Amaefule K E, Dahiru I L, Ejagwulu F S, Maitama M I
Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery,Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
West Afr J Med. 2020 Apr-Jun;37(2):131-137.
Trauma in developing countries has assumed an epidemic proportion and is now a public health problem. This is largely due to the rising incidence of road traffic crashes (RTC), increasing urbanization, industrialization and armed conflicts including terrorism fuelled by political, ethnic and religious factors in most developing countries. Unfortunately, this public health menace has not gotten the attention it deserves from the governments of the low-income countries, global non-governmental organisations and the mass media compared to the infectious diseases.
This was a 2-year retrospective cohort study of trauma patients who presented to our emergency department and died within 72 hours of admission.
Within the period, a total of 6,858 patients, consisting of 2,228 trauma patients were admitted into our emergency department. Out of the trauma admissions, 256 patients died; giving a mortality rate of 11.5%. However, only 237 of the dead patients' case files could be reviewed. There were 195 (82.3%) males and 42 (17.7%) females. Majority of the deaths were in the age group 31 years - 45 years, with a mean age of 33.6 years. Road traffic crash was the most common cause of trauma deaths, 194 (81.9%); followed by flame burn, 15 (6.3%). Traumatic brain injury with or without other associated lesser injuries was the predominant diagnosis at presentation, 157 (66.2%). Most of the patients presented within 4 hours of their injuries, 136 (57.4%). Majority of the patients were brought to hospital by other road users, 133 (56.1%); and commercial bus was the commonest mode of transportation of the patients to the hospital, 102 (43.1%).
The trauma mortality rate in our emergency department calls for urgent intervention measures. Critical amongst them is the need for establishment of a trauma system with an efficient pre-hospital emergency medical service component in our region.
创伤在发展中国家已呈流行态势，如今成为一个公共卫生问题。这主要归因于道路交通事故（RTC）发生率的上升、城市化进程的加快、工业化以及大多数发展中国家因政治、种族和宗教因素引发的包括恐怖主义在内的武装冲突。不幸的是，与传染病相比，这种公共卫生威胁尚未得到低收入国家政府、全球非政府组织和大众媒体应有的关注。
这是一项对在我们急诊科就诊并在入院72小时内死亡的创伤患者进行的为期2年的回顾性队列研究。
在此期间，共有6858名患者入住我们的急诊科，其中包括2228名创伤患者。在创伤入院患者中，256人死亡；死亡率为11.5%。然而，仅能查阅237名死亡患者的病历。其中男性195人（82.3%），女性42人（17.7%）。大多数死亡发生在31岁至45岁年龄组，平均年龄为33.6岁。道路交通事故是创伤死亡的最常见原因，有194例（81.9%）；其次是火焰烧伤，15例（6.3%）。伴有或不伴有其他较轻相关损伤的创伤性脑损伤是就诊时的主要诊断，有157例（66.2%）。大多数患者在受伤后4小时内就诊，有136例（57.4%）。大多数患者由其他道路使用者送往医院，有133例（56.1%）；商业巴士是患者前往医院最常见的交通方式，有102例（43.1%）。
我们急诊科的创伤死亡率需要采取紧急干预措施。其中关键的是需要在我们地区建立一个具备高效院前紧急医疗服务组成部分的创伤系统。
