Northern Pakistan. J Spinal Cord Med. 2007; 30:373–377.
• 12. Dincer F, Oflazer A, Beyazora M, et al. Traumatic spinal cord injury in Turkey. Paraplegia. 1992;30: 641–664.
• 13. Quinones M, Nassal M, Bader KIA, et al. Traumatic spinal cord injury in Qatar: an epidemiological study. Middle East J Emergency Med. 2002;2: 67–69.
• 14. Martins F, Freitas F, Martins L, et al. Spinal cord injuries – epidemiology in Portugal’s central region. Spinal Cord. 1998;36: 574–578.
• 15. Raissi GR. Earthquakes and rehabilitation needs: experiences from Bam, Iran. J Spinal Cord Med. 2007; 30:369–372.