TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2019//
TI  - Debris flow syndrome: injuries and outcomes after the Montecito debris flow
JO  - American surgeon
A1  - Langdon, Sarah
A1  - Johnson, Arianne
A1  - Sharma, Rohit
SP  - 1094
EP  - 1098
VL  - 85
IS  - 10
N2  - On January 9, 2018, a catastrophic debris flow devastated Montecito, California. A 30-foot wall of boulders, mud, and debris ran down the hillsides at 15 miles per hour injuring dozens and causing 21 prehospital deaths. A retrospective review was conducted of the victims from the debris flow presenting to Cottage Health. Injury patterns, procedures performed, complications, length of stay, and outcomes were analyzed. Twenty-four patients were evaluated; 15 were admitted. Of the patients admitted, the most common presenting symptoms were soft tissue injuries (100%), hypothermia (67%), craniofacial injuries (67%), corneal abrasions (53%), and orthopedic injuries (47%), as well as loss of an immediate family member during the incident (73%). Procedures included skin irrigation (93%), operative soft tissue debridement (47%), body orifice irrigation due to mud impaction (40%), and orthopedic repair of fractures and ligaments (40%). All survived to discharge. "Debris flow syndrome" can be defined as a pattern of injuries, including soft tissue injuries, hypothermia, craniofacial trauma, corneal abrasions, orthopedic injuries, and mud impaction. Managing the debris flow syndrome requires co-ordinated and specialized care.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0003-1348
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -