Characteristics of patients with multiple injuries treated in an intensive care unit with favorable results

A series of 1,169 consecutive patients with multiple injuries was analyzed. A strict criterion for multiple injury was used, the average Injury Sum (sum of the severities of regional injuries) was 7.6, the average time of treatment in the intensive care unit was 11 days and the mean duration of hospital treatment was 51 days. Road traffic accidents were the most common cause of injury (75%) and the regions most commonly injured were the lower extremity (68%), brain (62%) and chest (58%). 46% required ventilation. Mortality was 11.3% during intensive care and the total hospital mortality was 13.1%. The factors most relevant to patients who were able to return home from the hospital were: no need for respirator treatment, no renal complications, no previous mental disturbance or alcoholism, young age, less severe brain or thoracolumbar spine injuries, few initial blood transfusions, few complications during treatment and prompt operative intervention if required.