Falling from new heights: Traumatic fracture burden and resource utilization after border wall height increase.
Surgery
; 174(2): 337-342, 2023 08.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37183129
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
San Diego County hospitals commonly care for patients injured by falls from the United States-Mexico border. From 2018 to 2019, the height of >400 miles of an existing border wall was raised. Prior work has demonstrated a 5-fold increase in traumatic border wall fall injuries after barrier expansion. We aimed to examine the impact of a barrier height increase on fracture burden and resource use.METHODS:
We performed a retrospective review of patients admitted to a level 1 trauma center from 2016 to 2021 with lower extremity or pelvic fractures sustained from a border wall fall. We defined the pre-wall group as patients admitted from 2016 to 2018 and the post-wall group as those admitted from 2019 to 2021. We collected demographic and treatment data, hospital charges, weight-bearing status at discharge, and follow-up.RESULTS:
A total of 320 patients (pre-wall 45; post-wall 275) were admitted with 951 lower extremity fractures (pre-wall 101; post-wall 850) due to border wall fall. Hospital resources were utilized to a greater extent post-wall a 537% increase in hospital days, a 776% increase in intensive care unit days, and a 468% increase in operative procedures. Overall, 86% of patients were non-weight-bearing on at least 1 lower extremity at discharge; 82% were lost to follow-up.CONCLUSION:
Traumatic lower extremity fractures sustained from border wall fall rapidly rose after the wall height increase. Hospital resources were used to a greater extent. Patients were frequently discharged with weight-bearing limitations and rarely received scheduled follow-up care. Policymakers should consider the costs of caring for border fall patients, and access to follow-up should be expanded.
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Ossos Pélvicos
/
Fraturas Ósseas
País/Região como assunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Canadá