Intervention of the Renal Disaster Relief Task Force in the 1999 Marmara, Turkey earthquake

Abstract

Background. Major earthquakes are followed by a substantial number of crush syndromes and pigment-induced acute renal failures (ARFs). The natural evolution of this problem rapidly leads to death. Today's possibilities of dialysis therapy enable saving numerous lives that otherwise would he lost. Currently, the primary problem is organizational, if huge catastrophes occur and complex therapeutic options need to be offered to a large number of victims.