Background: There are many reports from different parts of the world addressing different aspects of surgical mortality. However, none has been done in this centre as it relates to orthopaedics and trauma admissions. Such data are invaluable to health planning and epidemiological monitoring. Objective: To retrospectively review all mortalities arising from orthopaedics and trauma admission as they present to Irrua specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) Irrua from Jan 2005-Dec 2014. Method: Medical records of case mortalities among orthopaedic and trauma admissions over ten years (Jan 2005-Dec 2014) were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Over this period, 2129 admissions and 45 deaths were recorded, with an overall crude mortality rate of 2.11%. No death was recorded among the paediatric age group. Thirty-four patients (75.56%) died from trauma (fracture) related diagnosis, majority of which were from head injury followed by infection 5 (11.11%), tumours 4, (8.89%) and disc herniation 2 (4.44%). Males were more affected 77.78% and median age at death was 44 years. Medical co-morbidities were found in 37.77% of the deceased patients. Conclusion: Patients with trauma related cases particularly head injuries, topped the list of mortalities. Young and middle aged adult males were most affected. Need for manpower development, investment in diagnostic and therapeutic facilities and preventive measures is emphasised.

Trauma has assumed a pre-eminent epidemic proportion in the hierarchy of diseases afflicting the growing populace in Nigeria. Research into traumatic dislocations is relatively small. Road traffic accident is the commonest cause of traumatic dislocation in Nigeria currently. Human factors and collapse of road infrastructures are the major reasons. Young, productive, adult males are still the most affected while the rarity among children is again highlighted. Careful and detailed evaluation of patients is advised as certain conditions can mask the presence of a dislocation. Lack of diagnostic and therapeutic facilities in most centres in Nigeria makes this difficult, with clinicians resorting to clinical evaluation only and probably supported by only plain X-rays in some cases. Most cases are amenable to closed surgical management. Identification of long term complications is a major challenge, because of the poor follow up culture of our patients. Good road design and maintenance, enforcement of road regulations, manpower development and improvements in diagnostic and therapeutic facilities in all centres will reduce the burden of traumatic dislocations on the populace.