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Major trauma with multiple injuries in Swedish children
Lena Franzén1, Per Ortenwall, Torsten Backteman
1The Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University/Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden. franzen.lena@swipnet.se
Insights
Major trauma in children is rare in Sweden, with traffic accidents and falls being common causes. Severely injured children treated in specialized pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) have a good survival rate.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric intensive care
- Trauma epidemiology
- Child injury prevention
Background:
- Severe pediatric trauma is infrequent in Sweden.
- Understanding injury patterns and outcomes is crucial for improving care.
- Paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) manage the most critically injured children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detail the demographics, injury causes, and severity in critically injured children.
- To describe prehospital and initial hospital care.
- To report outcomes for children admitted to a PICU.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admissions.
- Data collected from January 1990 to October 2000 in Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Included 45 children (0-16 years) with multiple injuries.
Main Results:
- An incidence of approximately 2 per 100,000 children annually for severe multiple injuries.
- Traffic events (64%) and falls (24%) were primary causes.
- Mortality within 30 days was low, with 3 deaths among the 45 children.
Conclusions:
- Major trauma in children is uncommon in Sweden.
- Children with severe injuries have a favorable prognosis when treated in equipped PICUs with specialized staff.
Objective:
To describe the demographics, mechanisms, pattern, and severity of injury, the prehospital and hospital care during the first 24 hours, and the outcome in the most severely injured children in a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
Design:
Retrospective review.
Setting:
Paediatric intensive care unit (PICU), Sweden.
Subjects:
45 children (0-16 years of age) with multiple injuries admitted to the PICU in Gothenburg from January 1990 to October 2000, inclusive.
Main Outcome Measure:
Mortality within 30 days after injury.
Results:
About 2/100000 children with multiple injuries were admitted to the PICU from the greater Gothenburg area each year from 1990-2000 inclusive. Injuries were more common in boys (n = 29, 64%). The mean age was 7 years (SD 5). Traffic related events (n = 29, 64%) and falls (n = 11, 24%) were the leading causes of injury. Thoracic and abdominal injuries were the most common (17% and 16% respectively). Three children died.
Conclusion:
Major trauma with multiple injuries is rare in Swedish children. When they are cared for at a centre with the necessary facilities and trained personnel they have a good chance of survival.
