[Mortality caused by traffic accidents at the Traumatology and Orthopedics Center of Grand-Yoff. A 2-year study. Apropos of 156 cases]. / Mortalité par accident de la voie publique au Centre de Traumatologie et d'Orthopedie de Grand-Yoff. Bilan de deux années. A propos de 156 décès.

ABSTRACT

Most of road accident casualties are directed to the "Centre de Traumatologie et d'Orthopedie" between March 1989 and March 1991, the emergency Department received 8250 casualties treated by a team core comprising anesthetist-intensive care doctors and orthopaedic surgeons supplemented when necessary by other specialists. Out of those 8250 casualties aged 30 in average, 156 died at the hospital in varying time limits. The authors of present study intend to assess the efficiency of the medical and surgical care provided to identify the most frequent death causes and to suggest ways means of reducing the death toll. Forensic autopsies revealed the following lesions by order of prevalence brain traumas 68, polytraumatisms 58, cervical vertebral traumas 13, abdomen traumas 7, polyfractures 3. In despite of the working conditions improvement at this specialized center (intensive care, technical facilities and staff) the mortality rate remains high, specially in polytraumatisms and brain traumas. The authors insist upon the need for a medically assisted transport unit which would take care of casualties before their arrival at hospital and for the acquisition of modern diagnosis means (tomodensitometry).