What Does Crush Syndrome After Earthquake Mean?
Internal medicine specialist assistant. associate Dr Ayhan Levent provided information on Crush Syndrome, which is defined as the crushing of the body when it becomes trapped under rubble in earthquakes, and gave very important advice.
Crush syndrome occurs in earthquakes
Claiming that Crush means “crush” as a word, Internal Medicine Specialist Dr. Ayhan Levent, “Crush Syndrome; It is defined as the situation that causes significant tissue damage and muscle necrosis as a result of crushing injuries, prolonged compression and immobility in disasters such as earthquakes, blows at work and traffic accidents, avalanches and being covered in snow.
High potassium causes deadly cardiac arrhythmias
Dr Ayhan Levent said that Crush syndrome occurs when the muscle tissue is subjected to prolonged pressure and continued his words as follows:
“An earthquake puts a great deal of weight on the body that lies beneath the rubble. When the earthquake victim is removed, the areas under pressure are released and blood flow begins. Potassium, myoglobin, phosphate, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, AST, ALT, and uric acid, which are normally found in muscle, pass from the damaged muscle tissue into the bloodstream. These substances, whose levels in the blood rise, can cause toxic and fatal complications. These complications are; It includes internal and surgical complications such as acute renal failure, heart failure, hyperkalemia, hypovolemic shock, respiratory failure, infections, compartment syndrome, bleeding. In particular, a high level of potassium in the blood causes fatal arrhythmias. Because of these deadly rhythms, the person who lies deep under the rubble may be lost after being rescued.”
Rescue death can occur after crush syndrome
Dr. Dr. Ayhan Levent, “Infatuation syndrome is the second most common cause of death in disasters after direct trauma. Rescue death can be observed in the person with crush syndrome. Because of the pressure on the earthquake victim, metabolites that occur as a result of an injury in the striated muscles do not pass into the bloodstream, so it does not pose a problem while under the rubble. However, when the earthquake victim is rescued from the wreckage, the pressure is relieved and the metabolites pass into the bloodstream causing rapid death, which is called rescue death.
The vascular access should be opened as soon as possible.
Emphasizing that the most important step in reducing mortality and disability due to complications from Crush syndrome is early recovery and treatment, Dr. Ayhan Levent said, “It is necessary to begin treatment while the earthquake victim is still under the rubble. Excessive muscle crushing can lead to a process that can lead to death if prompt and effective treatment is not practiced. The most important step of the treatment is to start the serum treatment with isotonic sodium chloride (NaCl) at a rate of 1 l/h by opening the vascular access as soon as possible.
Syndrome-related deaths can be reduced with the right treatments.
Dr Ayhan Levent, “The symptoms of Crush syndrome, which develops as a result of the contents of the crushed striated muscles mixing into the bloodstream, include painful and swollen limbs, low blood pressure, weakness, cardiac arrhythmia, respiratory failure, decreased urine volume and dark colored urination.The general health of the person recovered from the wreck can be well determined in the first stage.There may be symptoms such as swelling in a single limb, weakness in the limb or inability to move it. However, after a while, a drop in blood pressure, respiratory failure, and death may set in. In conclusion, Crush syndrome is a major syndrome that can be life-threatening, and with proper treatments, deaths from Crush syndrome can be minimized.