An earthquake disaster in Turkey: Assessment of the need for plastic surgery services in a crisis intervention field hospital

On August 17, 1999, an earthquake of 7.4 magnitude struck Turkey, resulting in the destruction of the cities Golcuk, Izmit, Adapazari, and Yalova. Thr ee days later, the Israel Defense Force Field Hospital arrived at Adapazari , set-ring as a reinforcement hospital until the rehabilitation of the loca l medical facilities. Surgical services in the field hospital were supplied by general, orthopedic, and plastic surgeons. The authors evaluated all so ft-tissue injuries managed at the hospital and assessed the need for plasti c surgery services in a crisis intervention field hospital. Information was gathered regarding soft-tissue injuries throughout the activity of the hos pital. In addition, patients' char ts, operations' reports, and entry and e vacuation logs were reviewed for all patients accepted and treated in the f ield hospital. Interviews of patients, local physicians, and citizens of Ad apazari were performed to evaluate the medical situation in the first 3 day s after the earthquake. A total of 1205 patients were treated by the field hospital in Adapazari; 138 (11.45 percent) of these patients sought aid for isolated soft-tissue injuries, 105 of which (76.09 percent) were earthquak e-related. Twenty (51.28 percent) of the operations performed in the hospit al were to treat soft-tissue injuries; 1.49 percent of all patients underwe nt minor surgical manipulations by the plastic surgeon on staff. Plastic su rgery patients occupied 13.6 percent of the hospital beds. In conclusion, t he authors find it beneficial to supply plastic surgery services at a field hospital in an earthquake situation.