PROFILE OF CHEST TRAUMA IN A TEACHING HOSPITAL

Abstract

Introduction: Trauma continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality world over. This study is aimed at the patterns of presentation and the outcome of management.

Materials and Methods: A prospective study of trauma patients admitted to a Teaching Hospital through the Ac- cident and Emergency units. The clinical history, physical examination and outcome of management recorded in a predesigned proforma, were analysed with SPSS 15 and the patients were followed up in the surgical outpatient de- partment.

Results: A total of 4784 patients were admitted, 42 patients identified with chest trauma, 35 (83.3%) were males and 7(16.7%) were females. The age range was from 5-75years and the most affected ages were in the range of 20 to 49years. Blunt injury constituted 71.4% while road traffic accident was responsible for 61.9%. The average time tak- en between accident and admission was 31hours, 40minutes and 12seconds while the average duration of hospital stay was 16.10 days. The injury pattern mainly included rib fracture(s) (23.8%), and hemopneumothorax (14.3%). The fatality of road traffic accident was 36.8%.The mortality rate was 2.4%.

Conclusion: Most patients arriving at the hospital survived, requiring general resuscitation or simple tube thora- costomy with few complications. Mortalities from trauma and the cause of death at the site of accident are often not accounted for due to nonpresentation to the hospital and lack of autopsy for those that present.