Which is more dangerous, earthquake, or the panic? Evaluation of the 24 January 2020 Elazig/Türkiye earthquake related musculoskeletal injuries

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to evaluate the musculoskeletal injuries related with 24 January 2020 Elazig/Türkiye earthquake and their treatment protocols. METHODS: Data of patients applied to İnönü University Medical Faculty Hospital, Elazığ Training and Research Hospital and Malatya Training and Research Hospital emergency departments within 48 h after the earthquake, were evaluated retrospectively. Age, gender, soft tissue injuries and sites, fracture sites and types, fracture etiology, and treatment methods were evaluated. RESULTS: 247 patients were evaluated. 118 were women and 139 were men. There were 24 (9.7%) pediatric patients. Mean age was 37.3 (1–92) years. Waist majority of injuries were simple soft-tissue injuries. There were 103 fractures in 86 patients. Thirty-eight patients’ fractures were treated surgically. CONCLUSION: Every major disaster warrants retrospective studies so we can learn how to improve all levels of Emergency Medical Services. Great proportion of Elazıg earthquake victims had only simple soft tissue injuries such as sprain, laceration, or contusion. Many patients were injured due to reasons indirectly related to the destruction brought by the earthquake. Panic caused by the earthquake caused more injury than the destruction it brought.