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Evolution of Operative Interventions by Two University-Based Surgical Teams in Haiti during the First Month following the Earthquake

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2011

Babak Sarani ,
Samir Mehta ,
Michael Ashburn ,
Rajan Gupta ,
Derek Dombroski ,
Maxi Raymonville  and
C. William Schwab
Babak Sarani*
Affiliation:
Division of Traumatology and Surgical Critical Care, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA
Samir Mehta
Affiliation:
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA
Michael Ashburn
Affiliation:
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA
Rajan Gupta
Affiliation:
Department of Surgery, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire USA
Derek Dombroski
Affiliation:
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA
Maxi Raymonville
Affiliation:
Zanmi Lasante, Cange, Haiti
C. William Schwab
Affiliation:
Division of Traumatology and Surgical Critical Care, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA
*
Correspondence: Babak Sarani, MD, FACSAssistant Professor of Surgery3400 Spruce Street, 5 MaloneyPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 USA E-mail: saranib@uphs.upenn.edu
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Abstract

Background: The earthquake that struck Haiti on 10 January 2010, killed 200,000 persons and injured thousands more. Working with Partners in Health, a non-governmental organization already present in Haiti, Dartmouth College, and the University of Pennsylvania sent multidisciplinary surgical teams to hospitals in the villages of Hinche and Cange. The purpose of this report is to describe the injuries seen and evolution of treatments rendered at these two outlying regional hospitals during the first month following the earthquake.

Methods: A retrospective review of the database maintained by each team was performed. In addition to a list of equipment taken to Haiti, information collected included patient age, American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) physical status, injuries sustained, procedures performed, wound management strategy, antibiotic therapy, and early outcomes.

Results: A total of 113 surgical procedures were performed in 15 days by both teams. The average patient age was 25 years and average ASA score was 1.4. The majority of injuries involved large soft tissue wounds and closed fractures, although 21–40% of the patients at each hospital had either an open fracture or amputation wound. Initially, wound debridement was the most common procedure performed, but after two weeks, skin grafting, fracture fixation, and amputation revision were the more commonly needed operations.

Conclusions: Academic surgical teams can ameliorate the morbidity and mortality following disasters caused by natural hazards by partnering with organizations that already have a presence in the affected region. A multidisciplinary team of surgeons and nurses can improve both mortality and morbidity following a disaster.

Keywords

disasterdisaster responseearthquake medical responseemergency surgerymass casualty
Type
Case Study
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 26 , Issue 3 , June 2011 , pp. 206 - 211
Copyright
Copyright Sarani © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2011

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