Trauma-Related Deaths in the Accident and Emergency Department of a Nigerian Teaching Hospital

Background: Trauma is a significant contributor to morbidity, disabilities, loss of man hours and mortality in both the developed and developing world with 90% of global trauma deaths occurring in low and middle income countries. The extent of motor vehicular use, degree of adherence to use of safety gadgets, strength of enforcement of industrial safety regulations, level of civil unrest as well as other socio-demographic indices predict the contribution of various etiologic factors. Deaths from the trauma may perhaps have far more psychologic and physical impact on families that from acute/chronic medical cases

Method: A retrospective study of the admission records and in-patient records of all trauma related deaths in the accident and emergency unit of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital from 1st January 2018 to 31st December 2022 was done. Relevant information was extracted and analyzed. Data obtained was analyzed descriptively. Results were presented in tables and charts where necessary. Means and standard deviations were used to represent certain variables.

Results: Total emergencies (medical and surgical) seen within the study period were 42,443, total injuries seen were 10,787 giving a crude injury prevalence rate of 25.4%. There were a total of 766 deaths among injured patients giving a crude mortality rate of 7.1%. Road traffic accidents (RTAs) (46.3%) and Firearm injuries (23.5%) were the most common injury mechanisms seen. Traumatic brain injuries are by far the leading cause of trauma-related deaths in the ER (82.5%) with most deaths (96.1%) occurring within the first 72hours of Admission.

Conclusion: Trauma-related deaths occur in 7.1% of all injuries presenting at the study sight. The most common mechanism is RTA while the most affected victim is the young adult male. Traumatic brain injury accounts for more deaths than all others combined with most of the deaths occurring within the first 72hours of presentation. All efforts at reducing these injuries should be encouraged.