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Published on: March 12, 2020

Epidemiology of major paediatric chest trauma

Sumudu P Samarasekera1, Antonina Mikocka-Walus, Warwick Butt

  • 1Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
|October 23, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Trends in paediatric chest trauma in Australia show similarities to international patterns. Most cases involve blunt trauma, primarily from vehicle collisions, with surgery rarely required.

Area of Science:

  • Trauma Surgery
  • Paediatric Critical Care
  • Public Health Surveillance

Background:

  • Paediatric chest trauma is a significant cause of severe injury, morbidity, and mortality.
  • Current epidemiological trends in Australian paediatric chest trauma are not well-defined.
  • Understanding these trends is crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To profile the characteristics of major paediatric chest trauma in Victoria.
  • To describe the management strategies employed for these injuries.
  • To identify trends in paediatric chest trauma within the Australian context.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of prospectively collected data from the Victorian State Trauma Registry (2001-2007).
  • Inclusion of fatality data from the National Coroners Information System.
  • Descriptive statistical analysis of trauma and coroners' cases.

Main Results:

  • 204 cases of serious paediatric chest injury identified between 2001 and 2007.
  • Blunt trauma, predominantly from motor vehicle collisions (75%), accounted for 96% of cases.
  • High rates of intensive care unit admission (64%) and multiple organ injury (99%) were observed, with conservative management predominating (7% surgical intervention).

Conclusions:

  • Australian paediatric chest trauma trends mirror international patterns.
  • Surgical intervention for paediatric chest trauma is infrequent.
  • Limited surgical exposure may pose challenges for maintaining specialized expertise.
Abstract

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