Estimating the South African trauma caseload

Abstract

A survey of medical superintendents revealed that an estimated 1.5 million trauma cases presented to South Africa's 356 secondary and tertiary level hospitals in 1999. Injury rates for traffic, violence and other injuries showed considerable inter-provincial variation, with violence accounting for more than half of the trauma caseload. This type of survey is a simple low cost alternative for monitoring injury patterns and supplementing burden of disease and injury costing studies.

The spectrum and outcome of paediatric traumatic brain injury in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa has not changed over the last two decades

“…This response must combine curative efforts with prevention strategies. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] Primary prevention also needs to be emphasised. Based on this and other SA audits, we need to address the issues of vehiclerelated injuries and interpersonal trauma.…”

“…Discreet space-occupying lesions such as an extradural or subdural haematoma are less common. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] The need for neurosurgical intervention was low (3.4%). Only a small subset of patients required formal neurosurgical intervention and the vast majority were managed by general surgeons and intensivists.…”

“…However, the high incidence of assault as a mechanism of blunt trauma reflects the high level of interpersonal violence which is the norm in SA. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] There were different injury patterns according to age. Falls seem to occur in the age range of 6 -8-years-old.…”

“…A public health problem demands a co-ordinated multi-faceted response from a diverse group of stakeholders. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] South Africa (SA) has successfully mounted such a response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and has, within a decade, rolled back the situation from one of abysmal and apocalyptic proportions to the management of a widespread chronic disease like diabetes. Hopefully, with continued intervention and the potential development of a vaccine, HIV/AIDS may ultimately be consigned to the history books.…”

FAST scanning in the developing world emergency department

“…In 1999 the South African Medical Research Council estimated that 1.5 million trauma cases presented to secondary and tertiary hospitals alone. 1 Treatment of trauma patients presents the emergency doctor and surgeon with significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Developing mechanisms to reduce time to definitive care is therefore a priority in trauma management.…”