Chest injury in victims of Bam earthquake

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the data of trauma patients with thoracic injury in the earthquake of Bam admitted to hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Science (TUMS) for better understanding the type and consequence of thoracic injuries in a major earthquake.

Methods: After Bam earthquake registering 6.5 on the Richter scale, 526 trauma patients were admitted to hospitals of TUMS. Among them, 53 patients sustained thoracic injury.

Results: This group was composed of 21 females (39.6%) and 32 males (60.4%). Fifteen patients (28.3%) had isolated chest injuries. Rib fracture (36.4%) was the most common injury in our patients and haemo/pneumothorax (25.5%) followed. Superficial injury was the most common accompanying injury. Multiple-trauma patients with chest injury had higher injury severity score (ISS) versus patients with isolated chest injury (P=0.003).

Conclusions: Chest wall injuries and haemo/pneumothorax comprise a considerable number of injuries in survival victims of earthquakes. Consequently, the majority of these patients can be treated with observation or tube thoracostomy. We should train and equip the health workers and members of rescue teams to treat and manage these patients in the field.