Retrospective, analytical study of field first aid following the Wenchuan Earthquake in China.

Field first-aid data from the Wenchuan Earthquake in China was analyzed retrospectively in order to probe into ways to develop field first-aid operations and provide a reference for future emergency rescue. Related documents about the Wenchuan Earthquake were collected and reviewed. The state of injury and leading causes of death during the disaster were identified. The presnece of emergency medical resources on-site after the earthquake was relatively insufficient. Deaths mainly were due to cardiopulmonary arrest, severe craniocerebral injury, incurable hemorrhagic shock, and crush syndrome that caused multiple organ system dysfunction syndrome. Only by strengthening the on-site emergency medical resources, speeding-up triage, and equipping responders with professional, portable medical equipment, can field first-aid operations be delivered more efficiently.