RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Characterisation of patients treated at the Red Cross field hospital in Kashmir during the first three weeks of operation JF Emergency Medicine Journal JO Emerg Med J FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and the British Association for Accident & Emergency Medicine SP 654 OP 656 DO 10.1136/emj.2006.036012 VO 23 IS 8 A1 M Helminen A1 E Saarela A1 J Salmela YR 2006 UL http://emj.bmj.com/content/23/8/654.abstract AB Objective: To evaluate the characteristics of patients treated at a field hospital in the first month after a major earthquake. Methods: Age, sex, diagnosis, and operations performed on patients admitted to the field hospital of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Pakistani Kashmir between 21 October and 10 November 2005 were recorded and the data analysed. Results: During the three week period of this study, 316 patients were treated at the hospital; 246 were women and children (77.9%). Two thirds were hospitalised, over 90% because of the need for surgery or surgical consultation. Altogether 345 operations were performed on 157 patients. The majority of patients had infected wounds with or without fractures. Conclusions: Most patients need medical evaluation in consequence of earthquake-related trauma even weeks after the catastrophe, especially in areas difficult of access.