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Evaluation of Patients Undergoing Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Earthquake-Related Tissue Injuries

Mustafa Öztürk¹, Levent Demir¹

¹Kayseri City Training and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Türkiye.

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness

|April 14, 2025

Abstract

Objective:

Tissue injuries that occur after earthquakes are usually traumatic and cause various anatomical damages. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is an increasingly popular treatment modality for such tissue injuries because it has the potential to accelerate the healing process of tissues by providing effective oxygen.This study aimed to present a retrospective evaluation of the effects and outcomes of HBOT in patients with tissue damage after earthquakes, thus contributing to the development of medical intervention strategies following natural disasters.

Methods:

This study included 51 patients treated as earthquake victims in the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Unit. Information regarding the earthquake victims was obtained retrospectively and relevant analyses were conducted. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between the Mangled Extremity Severity Score (MESS) and related variables.

Results:

Sensory and functional recovery rates were 64.7% and 62.7%, respectively, after HBOT. After treatment, 10 (19.6%) patients had a minor amputation, and 5 (9.8%) patients had a major amputation. As patients' MESS Scores increased, the rate of amputation did not increase (P < 0.05), but the rate of recovery of sensation and function in the recovered extremities decreased (P < 0.05). No patient died during treatment.

Conclusions:

These results suggest that HBOT can protect life and limb in earthquake injuries, but also save numb and non-functioning limbs in severe cases.

Keywords:

MESS score crush injury earthquake hyperbaric oxygen therapy tissue injury

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