International orthopaedics
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Multicenter Study
Study of the severity of musculoskeletal injuries and triage during the 2005 Pakistan earthquake.
On 8 October 2005 a massive earthquake hit the northern mountainous areas of Pakistan and Kashmir causing 73,338 deaths and leaving over 125,000 severely injured. In a region which was less prepared for such an enormous disaster, mobilising rescue, relief and rehabilitation posed great challenges. The first author (SMA) established two level 1 orthopaedic trauma and rehabilitation units in each of two severely hit major cities through private philanthropy. According to the severity of injuries, the patients were triaged and treated. The aim of this study is to improve the future strategies in similar scenarios. ⋯ In a massive calamity over a wide geographical area away from big university hospitals, such as the 2005 Pakistan earthquake, the level 1 operating theatre facilities must be established within the area to meet the immediate needs of the patients nearest to their homes and families, and run forever so that patients can have excellent follow-up and can use the same facilities regularly. In the aftermath of this earthquake the need to practise triage in the first 72 hours was thoroughly realised and effectively practised in our centres.
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The restoration, and fixation, of normal pelvic anatomy after a windswept type injury can be a difficult endeavor and our purpose is to describe a method to accomplish this. ⋯ This is an effective method of correcting and maintaining reduction until healing for this relatively rare and difficult-to-treat injury pattern.