Change in velocity and energy dissipation on impact in motor vehicle crashes as a function of the direction of crash: key factors in the production of thoracic aortic injuries, their pattern of associated injuries and patient survival. A Crash Injury Research Engineering Network (CIREN) study.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effect of change in velocity (MV) and energy dissipation (IE) on impact, above and below the test levels for federal motor vehicle crash (MVC) safety standards, on the incidence of aortic injury (AI) and its mortality and associated injury patterns in frontal (F) and lateral (L) MVCs. Comparison of 80 AI and 796 non-AI patients of AIS=3.

METHODS

Eight hundred seventy-six MVC adult drivers or front-seat passengers (552 F and 324 L) evaluated by 10 Level I CIREN study Trauma Centers together with vehicle and crash scene engineering reconstruction. Patient seatbelt and/or airbag use correlated with clinical or autopsy findings.

RESULTS

In AI, 63% of cases were dead at the scene and only 16% survived to leave hospital. The relation between IE dissipated in the MVC and the DeltaV on impact was exponential as DeltaV increased, but the rise in IE for a given DeltaV was greater in LMVC than in FMVC (p <0.05). A more rapid rise in IE/DeltaV occurred above the mean DeltaV of 48 +/- 19.7 kph (30 mph) in FMVC and above the mean DeltaV of 36 +/- 16.2 kph (23 mph) in LMVC. As DeltaV increased above these means, 65% of 46 FMVC aortic injuries (AIs) and 64% of 34 LMVC AIs occurred. In AI patients there was evidence of focusing of the point of IE impact on the upper chest with a higher incidence of rib1-4 fractures than in non-AI (p <0.01) and more brain, heart, lung and spleen injuries (p <0.01) consequent to lower seatbelt use (p <0.01), but LMVC also had more pelvic fx (p <0.05). Airbags + seatbelts in FMVC and seatbelts in LMVC reduced mortality (p <0.05) Comparison of AI incidence in three successive 4-year vehicle model year periods showed a progressive decrease as new safety devices were introduced (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The implications for AI of the focused IE at the upper chest suggest a probable mechanism for MVC AI with the pressurized aortic arch acting as the long arm of a lever system with the fulcrum at the subclavian artery, producing maximum torsional strain at the short arm of the isthmus where 75% of the AIs occurred. AI mortality is also influenced by the associated injuries. To develop more effective safety systems to prevent AI, MVC safety testing with airbags and seatbelts should be carried out at DeltaVs of 1 SD above means for FMVC and LMVC.