Prevalence of chest trauma, associated injuries and mortality: a level I trauma centre experience.

A review of prospectively collected data in our trauma unit for the years 1998-2003 was undertaken. Adult patients who suffered multiple trauma with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) of >/=16, admitted to hospital for more than 72 hours and with sustained blunt chest injuries were included in the study. Demographic details including pre-hospital care, trauma history, admission vital signs, blood transfusions, details of injuries and their abbreviated injury scores (AIS), operations, length of intensive care unit and hospital stays, Injury Severity Score (ISS) and mortality were analysed.

Multiple trauma and scapula fractures: so what?

Unlabelled: BACKGROUND Scapula fractures are rare and are presumed to indicate severe underlying trauma. We studied injury patterns and overall outcome in patients with multiple injuries with scapula fractures.

Methods: We carried out a retrospective review of patients with multiple injuries (Injury Severity Score [ISS] > or = 16) with chest and musculoskeletal injuries admitted to our institution between 1993 and 1999 to investigate whether the presence of a scapula fracture is a marker of increased morbidity and mortality.

When should we operate on major fractures in patients with severe head injuries?

Background: The widely accepted practice of early fracture fixation (EFF) in multiply injured patients has recently been challenged in the presence of head injury.

Data Sources: English and German language articles on the subject were searched using Medline. Keywords included head trauma, intracranial trauma, brain injuries, fractures, fracture fixation, timing, femur fracture, and tibia fracture.