Prevalence of Road Traffic Accidents; Admitted in One Surgical Ward at Allied Hospital Faisalabad During One Year

Abstract

To see the percentage, the different groups affected and pattern of injury by road traffic accidents among patients attending a unit of surgery in a teaching hospital. Objectives: To see the percentage of trauma among patients admitted in one surgical unit of a tertiary hospital in one year and to compare this with the patients admitted in all surgical units of same tertiary unit. To evaluate the pattern of trauma, male to female ratio, affected age groups, mechanism of injury, the organs affected, and the mortality rate in one surgical unit of a tertiary hospital of 3rd most populated city of Pakistan during one year. Study Design: Prospective study. Setting: Surgical Unit II at Allied Hospital Faisalabad. Period: January 2009 to February 2010. Materials and Methods: Patients admitted during this period for road traffic accidents in surgical unit II of Allied Hospital Faisalabad were 94 (4.8 %) out of total 1956 patients presented and admitted in surgical unit II during this year. Total number of patients admitted in all surgical units of this hospital were 7388 while 21,400, patients received and admitted by all other specialties through emergency units of Allied Hospital Faisalabad. Patients with road traffic accidents admitted in surgical unit II through emergency unit of this hospital were part of this study. Among these 94 patients 78 patients (82.97%) were adults and 18 children (19.14%). Patients with all other emergencies modalities and minor injuries treated and discharged from emergency were excluded from this study. Results: Out of 1956 patients admitted in Surgical Unit II from total 7388 of all surgical admissions and 21400 all emergencies ward patients, 94 patients (4.8%, 1.27%, and 0.439% respectively) were injured by road traffic accidents. Out of these 94 patients, 78 patients (82.97%) were adults and 18 children (19.14%) patients. 58 patients (61.70%) were males and 36 patients (38.29%) were females. 43 patients (45.74%) were pedestrians, 10 patients were (10.63%) on bicycles, 26 patients were (27.65%) on motorcycle while 15 patients (15.95%) were in other vehicles. 52 patients (55.31%) developed head injuries, 10 patients (10.93%) blunt trauma abdomen, 5 patients (5.31%) blunt trauma chest and 26 patients (27.65%) skeletal injuries (10 patients forearm bones fracture, 6 patients with fracture mid-shaft of tibia, another 5 patients with fracture lower 1/3rd of femur and 5 patients with hand bones fracture). All patients were treated by combined specialty trauma surgeons. 3 patients (3.19%) died out of which 2 patients (2.12%) with severe head trauma and one pedestrian (1.06%) with blunt trauma abdomen and lower chest. All other patients survived and recovered with some morbidity. Conclusion: Road traffic trauma is one of major dilemma of our society. 94 road traffic accidents causalities were admitted during one year in one surgical unit of a tertiary care center and 3 patients died. It is an alarming sign to properly protect people, educate general population, employ dedicated road safety staf...