EVALUATION OF THE PATTERNS OF INJURIES IN ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN GREAT CAIRO, EGYPT

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Emergency Medicine and Traumatology Department, El-Sahel Teaching Hospital

2 Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University

Abstract

Background: Road traffic accidents (RTAs) are the leading cause of death among those aged from 15 to 44 years worldwide. In Egypt, the rapid increase in the number of vehicles, the overpopulation and the lack of proper strategy for prevention of RTAs, contribute to make Egypt one of the highest world’s RTAs rate. Aim of the study: To evaluate patterns of injuries in cases of motor vehicle accidents. Material and methods: data of 150 victims of RTAs admitted to the Emergency Department, in El Sahel Teaching Hospital, from May 2013 to November 2013 were recorded including their demographic data, injuries, their outcome and different types of vehicles involved in the accidents. Results: private cars were more involved in RTAs followed by motorcycles. Males constituted the major victims of RTAs with statistically significant percentage (76% of pedestrians and 95% of vehicle occupants). In pedestrians, the most common affected body regions were the lower limbs (66%), head (54%), and upper limbs (26%). Contusions occurred in all pedestrians. Fracture and joint dislocation occurred in 74% of the cases. Most pedestrians recovered completely (78%), 8% had complications and 14% of cases died. Most common cause of death was head injury induced complications (12%). As regards vehicle occupants, most common injured body parts were lower limbs (54%), head (45%) and upper limbs (24%). Contusions and fracture with joint dislocation occurred in 99% and 78% respectively. Most vehicle occupants had complete recovery (82%), 16% had complicated recovery and 2% of cases died due to complications of head and chest injuries. Conclusion: the results of this study demonstrated the types and distribution of injuries in victims of RTAs. These results may help health care providers to anticipate the injuries in patients with subsequent early diagnosis and treatment of RTAs victims. Moreover, results may enable concerned authorities to reconstruct the accident when needed.

Keywords