Penetrating wounds to the torso: the University Hospital of the West Indies experience

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study was done to determine the aetiology of penetrating torso injuries in patients presenting at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) as well as to document the organs frequently injured and to assess the outcome of these cases. DESIGN AND METHODS: Data were derived from the UHWI trauma registry. All patients presenting to the UHWI with penetrating torso injuries between January 1, 1998 and June 30, 1999 were studied. Biographic data, cause of injury, organs injured and procedures used in treatment were recorded. TRISS methodology was used to identify unexpected deaths. RESULTS: 1899 (42 percent) of the 4,496 admissions to the surgical services of the UHWI were due to trauma. Two hundred and twenty-nine (229) of these had torso injuries and 159 (8 percent) were due to penetrating injuries. Assaults accounted for 98 percent of cases. The male to female ratio was 7.41 and the mean age was 28 +or- 10 (SD) years. There were 92 (59 percent) stab wounds and 63 (41 percent) firearm injuries. Mean hospital stay was 8 +or- 15 (SD) days. Mortality rate was 10 percent. Small bowel (17), colon (15) and liver (15) were the abdominal organs most frequently injured. Pneumothorax or haemothorax was detected in 107 patients. All except 20 patients had a major surgical procedure done. There were seven non-therapeutic thoracotomies and 17 non-therapeutic laparotomies. Greater than 50 percent deaths were assessed as preventable. CONCLUSIONS: The wider use of imaging procedures in treatment protocols should reduce the number of non-therapeutic procedures. The preventable death rate may be decreased through training in ATLS protocols and improved equipment maintenance.(Au)