Mortality caused by polytrauma.

A study of the injury fatality rate in an adult population was done in the Moscow region. Investigators determined that side by side with the severity of injury, the direct causes of death were erroneous diagnosis, ungrounded delay of surgical interventions, and lack of and insufficient use of necessary medical care. They also showed that the attention of administrative and public health agencies to the material/technical equipment of prehospital and hospital medical service, and to the training of medical personnel, was insufficient and that activity on accident prevention was inadequate. Determination of causes will help to create concrete measures to decrease injury fatality.