Acute renal failure in natural disasters

Sudden-impact natural disasters such as earthquakes present a serious challenge to medical personnel in both developed and less developed countries. Crush syndrome with acute renal failure has been identified as a major medical complication that occurs among people whose limbs are trapped by heavy objects during natural disasters such as earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. Rescue and field medical teams should be trained to recognize and promptly treat the problems associated with prolonged limb compression and should carry the appropriate fluids and medications to treat the complications of traumatic rhabdomyolysis. Early, aggressive volume replacement followed by forced solute-alkaline diuresis therapy may protect the kidney against acute renal failure. Better epidemiologic knowledge of the specific disaster conditions that predispose traumatic rhabdomyolysis to develop is clearly essential for those who must determine when emergency dialysis services are required in response to injuries sustained during natural disasters. Disaster health care personnel involved with providing emergency acute renal care should have a basic familiarity with disaster epidemiology in order to determine whether a given event requires their intervention. This paper includes recommendations for improving medical planning, preparedness, and response to natural disasters that cause acute renal failure.