@article{ref1,
title="Conditions found among pediatric survivors during the early response to natural disaster: a prospective case study",
journal="Journal of pediatric orthopedics",
year="2012",
author="Gamulin, Axel and Armenter-Duran, Júlia and Assal, Mathieu and Hagon, Olivier and Dayer, Romain",
volume="32",
number="4",
pages="327-333",
abstract="BACKGROUND: : Major natural disasters may provoke a mass casualty situation, and children tend to represent an important proportion of the victims. The purpose of this study was to prospectively record medical conditions presented by pediatric survivors of a major natural disaster to determine the type of medical specialists most needed during the acute phase of relief response. METHODS: : After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, age, sex, date of presentation, diagnosis, and treatment provided were prospectively recorded for all patients less than 18 years old treated by a medical relief team. Patients were then allocated to 1 of the 2 groups: surgical (traumatism or surgical disorder) and medical (medical disorder). Medical activity lasted for 43 days. RESULTS: : Four hundred seventy-one of the 796 treated patients were less than 18 years old. Two hundred forty-four (52%) were assigned to the surgical group and 227 (48%) to the medical group. As there was a substantial decrease in the number of new surgical patients registered on day 11 of activity, we arbitrarily defined an early period (until day 10 of activity) and a late period (beginning on day 11 of activity). Data obtained from the 147 new patients registered during the early period revealed 134 (91%) surgical patients and 13 (9%) medical patients. Eighty-eight percent of patients needed specialized care for traumatic orthopaedic lesions, and procedures under anesthesia or sedation were mainly (98%) performed for traumatic conditions. Data obtained for the 324 new patients registered during the late period revealed 110 (34%) surgical patients and 214 (66%) medical patients. There was a switch from high surgical needs to more routine medical and surgical care, with less procedures (88%) for the treatment of traumatic lesions. CONCLUSIONS: : Pediatric orthopaedic surgeons have a major role to play in the acute phase of relief response to potentially minimize long-term physical and psychosocial disability associated with these complex injuries in growing patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: : Economic or decision analyses, level II.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0271-6798",
doi="10.1097/BPO.0b013e31825197ec",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/BPO.0b013e31825197ec"
}