Patterns of Head and Neck Injuries in Urban India: A Multicenter Study.

OBJECTIVE

The pattern of head and neck injuries has been well studied in high-income countries, but the data are limited in low- and middle-income countries, which are disproportionately affected by trauma. We examined a prospective multicenter database to describe patterns and outcomes of head and neck injuries in urban India.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective review of trauma registry.

SETTING

Four tertiary public hospitals in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata.

METHODS

We identified patients with isolated head and neck injuries using () codes and excluded those with traumatic brain and/or ophthalmic injuries and injuries in other body regions.

RESULTS

Our cohort included 171 patients. Most were males (80.7%) and adults aged 18 to 55 years (60.2%). Falls (36.8%) and road traffic accidents (36.3%) were the 2 predominant mechanisms of injury. Overall, 35.7% required intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and 11.7% died. More than 20% of patients were diagnosed with "unspecified injury of neck." Those with the diagnosis had a higher ICU admission rate (51.4% vs 31.3%, = .025) and mortality rate (27.0% vs 7.5%, = .001) than those without the diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

Isolated head and neck injuries are not highly prevalent among Indian trauma patients admitted to urban tertiary hospitals but are associated with high mortality. Over a fifth of patients were diagnosed with "unspecified injury of neck," which is associated with more severe clinical outcomes. Exactly what this diagnosis entails and encompasses remains unclear.