Overview of Wound Features and Treatment in Wenchuan Earthquake Victims

Objective: “5.12” Wenchuan Earthquake killed 70,000 people and left more than 90,000 people injured seriously. This study was to analyze the wound features and early treatments in Wenchuan earthquake victims and investigate treatment strategies in major disasters, to provide a reference to future disaster rescue. Methods: Total of 1420 earthquake patients who were admitted to Deyang People’s Hospital, Sichuan Province from May 12-30, 2008 were enrolled in the study. The wound features and early treatment were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Among 1420 patients, there were total 1821 injuries. In which, there were 1089 cases with single site injury (76.69%) and 331 cases with multiple injury (23.31%); injuries of limb, body surface and soft tissue were more than that of other sites; injury of single site was larger than that of multi-site (P < 0.01); most of the earthquake patients were admitted to hospital within 2 days after earthquake (68.80%), whose number was more than those at other times (P < 0.01); the number of the earthquake patients in 19 - 45 age group was more than that of other groups (P < 0.01); most of patients were treated within 12 hours after injury (P < 0.01). Conclusion: In disaster rescue, rescue speed is the key point. And the “golden time” and emphases of rescue should be within 2 days after earthquake; the principle of damage control surgery should be followed in the rescue. Enhancing mutual and self help practice and first-aid training at usual times may save more lives.