[Impact of a trauma network on mortality in patients with severe pelvic trauma]

To evaluate the impact of a regional trauma network on intra-hospital mortality rates of patients admitted with severe pelvic trauma.

Retrospective observational study.

Sixty-five trauma patients with serious pelvic fracture (pelvic abbreviated injury scale [AIS] score of 3 or more).

Demographic, physiologic and biological parameters were recorded. Observed mortality rates were compared to predicted mortality according to the Trauma Revised Injury Severity Score methodology adjusted by a case mix variation model.

Twenty-nine patients were admitted in a level I trauma centre (reference centre) and 36 in level II trauma centres (centres with interventional radiology facility and/or neurosurgery). Patients from the level I trauma centre were more severely injured than those who were admitted at the level II trauma centres (Injury Severity Score [ISS]: 30 [13-75] vs 22 [9-59]; P<0.01). Time from trauma to hospital admission was also longer in level I trauma centre (115 [50-290] min vs 90 [28-240] min, P <0.01). Observed mortality rates (14%; 95% confidence interval, 95% CI, [1-26%]) were lower than the predicted mortality (29%; 95% CI [13-44%]) in the level I trauma centre. No difference in mortality rates was found in the level II trauma centres.

The regional trauma network could screen the most severely injured patients with pelvic trauma to admit them at a level I trauma centre. The observed mortality of these patients was lower than the predicted mortality despite increased time from trauma to admission.