Are orthopedists mentally ready for the next disaster? Surgeons who performed amputations after the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes report high traumatic stress symptoms

Our study shows that treating earthquake victims has a significant impact on orthopedists' emotional states and traumatic stress, especially for local and referral hospital orthopedists. The key stress factors included pediatric amputations, multiple extremity amputations, and patient-related difficulties. While tragic events involving relatives did not show a significant association with the scores, performing amputations on patients with earthquake-related difficulties increased depression scores, and younger orthopedists reported higher IES-R scores than older orthopedists. Our findings highlight the need for regular mental health screening, risk group identification, structured psychological support, and resilience training among orthopedic surgeons following large-scale disasters, as well as enhanced preparedness for future emergencies.