Citation

Arundon K, Anumas N, Chunthong P, Cheevarungrod A, Phibalsak T, Lim A. Int. J. Crit. Illn. Inj. Sci. 2020; 10(4): 177-181.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Medknow Publications)

DOI

10.4103/IJCIIS.IJCIIS_92_19

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

CONTEXT: Head injuries are the leading cause of traumatic morbidity and mortality. Timely proper management can reduce the mortality rate. AIMS: This study aimed to examine the effects of a fast-track system on reducing head injury mortality using the data in Southern Thailand. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A retrospective study of data from the medical records of severe head injury patients admitted to Hatyai Hospital from October 2012 to May 2017.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The records of subjects were selected for participants aged more than 11 years, having Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) <9, no injuries in other organs, and neither hypoxemia nor hypotension. A total of 193 participants fulfilling these criteria were analyzed. Of these, 108 participants were managed in the fast track. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: The fast-track group was compared with normal track participants by using logistic regression after preliminary analysis to identify the risk factors using the Chi-squared tests.

RESULTS: After adjustment for confounders, namely acute subdural hematoma, linear skull fracture and diffuse brain injury, and mortality in the fast-track group (13%) was significantly lower than that in the nonfast track group (22.4%).

CONCLUSIONS: Using the fast-track system can reduce mortality from severe head injuries and should be implemented in the health services system.

Language: en

Keywords

health services; mortality; head injury; Fast-track system; general hospital