Demir L, Öztürk M, et al.
Ulusal travma ve acil cerrahi dergisi = Turkish journal of trauma & emergency surgery : TJTES. Date of publication 2024 Mar 1;volume 30(3):185-191.
1. Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg. 2024 Mar;30(3):185-191. doi:
10.14744/tjtes.2024.60979.
Use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in severe earthquake injuries.
Demir L(1), Öztürk M(2).
Author information:
(1)Department of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine, Kayseri City Training and
Research Hospital, Kayseri-Türkiye.
(2)Department of Anatomy, Kayseri City Training and Research Hospital,
Kayseri-Türkiye.
BACKGROUND: Earthquakes are natural disasters that can often cause severe
injuries and traumatic situations. These injuries can include crush injuries,
fractures, tissue damage, and blood circulation problems. Hyperbaric oxygen
therapy (HBOT) has recently become a frequently used treatment modality for
individuals suffering from severe injuries. HBOT is a form of treatment that
involves administering pure oxygen to the patient under high pressure. This
treatment aims to promote tissue healing by increasing cellular oxygenation. It
is thought to have a positive effect on factors such as accelerating tissue
healing, reducing inflammation, and controlling infection in severe
post-earthquake injuries, particularly crush injuries. This study aimed to
retrospectively evaluate the clinical effects, contributions to the healing
process, and potential advantages of HBOT in 35 patients with severe injuries
after the Kahramanmaraş earthquake that occurred on 06.02.2023 and to contribute
to the development of emergency intervention strategies.
METHODS: This study was carried out after ethics committee approval. In the
study, the data of patients with a MESS Score between 7-14 who were admitted as
earthquake victims and treated in the HBOT Unit due to severe earthquake-related
injuries were obtained from records and retrospectively analyzed. Demographic
information, general distribution of patient data, mean values, number of HBOT
sessions, and functional outcomes were recorded.
RESULTS: The gender distribution of the 35 patients who received HBOT was 31.4%
male and 68.6% female. 45.7% of patients were aged 18 years or younger, and
54.3% were aged 19 years or older. The most common injuries in the treated
patients were observed in the lower extremities. After HBOT, sensory recovery
(54.3%) and functional recovery (51.4%) were achieved in the majority of
patients. The minor amputation rate was 20.0% and the major amputation rate was
11.4% after HBOT.
CONCLUSION: This study evaluated the possible effects of HBOT on patients with
severe earthquake injuries in Türkiye, and the results showed that HBOT may have
a beneficial effect on critical factors such as sensory recovery, functional
recovery, and amputation rates in this particular group of patients, and that
this benefit may be more pronounced in those who started treatment early.
DOI: 10.14744/tjtes.2024.60979
PMCID: PMC10977492
PMID: 38506387 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
Conflict of interest statement: Conflict of Interest: None declared.
