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[Severely traumatized patients admitted to Aarhus Community Hospital 1994-1995]
T M Hansen1, C M Hansen, N L Spangsberg
1Arhus Universitetshospital, Arhus Kommunehospital, anaestesiologisk afdeling.
In Denmark, only few studies have addressed the problem of severe trauma. In relation to establishing a trauma manual at our hospital we studied trauma patients requiring immediate anaesthesiological assistance. Patients from the preceeding years, 1994-1995 were identified. The injuries were scored according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS), and Injury Severity Scores (ISS) were calculated. Two hundred and fifty-eight trauma patients were identified, 132 of these were severely injured, defined as having ISS > or = 15. Of these, 75 patients were multitraumatised, defined as AIS > or = 3 in at least two regions. None of the patients with ISS < or = 15 died. Mortality was 49% among severely injured but not multitraumatised patients, while mortality was 56% among the multitraumatised patients. Head injuries were the most frequently found severe injury (AIS > or = 3), followed by injuries to the thorax and extremities. The anaesthesiologist and the orthopaedic surgeon were involved in initial diagnosis and treatment in all patients, and beyond these a variety of medical specialties were involved. In the light of this study we have revised our procedures and registration concerning severe trauma patients.
In Denmark, only few studies have addressed the problem of severe trauma. In relation to establishing a trauma manual at our hospital we studied trauma patients requiring immediate anaesthesiological assistance. Patients from the preceeding years, 1994-1995 were identified. The injuries were scored according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS), and Injury Severity Scores (ISS) were calculated. Two hundred and fifty-eight trauma patients were identified, 132 of these were severely injured, defined as having ISS > or = 15. Of these, 75 patients were multitraumatised, defined as AIS > or = 3 in at least two regions. None of the patients with ISS < or = 15 died. Mortality was 49% among severely injured but not multitraumatised patients, while mortality was 56% among the multitraumatised patients. Head injuries were the most frequently found severe injury (AIS > or = 3), followed by injuries to the thorax and extremities. The anaesthesiologist and the orthopaedic surgeon were involved in initial diagnosis and treatment in all patients, and beyond these a variety of medical specialties were involved. In the light of this study we have revised our procedures and registration concerning severe trauma patients.