[The fate of critically injured patients].

The prognosis of patients with multiple injuries is very favourable once the critically injured have survived the acute life threatening period. Five to six years after the accident 82% of the surviving patients with injuries of three or more body areas who needed intensive care are fully capable of work and are not receiving any financial compensation. In severe head injuries or in paraplegia, lethality during hospitalization is higher and late prognosis worse: nevertheless, five to six years after the accident 55% of these patients are working full time and do not receive any compensation.