PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the expierience of the Wonju Disaster Medical Assistant Team (DMAT)'s activities during the Chun-cheon landslide (AM 00:08 on July 7th, 2011) and to present damages caused by the landslide. The scale of the domestic DMAT in the landslide disaster was also assessed. METHODS: In a retrograde study, victims were analyzed video camera recordings and medical records at the landslide disaster. Follow-up surveys of patients taken to the hospital after the Chun-cheon landslide were also analyzed. In addition, pertinence of the Wonju DMAT's activities during the rescue activity, designated by National Emergency Management, were evaluated. RESULTS: Rescue efforts continued until 13:00 on July 7th, 2011. The number of casualties was forty one, consisted of three immediate patients, six delayed patients, nineteen minimal patients, and thirteen expectant patients. The Wonju DMAT arrived at the scene of the landslide disaster at AM 02:30 on July 7th, 2011. After installing a medical office, they categorized patients by ID-ME classification and provided medical treatment to twenty-two patients, including local residents and rescue workers. CONCLUSION: The cause of death in the landslide disaster was suffocation. A small-scale DMAT rescue, composed on five to six people, is more proper for disaster response in a landslide disaster.
Asphyxia ; Cause of Death ; Classification ; Disasters* ; Emergencies ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Landslides* ; Medical Assistance ; Medical Records ; Rescue Work

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the expierience of the Wonju Disaster Medical Assistant Team (DMAT)'s activities during the Chun-cheon landslide (AM 00:08 on July 7th, 2011) and to present damages caused by the landslide. The scale of the domestic DMAT in the landslide disaster was also assessed. METHODS: In a retrograde study, victims were analyzed video camera recordings and medical records at the landslide disaster. Follow-up surveys of patients taken to the hospital after the Chun-cheon landslide were also analyzed. In addition, pertinence of the Wonju DMAT's activities during the rescue activity, designated by National Emergency Management, were evaluated. RESULTS: Rescue efforts continued until 13:00 on July 7th, 2011. The number of casualties was forty one, consisted of three immediate patients, six delayed patients, nineteen minimal patients, and thirteen expectant patients. The Wonju DMAT arrived at the scene of the landslide disaster at AM 02:30 on July 7th, 2011. After installing a medical office, they categorized patients by ID-ME classification and provided medical treatment to twenty-two patients, including local residents and rescue workers. CONCLUSION: The cause of death in the landslide disaster was suffocation. A small-scale DMAT rescue, composed on five to six people, is more proper for disaster response in a landslide disaster.
Asphyxia ; Cause of Death ; Classification ; Disasters* ; Emergencies ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Landslides* ; Medical Assistance ; Medical Records ; Rescue Work

OBJECTIVETo summarize early diagnosis and treatment methods of 20 patients with compartment syndrome caused by landslides during coal mine accidents in order to improve the level of diagnosis and treatment of compartment syndrome and reduce disability.

METHODSFrom September 2006 to April 2010,20 patients with compartment syndrome were treated with the methods of early decompression, systemic support. All the patients were male with an average age of 42 years (ranged, 23 to 54). All the patients with high tension limb swelling, pain, referred pain passive positive; 5 extremities feeling diminish or disappear and the distal blood vessel beat were normal or weakened or disappeared; myoglobinuria, hyperkalemia, serum urea nitrogen and creatinine increased in 5 cases and oliguria in occurred 1 case. The function of affected limbs was observed according to disability ratings.

RESULTSThree cases complicated with infection of affected limb and 6 cases occurred with renal function insufficiency. Total recovery was in 16 cases, basically recovery in 3, amputation in 1 case. All patients were followed up for 6-15 months with an average of 12 months. The ability to work according to national standard identification--Employee work-related injuries and occupational disability rating classification (GB/T16180-2006) to assess, grade 5 was in 1 case, grade 8 in 2 cases, grade 10 in 1 case, no grade in 16 cases.

CONCLUSIONArteriopalmus of dorsalis pedis weaken and vanished can not be regard as an evidence in early diagnosis of compartment syndrome. Early diagnosis and decompression, systemic support and treatment is the key in reducing disability.

Adult ; Compartment Syndromes ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Decompression, Surgical ; methods ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Landslides ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Water-Electrolyte Imbalance ; therapy

PURPOSE: On July 27, 2011, landslides occurred on Woomyun Mountain, resulting in development of mass casualties. Seoul St. Mary's Hospital was the primary recipient of patients. This experience prompted the drafting of a formal disaster plan. Therefore, we outline the Emergency Management External Disaster Plan of Seoul St. Mary's Hospital and discuss the time course of presentation and medical characteristics of the patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of medical records of patients who visited Seoul St. Mary's Hospital from Woo-myun Mountain landslides. In addition, we reviewed the time course of hospital disaster response. RESULTS: A total of 33 patients participated in this study. Mean age was 40.2 (+/-21.8) years; eight patients died at the time of admission and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed in one patient. Mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 9.19 and four patients were ISS above 15. Six patients were admitted to our hospital and two patients underwent an emergency operation. Overall, the emergency disaster management was appropriate due to the formal disaster plan and experiences in conduct of disaster drills. However, there were also several problems. The major problems of our disaster response were as follows: delayed activation of external disaster, difficulties in securing a treatment section, and absence of a decontamination facility. CONCLUSION: We observed several problems from our experience with Woo-myun Mountain landslides. Reassessment of the disaster plan and additional planning for other possibilities are needed.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Decontamination ; Disaster Planning ; Disasters ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Landslides ; Mandrillus ; Mass Casualty Incidents ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies

Seven cases of traumatic fractured femoral heads with posterior dislocation of the hip were treated at the Keimyung University Hospital between November 1973 and December 1981. All cases were followed from 6 months to 8 years. Five cases were caused by traffic accidents. The other two cases were caused by a landslide. In six cases, at first a closed reduction was performed under general anesthesia and the femoral head was reduced in the acetabulum, but in 5 of the 6 cases head fragments were not reduced. So, after one or more days, open reductions were performed on the remaining 5 cases by internal fixation with iliac bone pegs (two-four). In the remaining one case of the 6, who had a head injury and an intestinal rupture, after the closed reduction, one head fragment was reduced but not anatomically. But because of his poor general condition, conservative treatment was taken. During conservative treatment redislocation and displacement of the head fragment occurred at the 4th week after the closed reduction was done. So this case was also treated by the above method. The 7th case, who has an ipsilateral femoral neck and intertrochanteric fracture, was reduced by primary open reduction. By the classification of the Pipkins, there were 4 cases of Type I and Type II, III and IV each had I case. The post operative X-ray and follow-up study showed that two were classified as excellent, four as good and the one who had the ipsilateral femoral neck and intertrochanteric fracture (Pipkin's Type III) was classified as poor.
Accidents, Traffic ; Acetabulum ; Anesthesia, General ; Classification ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Dislocations ; Femur Head ; Femur Neck ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Hip ; Landslides ; Methods ; Rupture