Trends in potentially preventable trauma deaths between 2005-2006 and 2012-2013

Most studies of trauma deaths include non-preventable deaths, potentially limiting successful intervention efforts. In this study we aimed to compare the potentially preventable trauma deaths between 2 time periods at our institution.

Trauma patients who died in our hospital in 2005-2006 or 2012-2013 were included, non-preventable deaths were excluded from analysis. The Mann-Whitney and chi square test were used to compare variables between both time periods.

80% of deaths were non-preventable. Between the study time periods there was a decrease in potentially preventable deaths, from 29% to 12%, p < 0.001. Head injury deaths significantly decreased (40.6%-24.6%, p = 0.03), while hemorrhage deaths were stable during both time periods (47.6%-43.1%, p = 0.55).

Potentially preventable trauma deaths decreased during the study period. Hemorrhage remains constant as the leading cause of potentially preventable deaths. Continued research to improve survival from hemorrhage is warranted.