Compressive Peripheral Nerve Injuries in Earthquake Victims in Kahramanmaraş Earthquake on February 6, Our Clinical Observations

Background Earthquakes are one of the most common causes of mortality and morbidity due to natural disasters. In particular, soft tissue and musculoskeletal injuries are the most common types of injuries following earthquakes and the most common reason for hospital admission. Turkey is a region with a very high risk of earthquakes. Compression is one of the most common causes of mechanically induced peripheral nerve injuries. Peripheral nerve injuries cause long-term disruptions in daily life, professional development, and education. These injuries are the important causes of labor loss, especially in young adult patients. The purpose of our study is to emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and treatment for these injuries by sharing our observations on compressive peripheral nerve injuries seen in earthquake victims after the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes on February 6. Materials and Methods We included patients with peripheral nerve injury who were admitted to the physical therapy clinic of Adana City Hospital for three months starting from February 6, 2023. Results The mean age of the injured was 32.64±17.63 years. The median time of being pulled from the rubble was 24 hours. 95.5% were living in Hatay province. The most common sites of peripheral nerve injury were legs (43.3%), arms (17.9%) and forearms (16.4%). 31.3% of the injured had bone fractures. The most common complaints were weakness in the legs (31.3%), foot drops (29.9%), and wrist drops (20.9%). Conclusion Earthquake is a natural disaster that can cause blunt and penetrating injuries and serious peripheral nerve injuries. Thus, it should be kept in mind that these injuries, which significantly affect the quality of life, are quite common and may be overlooked during the acute phase after earthquakes.