Some Turkey-Syria quake victims suffer crush syndrome

ALBAWABA - Some victims of the devastating Turkey-Syria earthquake suffered from the Crush syndrome.

The fall of huge lumps and the pressure they caused to the limbs and organs of people trapped under the debris of fallen buildings for a period of time is the main cause of what may potentially develop into a tragedy.

What do you know about it and how does it happen?

Crush syndrome, which is a traumatic rhabdomyolysis or Bywaters' syndrome, is a medical condition characterized by a major shock and kidney failure after a crushing injury to skeletal muscle.

Crush injury is compression of the arms, legs, or other parts of the body that cause muscle swelling and/or neurological disturbances in the affected areas of the body. Cases occur commonly in catastrophes such as earthquakes, according to wikipedia.

Syrians have been moved by the fate of a brave nine-year-old girl, called Sham, who  captured the tragedy, hope and heartbreak of the earthquake that devastated areas in her war-ravaged country.

Trapped under the rubble for 40 hours, she was rescued alive. But now, she faces the risk of having both her legs amputated because of tissue damage from the crush injury, according to her doctor.