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The influence of prehospital trauma care on motor vehicle crash mortality
1Department of Surgery, State University of Londrina, Rua Paes Leme, 1264, sala 401, Bairro Ipiranga, Londrina, PR 86010-520, Brazil.
Background:
This study evaluated the impact of the prehospital trauma care system on the mortality from motor vehicle crashes and on the temporal distribution between the crash and related death.
Methods:
Autopsies performed by the Forensic Medical Institute on all deaths caused by motor vehicle crashes 1 year before and 1 year after the beginning of the prehospital trauma care system were evaluated.
Results:
In the first period, 128 deaths occurred, 53.9% of them in the first hour after the crash, 36.7% between the first hour and the seventh day, and 9.4% after 1 week. In the second period, 115 deaths occurred, 40.8% of them in the first hour, 52.2% between the first hour and the seventh day, and 7% after 1 week. Central nervous system injury was the most frequent cause of death in both periods. Mortality was greatest among young people as well as male victims in both periods.
Conclusion:
After starting the prehospital trauma care system in our city, there was a decrease in the deaths occurring before hospital admission, a change in temporal distribution of deaths, and a reduction in the motor vehicle crash mortality rate.
