Pattern of maxillofacial and associated injuries in road traffic accidents

BACKGROUND: Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Kenya. Victims may suffer multiple injuries including maxillofacial injuries. In most developing countries RTAs are the leading cause of maxillofacial injuries. In an attempt to reduce RTAs, the government of Kenya has enacted a legislation requiring mandatory fitting of speed governors and safety belts by passenger service vehicles. OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics and pattern of maxillofacial and associated injuries sustained in road traffic accidents. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH). SUBJECTS: All patients involved in RTAs brought to casualty and the dental department of KNH as well as accident victims admitted to the KNH mortuary over a four- month period from September 2004 to December 2004. RESULTS: Four hundred and thirteen (85.7%) had non-fatal injuries whereas 69 (14.3%) had sustained fatal injuries. Males in the 21-30-year age group were the most affected. Most accidents occurred during weekends with pedestrians being the leading casualties in 59.5% and 71.4% of non-fatal and fatal cases respectively. Most accidents were caused by passenger service vehicles (matatus) which were responsible for 62% and 40.6% of non-fatal and fatal injuries respectively. Non-use of safety belts was reported in 56.6% of the cases who suffered non-fatal injuries. In the non-fatal category 89.6% of the casualties had soft tissue injuries (STIs) involving the craniofacial region with facial cuts being the majority (69.2%). Two hundred and seventy three (66.1%) incidents of other STIs than those of the head region were noted, the lower limbs accounting for 45.4% of these. Only 5.1% of the casualties with non-fatal injuries had fractures involving the maxillofacial skeleton. Skeletal injuries other than those involving the maxillofacial region were found in 142 (34.1%) incidents. In the fatal category head injury alone was the leading cause of death accounting for 37.7% of the cases followed by head and chest injuries combined which were responsible for 13% of the cases. CONCLUSION: Injuries to the maxillofacial skeleton appear to be uncommon in this series. Pedestrians in their third decade of life are most affected with passenger service vehicles being responsible in the majority of the cases. RECOMMENDATIONS: Interventional programmes targeting pedestrians and those in the third and fourth decades of life should be enacted.     

Patterns of ENT injuries in sports-related accidents

To evaluate sports-related ENT injuries regarding demographical trends of patients, location and mechanism of injuries, treatments required, and ability to return to sports activities, an observational study of patients was conducted. Each of the 120 participants in the study was evaluated in a private practice clinic. Males were injured more frequently, and the most common ages affected were 12 to 15-year-olds. Most injuries were the result of collision with other players or from impact of game balls, and most injuries occurred during sporting competitions. The most commonly injured structure was the nose. Most patients were managed medically and able to return to sporting activities quickly. While the most frequent mechanisms for sports injuries are not always preventable, health care providers should be aware of these trends described regarding types of sports commonly producing injuries and the predominant sites of injury to provide optimal care for athletic participants.     

Multiple cardiovascular injuries and motor vehicle accidents.

A patient sustained blunt chest trauma in a motor vehicle accident. Cardiovascular trauma was initially obscured by more obvious orthopedic injuries. Thoracic aortic transection with false aneurysm formation was discovered incidentally during cardiac catheterization for traumatic tricuspid insufficiency. Successful repair of both lesions was subseqeuntly performed. This case demonstrates the difficulty in recognizing cardiovascular trauma in survivors of motor vehicle accidents and emphasizes the need for an aggressive diagnostic approach with consideration of coexisting injuries in patients who have sustained blunt chest trauma.     

Cost of orthopedic injuries sustained in motorcycle accidents

Fifty-one serial admissions to the orthopedic services at the University of California, Davis, Medical Center, Sacramento, for motorcycle accident trauma with open fractures were reviewed. Fifty-five percent of those tested were alcohol intoxicated at the time of admission. Seventy-five percent carried no insurance of any kind, and for the total group, 72% of the cost of acute hospitalization (+17,704 per patient) was paid by the state of California, with an additional 10% paid by other tax-based sources. Care of motorcycle trauma consumes a substantial portion of public health care funds in California. This could be reduced by legislative action concerning helmet use, licensing, and rigid enforcement of compulsory insurance.     

Pattern and clinical characteristics of firearm injuries

OBJECTIVE: To determine the pattern and characteristics of patients admitted with firearm injuries (FAIs) and establish the morbidity and mortality associated with these injuries. DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional study. SETTING: Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), January 2004 to December 2005. SUBJECTS: All patients admitted with physically evident firearm injury. RESULTS: There were a total of 717 patients recorded with FAIs constituting 0.6% of the total number of patients seen in the casualty. Of these, 421 (58.7%) were admitted and treated as in- patients. A firearm was used in 6.7% of the 6300 assault cases recorded in 2004 and in 9.7% of the 3079 cases recorded in 2005. The increase from 6.7% in 2004 to 9.7% in 2005 was statistically significant (p < 0.05). There were 370 (87.9%) males and 49 (11.6%) females giving a male to female ratio of 7.5:1. The mean age was 29.7 +/- 10.9 years with a range of 3 to 66 years. At least 262 (62.2%) of the 421 admitted FAI casualties were treated under general anaesthesia (GA). The average duration of operation per patient was 2 +/- 1.5 hours. CONCLUSION: FAIs are on the increase and affect all age groups but is largely a disease of a young male adult in the 3rd and 4th decade of life. Mortality is higher with increasing age while female victims are fewer but on average six years younger than males. The lower extremities are the commonest target among the survivors. However, abdominal wounds tend to be the most lethal, accounting for greater mortality.     

Finger injuries to children involving exercise bicycles

OBJECTIVE: A previously unreported source of injuries to children, the exercise bicycle, is identified and the associated injuries and their treatment are described. DESIGN: A retrospective review of clinical records and the records of the Victorian Injury Surveillance System. SETTING: The Plastic Surgery Unit of the Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria. PATIENTS: Seventeen children with finger injuries from exercise bicycles presented to the Emergency Department of the hospital and one presented to one of us (K L M) at his private practice. Sixteen of the 18 children were under five years of age; 10 were less than two years of age. Five times as many boys as girls were injured. INTERVENTIONS: Fourteen children required surgical treatment of their injuries. RESULTS: Four children had superficial injuries not in need of surgical repair. Eleven children had single digit injuries--five had injuries that were repaired by suture; five had complete avulsion of the tip of the digit that required flap graft repair; and one child underwent amputation of the index finger. Three boys had multiple digit injuries, each one requiring the amputation of a digit and repair of other digits. Two of these boys underwent replantation of a digit; only one replantation was successful. CONCLUSIONS: The most dangerous parts of the exercise bike were the wheel, the chain and the sprocketwheel. Design modifications and education of parents about the risks for children playing near exercise bikes are warranted.     

骑自行车人与行人车祸伤害的流行病学特征

目的 :为控制和预防骑自行车人与行人的车祸伤害提供依据。方法 :采用描述流行病学方法 ,对 1996年郑州市机动车与骑自行车人和行人相撞的车祸资料进行分析。结果 :骑自行车人与行人的车祸伤害人数占该年总车祸伤害人数的 37.1% ,死亡人数占总死亡人数的 46 .6 % ,伤亡人员多为青壮年。骑自行车人与行人的车祸伤害主要发生在城市主干道、混合式道路、无交通控制方式的交通环境中 ;引起这类伤害的主要原因是驾驶员疏忽大意 ,骑自行车人抢道行驶和突然猛拐 ,行人违章穿行车行道。结论 :骑自行车人与行人车祸伤害是车祸伤害的重要组成部分。致伤原因是人们的交通安全意识差 ,没有按照交通规章行驶。因此 ,应加强交通法规的宣传和教育 ,提高人们的交通安全意识     

Freshwater drowning and near-drowning accidents involving children: a five-year total population study.

A large total population study of childhood fresh water immersion accidents is reported. The study was undertaken in the City of Brisbane over the five-year period 1971 to 1975 inclusive, and 111 fresh water immersion accidents involving children were studied and analysed. The childhood fresh water immersion accident rate, including drowning and near-drownings, of 10-43 per year per 100,000 at risk (fatality rate of 5-17) is the highest reported. If an unsupervised child gets into difficulties in fresh water and loses consciousness he has a 50% chance of dying. The immersion accident rate has doubled over the last six years. Age-specific immersion accident rates have been calculated, and have revealed that, in the toddler group (12 months to 23 months), the fresh water immersion accident rate is 50-01 per 100,000 (fatality rate of 22-55). Rates for drowning and near-drowning accidents after a fresh water immersion, by site, age and outcome (survival versus fatality), are also presented for the first time. Swimming pools produce 6-20 immersion accidents per year per 100,000 children at risk, and the domestic family bath tub produces 1-78. Possible factors explaining the high incidence are discussed, and comparisons of drowning rates from other centres are made.     

382例胸部交通事故伤临床分析

目的探讨交通事故中胸部创伤的临床特点和救治方法。方法回顾性研究382例胸部交通事故伤的临床资料,分析临床特点、救治方法和预后。结果伤者年龄主要分布在20-60岁,双休日、节假日和夜间是受伤高发时间。重度损伤（〉25分）165例（33.2%）;伴多发伤197例（51.6%）,其中合并颅脑损伤62例（16.2%）。死亡26例（6.8%）,死亡伤者中合并颅脑损伤15例,多器官功能衰竭8例。结论交通事故所致的胸部外伤,常合并多部位损伤,病死率高,合并颅脑损伤是病死率高的主要原因。院前急救重点是迅速判断伤情,尽快疏通呼吸道,恢复通气功能。做好胸部创伤的专科处理,正确处理多发伤、并发症,预防院内感染及多器官功能不全,可提高治愈率,降低病死率。