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An audit of trauma-related mortality in a provincial capital in South Africa.
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Moodley, Nareshni Aldous, Colleen Michelle Clarke, D. L. |
| Copyright Year | 2014 |
| Abstract | BACKGROUND It has been shown repeatedly that hospital-based mortality data do not capture the actual mortality rate in South Africa, as many corpses are taken directly to the state mortuary. METHOD A retrospective audit was conducted by reviewing all mortuary reports for the period 1 January 2010 - 31 December 2011. The data recorded included demographics, mechanism of trauma, and cause and site of death. RESULTS A total of 1 105 trauma victims died. There were 930 males (84.2%) and 175 females (15.8%), of whom 615 were victims of blunt trauma (55.7%) and 490 victims of penetrating trauma (44.3%). The scenes of death were: on scene 584 (52.9%), Edendale Hospital 259 (23.4%), Grey's Hospital 144 (13.0%), Northdale Hospital 68 (6.2%), and 'other' 50 (4.5%). The 'other' group comprised nine deaths at primary healthcare clinics and 41 at private hospitals in Pietermaritzburg. Of deaths related to blunt trauma, 153 (24.9%) were secondary to assault and 462 (75.1%) to a road traffic collision. Of the victims of penetrating trauma, 81 (36.9%) had sustained gunshot wounds and 309 (63.1%) stab wounds. The three leading causes of trauma-related deaths were head injuries (32.6%), polytrauma (29.7%) and chest injuries (27.4%). CONCLUSION Pietermaritzburg has both a high rate of trauma-related mortality and an immature trauma system, resulting in a significant number of preventable deaths. |
| Starting Page | 101 |
| Ending Page | 104 |
| Page Count | 4 |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://www.scielo.org.za/pdf/sajsurg/v52n4/03.pdf |
| PubMed reference number | 28876698v1 |
| Volume Number | 52 |
| Issue Number | 4 |
| Journal | South African journal of surgery. Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir chirurgie |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Blunt (object) Cadaver Cessation of life Clinic Craniocerebral Trauma Demography Eryptosis Gunshot wound Hospitals, Private Morgue Multiple Trauma Nonpenetrating Wounds Review [Publication Type] Thoracic Injuries Trauma Severity Indices Traumatic injury Wounds and Injuries Wounds, Stab |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
