Materials and Methods: The study was conducted at a tertiary trauma center and included 14 patients. Data on age, gender, types of trauma, chest trauma score (CTS), duration of entrapment under debris, and associated injuries were analyzed. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 21.0 with appropriate parametric and non-parametric tests.
Results: The mean age of patients was 43.64 ± 16.58 years, with 64.3% female and 35.7% male. The most common injuries were rib fractures (57.1%), hemothorax (35.7%), and crush syndrome (28.6%). The mean CTS was 3.50 ± 2.68, and 80% of patients with CTS scores above 5 had significant complications. Entrapment duration under debris was shorter in older patients, showing a statistically significant negative correlation with age (Spearman’s rho = -0.568, p = 0.034). Prolonged entrapment was associated with longer hospital stays (Spearman’s rho = 0.634, p = 0.015).
Conclusion: Earthquake-related thoracic injuries represent serious medical challenges that require multidisciplinary approaches and early interventions. The CTS proved effective in assessing trauma severity and guiding clinical priorities. Entrapment duration and age were identified as critical factors influencing patient prognosis, emphasizing their importance in post-disaster healthcare planning. Future studies with larger samples are needed to further investigate these relationships.
