Pediatric Trauma at Tertiary-Level Hospitals in the Aftermath of the Bam, Iran Earthquake

The Bam Earthquake caused one of the most destructive disasters from naturally occurring hazards in recent years. Children are one of the most vulnerable age groups during disasters, in terms of both physical and psychological injuries. The assessment of pedatric injuries in the aftermath of the Bam Earthquake is discussed is this article. Within one week of the Earthquake, 119 patients <16 years of age were admitted to three tertiary-level referral hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Extremity, chest, and abdomen, and head and spinal column injuries were present in 83,17, and 36 patients, respectively. Lower extremity injuries were more common than upper extremity injuries. A total of 65 operations were performed: 52 (80%) orthopedic, eight (12.3%) general, and five (7.7%) neurosurgical.