Polytrauma in patients of 65 and over. Injury patterns and outcome

In a consecutive series of 416 patients with multiple injuries, 49 were aged 65 years or older (mean age 72.1). This group of "old" patients was compared with the remaining 367 "young" patients (mean age 31.3). In the old patients group, survivors and non-survivors were profiled. In general the injured old patient was a pedestrian hit by a car or a motorbike or someone who had simply fallen at home. Despite the fact that the mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) was significantly lower in the old patients' group (33.2 versus 42.1) (p less than 0.001), the mortality rate was significantly higher (18% versus 7.6%) (p less than 0.05). We found that in the elderly injured the ISS and preexisting diseases were not predictive of survival. However, brain injury with unconsciousness and the need for early intubation followed by long-term assisted ventilation were predictive of survival (p less than 0.001). Seventy-six per cent of the survivors were able to return home again within six months. As the final outcome in the elderly is no worse after polytrauma than after other important emergency procedures, an aggressive treatment including urgent operative fixation of major fractures is in our opinion justified.     

Penetrating trauma in patients older than 55 years: a case-control study

BACKGROUND: Multiple studies have compared young and elderly blunt trauma patients, and concluded that, because elderly patients have outcomes similar to young patients, aggressive resuscitation should be offered regardless of age. Similar data on penetrating trauma patients are limited. STUDY DESIGN: In a retrospective review, 79 patients with penetrating injuries and age > or =55 were blindly matched for Injury Severity Score (ISS) and Abbreviated Injury Scores (AIS) with 79 penetrating trauma patients aged 15-35 years, who were admitted to the hospital over the same 4 year period (June 1994-June 1998). Mortality rates and length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and the hospital were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The average ISS for all patients was 12 (range 1-75) and identical for both groups. Both groups had similar injuries and were evaluated by an equal number and type of diagnostic studies. The mean ISS was not different between severely injured older and younger patients who required ICU admission or died. Among 32 nonsurvivors (18 older and 14 younger), older patients were more likely than younger patients to present with normal vital signs, although the comparison did not reach statistical significance (50% vs. 13%, P=0.25). There was a clinically significant trend for longer ICU (15+/-30 vs. 3+/-2 days, P=0.096) and hospital stay (10+/-18 vs. 6+/-8 days, P=0.08) among older patients, but mortality rates were similar (23% in older vs. 18% in younger, P=NS). Furthermore, these outcome parameters showed no difference when both groups were classified according to severity of injury or physiologic response. CONCLUSIONS: Following penetrating trauma, older patients arriving alive and admitted to the hospital are as likely to survive as younger patients who have injuries of similar severity, but at the expense of longer ICU and hospital stays.     

Trauma in nonagenarians and centenarians: review of 137 consecutive patients

The purpose of this study was to examine the hospital course and outcomes of elderly trauma patients. We accomplished a retrospective review of all consecutive trauma patients admitted to a level II trauma center from January 2000 to April 2002. Gender, Injury Severity Score (ISS), length of stay (LOS), operative procedure, morbidity, and mortality of patients > or = 90 years of age were compared with younger patients. Of 2645 trauma admissions, 137 patients (5%) were > or = 90 years (range, 90 to 108 years; mean, 93.1 years); 5 patients were > or = 100 years. One hundred eleven (81%) patients were female; 26 (19%) male. Average ISS for patients > or = 90 was 8.75 and was 7.78 for younger patients. One hundred sixteen elderly patients (85%) had ISS < 15. Falls were the most common mechanism of injury (93%), usually ground-level falls (64%). Two hundred ninety-two injuries included 133 fractures and 102 soft tissue injuries. Thirty-four elderly patients (25%) and 733 younger patients (29%) required surgery. Complications developed in 8 per cent of older and 6 per cent of younger patients. Hospital LOS averaged 4.36 days for older and 3.51 days for younger patients. Six older (4.4%) and 63 younger (2.5%) patients died. ISS scores and LOS were slightly higher in elderly patients, but morbidity and mortality were comparable in both groups.     

Factores pronóstico del traumatismo torácico: estudio prospectivo de 500 pacientes

ObjectiveIdentify the factors of greatest impact in patients with chest trauma.Patients and methodsprospective study of 500 patients (425 men and 75 women) with chest trauma treated between January 2006 and December 2008. The parameters assessed include the degree of trauma, the abbreviated injury scale (AIS), the injury severity score (ISS), pre-hospital intubation, duration of mechanical ventilation, stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), number of rib fractures, presence of pulmonary contusion, haemothorax and cardio-pulmonary effects.ResultsThe presence of polytrauma, the number of rib fractures, the presence of flail chest, pulmonary contusion, the delay in mechanical ventilation and age were shown to be effective markers of severity.ConclusionsThoracic injuries have a number of indicators of severity. The mortality risk is associated with an ISS >25, the presence of 3 or more rib fractures with flail chest, pulmonary contusion, the development of ARDS, and with an age >55 years.     

Pediatric mandibular fractures

In spite of curiosity, facial fractures, particularly mandibular fractures, in the pediatric age group embrace only a modest proportion of facial fractures that occur within the general population. Several large series report an overall incidence of approximately 1% of all facial bone fractures. A considerable volume of literature has been generated describing the pattern of injury and treatment modalities for pediatric facial bone fractures. At our institution, which is an extremely busy university-based regional trauma center, we have witnessed a persistent escalation in the number of patients requiring repair of their facial bone fractures. During the period of January 1989 through January 1990, we treated a total of 204 patients for repair of mandible fractures. An analysis of the records of this group revealed only 3 patients who were younger than 4 years of age and 2 additional patients younger than 8 years. There were another 10 patients 17 years and younger, for a total incidence of 0.08%. Additionally, we found that within this seemingly small group, there was a surprisingly high incidence of severe, associated injuries.     

Cervical spine injuries in children: a review of 103 patients treated consecutively at a level 1 pediatric trauma center

PURPOSE: Cervical spine (C-spine) injuries occur infrequently in children but may be associated with significant disability and mortality. The purpose of this study was to review the experience of a level 1 pediatric trauma center to determine the epidemiology, risk factors, mechanisms, levels, types of injury, comorbid factors, and outcomes associated with these potentially devastating injuries. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 103 consecutive C-spine injuries treated at a level 1 pediatric trauma center over a 9(1/2)-year period (January 1991 through August 2000) was performed. RESULTS: The mean age was 10.3 +/- 5.2 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 1.6:1. The most common mechanism of injury was motor vehicle related (52%), followed by sporting injuries (27%). Football injuries accounted for 29% of all sports-related injuries. Sixty-eight percent of all children sustained injuries to C1 to C4; 25% to C5 to C7; and 7% to both. Spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA) occurred in 38%. Five patients had complete cord lesions involving the lower C-spine (C4 to C7); 4 of these were motor vehicle related, and all 4 patients died. Isolated C-spine injuries occurred in 43%, whereas 38% had associated closed head injuries (CHI). The overall mortality rate was 18.5%, most commonly motor vehicle related (95%), occurring in younger children (mean and median age 5 years) and associated with upper C-spine injuries (74%) and CHI (89%). C1 dislocations occurred in younger children (mean age, 6.6 years), most often as a result of motor vehicle-related trauma (especially pedestrians) and were associated with the highest injury severity score (ISS), longest length of stay (LOS), most CHIs, and the highest mortality rate (50%). C-spine fractures with or without SCI occurred most commonly as a result of falls and dives. Sporting injuries occurred almost exclusively in adolescent boys (mean age, 13.8 years) and were isolated injuries associated with a relatively low ISS and shorter LOS. Interestingly, 75% of sporting injuries showed SCIWORA, and all infants suffering from child abuse had SCIWORA. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanisms of injury are age related, with younger children sustaining C-spine injuries as a result of motor vehicle-related trauma and older adolescents commonly injured during sporting activities. C-spine injuries in children most commonly involve the upper C-spine, but complete lesions of the cord are associated more frequently with lower C-spine injuries. The type of C-spine injury is related to the mechanism of injury: SCIWORA is associated with sporting activities and child abuse, C-spine dislocations most commonly result from motor vehicle-related trauma (especially among pedestrians), and C-spine fractures occur most commonly as a result of falls and dives. Predictors of mortality include younger age, motor vehicle-related mechanism, C1 dislocations, high ISS greater than 25, and associated CHI. A high index of suspicion for SCIWORA is essential when evaluating adolescents with neck trauma associated with sporting injuries or victims of child abuse.     

Geriatric falls: injury severity is high and disproportionate to mechanism

OBJECTIVE: Falls are a well-known source of morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Fall-related injury severity in this group, however, is less clear, particularly as it relates to type of fall. Our purpose is to explore the relationship between mechanism of fall and both pattern and severity of injury in geriatric patients as compared with a younger cohort. METHODS: Our trauma registry was queried for all patients evaluated by the trauma service over a 412-year period (1994-1998). Two cohorts were formed on the basis of age greater than 65 or less than or equal to 65 years and compared as to mechanism, Injury Severity Score (ISS), Abbreviated Injury Scale score, and mortality. RESULTS: Over the study period, 1,512 patients were evaluated, 333 greater than 65 years and 1,179 less than or equal to 65 years of age. Falls were the injury mechanism in 48% of the older group and 7% of the younger group (p < 0.05). Falls in the older group constituted 65% of patients with ISS >15, with 32% of all falls resulting in serious injury (ISS >15). In contrast, falls in the younger group constituted only 11% of ISS >15 patients, with falls causing serious injury only 15% of the time (both p < 0.05). Notably, same-level falls resulted in serious injury 30% of the time in the older group versus 4% in the younger group (p < 0.05), and were responsible for an ISS >15 30-fold more in the older group (31% vs. <1%; p < 0.05). Abbreviated Injury Scale evaluation revealed more frequent head/neck (47% vs. 22%), chest (23% vs. 9%), and pelvic/extremity (27% vs. 15%) injuries in the older group for all falls (all p < 0.05). The mean ISS for same-level falls in the older group was twice that for the younger group (9.28 vs. 4.64, p < 0.05), whereas there was no difference in mean ISS between multilevel and same-level falls within the older group itself (10.12 vs. 9.28, p > 0.05). The fall-related death rate was higher in the older group (7% vs. 4%), with falls seven times more likely to be the cause of death compared with the younger group (55% vs. 7.5%) (both p < 0.05). Same-level falls as a cause of death was 10 times more common in the elderly (25% vs. 2.5%, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Falls among the elderly, including same-level falls, are a common source of both high injury severity and mortality, much more so than in younger patients. A different pattern of injury between older and younger fall patients also exists.     

Pelvic fracture in geriatric patients: a distinct clinical entity

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to describe differences in demographics, injury pattern, transfusion needs, and outcome of pelvic fractures in older versus younger patients. METHODS: This was a retrospective registry review of all patients with pelvic fractures admitted directly from the scene between January 1998 and December 1999. RESULTS: We cared for 234 patients with pelvic fractures during the study period. Mean age was 37.2 years, 51% were men, and mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 19. Overall mortality was 9%. Eighty-three percent were under the age of 55 years and 17% were older than 55 years. Severe pelvic fractures (AP3, LC3) were more common in young patients (p < 0.05). Admitting systolic blood pressure was lower and heart rate higher, although ISS was not different between the two age groups. Older patients were 2.8 times as likely to undergo transfusion (p < 0.005), and those undergoing transfusion required more blood (median, 7.5 units vs. 5 units). Older patients underwent angiography more frequently and were significantly more likely to die in the hospital even after adjusting for ISS (p < 0.005). This was most marked with ISS 15 to 25. Lateral compression (LC) fractures occurred 4.6 times more frequently in older patients than anteroposterior (AP) compression, and 8.2 times more frequently in those older patients undergoing transfusion as compared with AP compression. Ninety-eight percent of LC fractures in older patients were minor (LC1,2). However, older patients with LC fractures were nearly four times as likely to require blood compared with younger patients. CONCLUSION: In older patients, pelvic fractures are more likely to produce hemorrhage and require angiography. Fracture patterns differ in older patients, with LC fractures occurring more frequently, and commonly causing significant blood loss. The outcome of older patients with pelvic fractures is significantly worse than younger patients, particularly with higher injury severity. Recognition of these differences should help clinicians to identify patients at high risk for bleeding and death early, and to refine diagnostic and resuscitation strategies.     

Foot fractures in polytrauma patients: Injury characteristics and timing of diagnosis

BackgroundDue to prioritizing care and concomitant injuries, foot fractures in polytrauma patients often receive limited attention initially. However, as foot function is important, treatment and diagnosis of these fractures should be accurate. The aims of this study were to assess the incidence and distribution of foot fractures in polytrauma patients and to examine possible risk factors for delayed diagnosis of foot fractures.MethodsThis was a retrospective study on all adult (≥18 years) polytrauma (ISS ≥16) patients admitted to a single level 1 trauma center between 2006 and 2016. Patients with foot fractures were identified by diagnosis codes. Data on demographics and trauma characteristics were collected from the Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP®) database. Data on foot fractures were gathered from electronic patient documentation.ResultsOut of 4409 polytrauma patients, 221 (5.0%) sustained a total of 511 foot fractures. Metatarsal fractures were most common (41%), followed by calcaneal (17%), and talar (16%) fractures. Thirty percent of the fractures in 33% of all patients were diagnosed in a delayed fashion. This had treatment consequences in 8%. Delayed diagnosed fractures were more common in older patients (p 0.025), patients with a higher ISS (p 0.012), ICU admission (p 0.015), and concomitant head injury (p 0.020).ConclusionsAs one in twenty polytrauma patients sustains at least one foot fracture and a substantial amount of these fractures are diagnosed in a delayed fashion, physicians, regardless of their specialty, should have a high index of suspicion for injuries of the feet in polytrauma patients.     

The floating knee in the pediatric patient. Nonoperative versus operative stabilization

The results of nonoperative and operative or rigid stabilization of ipsilateral femur and tibia fractures in children and adolescents were evaluated. Twenty-nine consecutive patients with open physes (30 affected extremities) were reviewed. Their mean followup was 8.6 years (range, 1.1-18.6 years). The nonoperative group consisted of 16 patients and 16 extremities treated by skeletal traction of the femoral fracture, closed reduction and splinting or casting of the tibia fractures, and eventual immobilization in a hip spica cast. The operative group, was comprised of 13 patients and 14 extremities in which one or both fractures were treated by open reduction and internal fixation, intramedullary fixation, or external fixation. Despite higher modified injury severity scores and skeletal injury scores, the patients who were treated operatively had a significantly reduced hospital stay, 20.1 days versus 34.9 days, respectively; decreased time to unsupported weightbearing, 16.8 weeks compared with 22.3 weeks, respectively; and fewer complications. Operative stabilization of the femur had a significant effect on decreasing the length of hospital stay and the time to unassisted weightbearing. The patients also were analyzed according to their age at the time of injury: 9 years of age or younger and 10 years of age and older. The younger children who were treated nonoperatively had an increased rate of lower extremity length discrepancy, angular malunion, and need for a secondary surgical procedure as compared with younger children who were treated operatively with rigid fixation. Based on the results of the current study, operative stabilization of at least the femur fracture and, preferably, both fractures in the treatment of a child with a floating knee is recommended, even for younger children.     

Epidemiology and mechanisms of femur fractures in children

The most common pediatric orthopaedic injury requiring hospitalization is a femur fracture. This study aimed to identify the epidemiology and mechanisms of injury so that these injuries might be reduced through specifically targeted safety measures. Data for this study were culled from the 2000 Kids' Inpatient Database representing over 2.5 million pediatric hospital discharges. Of the nearly 10,000 femur fractures, 1076 (11%) occurred in children younger than 2 years; 2119 (21%) in children aged 2 to 5 years; 3237 (33%) in children aged 6 to 12 years; and 3528 (35%) in adolescents aged 13 to 18 years. The most (71%) occurred in male patients. Falls and motor vehicle collisions accounted for two thirds of those injuries, with the incidence of falls greater in the younger children and motor vehicle collisions more prevalent in older children. Fifteen percent of femoral fractures in children younger than 2 years were because of child abuse. Length of hospital stay, number of diagnoses and procedures, and hospital charges were greatest in the adolescent age group, likely because of high-energy trauma with resultant polytrauma. Hospital charges were more than 222 million dollars with the average charge over 2.5 times that in adolescents compared with infants/toddlers. Pediatric orthopaedists must continue to press for increased safety for our children, particularly adolescent motor vehicle safety. Abuse should be considered when a child younger than 2 years presents with a femoral fracture.     

Pediatric spine fractures: a review of 137 hospital admissions

OBJECTIVE: The anatomy and biomechanics of the growing spine produce failure patterns different from those in adults. Spinal injury in the pediatric patient is a concern as prevention of further neurologic damage and deformity and the good potential for recovery make timely identification and appropriate treatment of such injury critical. A retrospective clinical case series was conducted to present data from a large series of pediatric patients with spine injuries from a single regional trauma center. METHODS: One hundred thirty-seven children with spine injuries were seen over 10 years and were divided into three age groups: 0-9, 10-14, and 15-17 years. Analysis of variance and chi2 were used to analyze differences between groups. RESULTS: There were 36 patients aged 0-9, 49 aged 10-14, and 52 aged 15-17. Spine injury incidence increased with age. Motor vehicular accidents were the most common cause in this series. There were 36% cervical, 34% thoracic, 29% lumbar, 34% multilevel contiguous, and 7% multilevel noncontiguous involvement. Nineteen percent had spinal cord injury. Thirteen of 21 complete neurologic injuries and all 3 incomplete injuries improved. Cord injury was more common in the 0-9 age group. Four of five patients with spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA) were in the 0-9 age group and had complete neurologic injuries. Young children with cervical injuries were more likely to die than older children. Fifty-three percent had associated injuries. Eighteen percent underwent decompression, fusion, and instrumentation. Two patients developed scoliosis. The complication rate in surgical patients was higher than in patients treated nonsurgically and in polytrauma patients. This may be related to the severity of the initial injury. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest age-related patterns of injury that differ from previous work. The incidence of cord injury is 20% with higher frequencies in the young child. Potential for neurologic recovery is good. Young children have a higher risk for death than older children. There was no predominance of cervical injuries in the young child. The incidence of SCIWORA was low. Higher complication rates were seen in polytrauma and surgical patients.     

肩胛骨骨折与其合并伤关系的探讨

目的 分析115例肩胛骨骨折病例的临床资料,探讨肩胛骨骨折粉碎程度和涉及部位与合并伤之间的关系.方法 回顾性分析2006年8月至2008年3月115例肩胛骨骨折患者的病史及其影像学资料,分为单部分骨折组(83例)和多部分骨折组(32例),比较两组合并伤的发生率及特点.将单部分肩胛骨骨折组按Nordqvist与Petersson方法分成3组:肌肉覆盖部分(64例)、骨突起部分(11例)及肩胛盂部分(8例),并比较3组合并伤的发生率及特点.结果 绝大部分肩胛骨骨折是严重多发伤的一部分,致伤原因与高能量损伤有关.最常见的致伤原因是车祸伤(70.4%).损伤严重程度评分值(injury severity Scale,ISS)平均14.0,42例(36.5%)患者ISS>16.98例(85.2%)患者伴有不同程度和类型的合并伤,其中又以胸部合并伤的发生率最高(85/115,73.9%).多部分肩胛骨骨折组胸部简明损伤定级法评分值(abbreviated injury score,AIS)和总体ISS值均高于单部分肩胛骨骨折组.在单部分肩胛骨骨折组中,肌肉覆盖部骨折组较骨突起部和肩胛盂部骨折组的胸部AIS值和总体ISS值更高.结论 肩胛骨骨折尤其是骨折涉及多部分或肌肉覆盖部时更容易并发严重的胸部损伤.多部分肩胛骨骨折致伤原因多为高能量损伤,常伴发严重的胸部合并伤,可作为胸部严重损伤存在的一项骨性指标.     

The influence of body injuries on bone union of femoral shaft fractures treated by different operative methods]

Femoral shaft fracture is very often main musculo-skeletal injury in polytrauma patient. We analysed bone union of femoral shaft fractures treated by different operative open methods--AO plate osteosynthesis, Zespol method and open intramedullary nailing and by closed intramedullary nailing, in patients with concomitant body injuries. We compared patients operated by open methods without complications with the group demanding fracture reoperation. We found out no statistical correlation between the frequency of local complications demanding reoperation and the presence of associated injuries p = 0.209 or their severity expressed in ISS p = 0.202. The highest ISS 29.5 points occurred in the group operated on by closed intramedullary nailing. Lack of complications in this group gives evidence of efficiency of this method of treatment.     

Early death of the severly injured patient--A retrospective analysis]

With 44.9 % trauma is the main cause of death in men under 40 years. From September 3(rd) 1997 to June 30(th) 1998 174 patients with severe injuries or polytrauma were treated in our hospital. The mean ISS was 29 (18-75). 15 (8.75 %) patients died within the first 24 hours. The mean age was 34.5 (2-85) years. The mean ISS of these patients was 48 (25-75). In a retrospective study we analyzed the pattern of injury as well as the preclinical and clinical management. The fact that orthopedic surgery still has got a poor position within the patient's satisfaction-scale and that 15 of 174 analyzed patients had to die within the first 24 hours points out the importance of internal and external quality improvement measurements.     

Urgent surgical stabilization of spinal fractures in polytrauma patients.

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective, longitudinal study of multiply injured patients treated with segmental instrumentation for spinal fractures with a minimum 2-year follow-up. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether urgent stabilization of spinal fractures in severely injured patients increases the risk of surgery compared with early treatment and historical results. SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND DATA: Opinion in clinical studies is divided about whether operative treatment offers an advantage over nonoperative treatment in isolated spine fractures. Concomitant trauma is rarely discussed relative to decision making or surgical timing. Urgent stabilization of long-bone fractures improves survival and outcome in polytrauma patients. To date, urgent treatment of spine fractures in polytrauma patients has not been considered in the literature. METHODS: Seventy-five consecutive patients treated with segmental instrumentation for spinal trauma were observed prospectively to assess perioperative and longterm outcome. Twenty-seven patients with severe polytrauma (injury severity score, > 26) were separately analyzed. Perioperative and postoperative results were analyzed relative to timing of surgery, injury severity score, and surgical approach. Urgent treatment was defined as that provided within 24 hours of the spinal injury, and early treatment was defined as that provided between 24 and 72 hours after injury. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients (93%) sustained two or more major injuries in addition to the spine fracture, and 17 of 27 (63%) had neurologic injury. The mean injury severity score approached or exceeded the LD50 (50% expected mortality) in each group--36.0 for the early-treatment group and 42.0 for the urgent group--but only one patient in each group died. There were no deep venous thromboses, pulmonary emboli, neurologic injuries, decubiti, deep wound infections, or episodes of sepsis in either group. Blood loss for anterior procedures was significantly higher in the urgent group, but estimated blood loss for posterior procedures was similar for both groups. At 49 months' mean follow-up, no revisions were necessitated by the urgent spinal treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Urgent spinal stabilization is safe and appropriate in polytrauma patients when progressive neurologic deficit, thoracoabdominal trauma, or fracture instability increase the risks of delayed treatment.     

Proximal humeral fractures due to blunt trauma producing skin compromise

We identified 16 patients with a mean age of 56.5 years (31 to 86) from a large consecutive series of patients with proximal humeral fractures over a 15-year period, who had sustained a fracture with skin compromise after a blunt injury. The study group represented 0.2% of 7825 proximal humeral fractures treated during this period and all had a displaced Neer two-part fracture pattern. Two patterns of skin injury were identified: in ten patients there was skin penetration at the time of the original injury, and the other six patients initially had closed injuries. These six patients had fracture fragments penetrating the muscular envelope to lie subcutaneously producing either early skin tethering (two patients) or delayed skin penetration and sinus formation (four patients). The pattern of injury to the soft-tissue envelope and the fracture pattern were similar for all injuries. Treatment of these injuries was determined by the initial severity of the soft-tissue injury and the medical status of the patient. We currently favour open reduction and internal fixation of these fractures wherever possible, owing to the high rate of nonunion with non-operative management.     

Demographics,mechanism of injury,and associated injuries of 25,615 patients with talus fractures in the National Trauma Data Bank

BackgroundExtensive research has been conducted concerning the epidemiology of fractures of the calcaneus and ankle. However, less work has characterized the population sustaining talus fractures, necessitating the analysis of a large, national sample to assess the presentation of this important injury.MethodsThe current study included adult patients from the 2011 through 2015 National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) who had talus fractures. Modified Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), mechanism of injury (MOI), Injury Severity Score (ISS), and associated injuries were evaluated.ResultsOut of 25,615 talus fracture patients, 15,607 (61%) were males. The age distribution showed a general decline in frequency as age increased after a peak incidence at 21 years of age. As expected, CCI increased as age increased. The mechanism of injury analysis showed a decline in motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) and an increase in falls as age increased. ISS was generally higher for MVAs compared to falls and other injuries.Overall, 89% of patients with a talus fracture had an associated injury. Among associated bony injuries, non-talus lower extremity fractures were common, with ankle fractures (noted in 42.7%) and calcaneus fractures (noted in 27.8%) being the most notable. The most common associated internal organ injuries were lung (noted in 19.0%) and intracranial injuries (noted in 14.9%).ConclusionThis large cohort of patients with talus fractures defined the demographics of those who sustain this injury and demonstrated ankle and calcaneus fractures to be the most commonly associated injuries. Other associated orthopaedic and non-orthopaedic injuries were also defined. In fact, the incidence of associated lumbar spine fracture was similar to that seen for calcaneus fractures (14%) and nearly 1 in 5 patients had a thoracic organ injury. Clinicians need to maintain a high suspicion for such associated injuries for those who present with talus fractures.Level of EvidenceLevel II, retrospective study