Abstract
We report our experience in treating victims of the recent Earthquake Disaster in Pakistan. Our experience was based on 2 humanitarian missions to Islamabad. First in October 2005, 16 days after the earthquake and the second in January 2006, three months later. The mission consisted of a team of orthopaedic and a second team of plastic surgeons. The orthopaedic team bought all the equipment for application of Ilizarov External Fixators (IEF). We treated patients who had already received basic treatment in the region of the disaster and subsequently had been evacuated to Islamabad.
During the first visit we treated 12 injured limbs in 11 patients. 7 of these were children (ages 6 – 14). All the cases were complex and severe multifragmentary fractures associated with crush injuries. All of the fractures involved the tibia, which were treated with IEF.
Nine fractures were type 3b open injuries. Eight were infected requiring debridement of infected bone and acute shortening of the limb segment. After stabilization, the plastic surgeons provided soft tissue cover.
During the second, we reviewed all patients treated during our first mission. In addition we treated 13 new patients [Table 3] with complex non – unions. Eight out of 13 non-unions were deemed to be infected. All patients had previous treatment with monolateral fixators (AO type) as well as soft tissue coverage procedures, except one patient who had had a circular fixator (Ilizarov) applied by another team. All these patients had revision surgery with circular frames
Correspondence should be addressed to Anastasia C. Tilentzoglou MD, General Secretary of the Board of Directors of HAOST, 20 A. Fleming Str. (N.Filothei), Gr. 15123 Maroussi, Athens Greece. E-mail: info@eexot.gr
