BACKGROUND: Following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps deployed a field hospital in Port au Prince. The purpose of this study was to characterize the injuries sustained by the pediatric population treated in the hospital and examine the implications for planning deployment in future similar disasters. METHODS: Medical records of @entity1 treated in the hospital were reviewed and compared with medical records of the adult population. RESULTS: A total of 1,111 @entity1 were treated in the hospital. Thirty-seven percent were aged 0 to 18 years. Earthquake-related injuries were the cause of admission in 47% of @entity1 and 66% of adults. Forty-seven percent of @entity1 with traumatic injuries sustained @entity174 . Seventy-two percent were in the lower limbs, 19% were in the upper limbs, and 9% were in the axial skeleton, with the femur being the most common long bone fractured compared with the tibia in adults. There were four functional operating theaters, and treatment guidelines were adjusted to the rapidly changing situation. Soft tissue injuries were treated by aggressive debridement. @entity174 were stabilized by external fixation or casting. Amputation was performed only for nonviable limbs or life-threatening @entity295 . @entity1 were more likely than adults to undergo surgery (44% vs. 29% of @entity130 @entity1 ). To maximize hospital surge capacity, minor procedures were performed in the wards under sedation, and @entity1 were discharged after an average of 1.4 days, with subsequent follow-up in the clinic. CONCLUSION: @entity1 constitute a high percentage of @entity1 in a developing country. The epidemiology of @entity130 following an earthquake differs significantly from that encountered in everyday practice and compared with that in adults. @entity1 sustain a significantly higher percentage of @entity3330 and are more likely to require surgery. The shift to nontraumatic reasons for admission occurred earlier in the pediatric population than in adults. Organizations providing post-earthquake relief are usually geared toward adult populations and will require supplementation of both manpower and equipment specifically suited for treatment of pediatric @entity1 . Early deployment teams should be adequately staffed with adult and pediatric orthopedists. (J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2013;74: 617-621.

XXXX Following an Earthquake: Experience in an Acute-Phase Field Hospital.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['children', 'patients', 'Children'] @entity295 :: ('MESH:D018805', 'Disease') :: ['sepsis'] @entity174 :: ('MESH:D050723', 'Disease') :: ['fractures', 'Fractures'] @entity3330 :: ('MESH:D005264', 'Disease') :: ['femoral fractures'] @entity130 :: ('MESH:D014947', 'Disease') :: ['pediatric injuries', 'trauma']
@entity130 :: (MESH:D014947,Disease) :: ['Pediatric Orthopedic Injuries']
