Citation

Azaldegui Berroeta F, Alberdi Odriozola F, Txoperena Alzugaray G, Arcega Fernandez I, Romo Jiménez E, Trabanco Morán S, Marco P, Laviñeta E, Mintegui I, Murguìaldai A, Reviejo K, Lara G, Zubia F, González-Sañudo A, Olano JM, Fernández A, Unanue J, Merino M, Aranzabal R, Baigorri MC, Carnicero MA, Goenaga L, Landa I, Lezaún J, Pinedo PX, Pradini I, Querejeta L, Ramírez A, Verano V, Darpeix J, Campagne JM, Monki T, Bonnemaison N, Lalane E, Brillaxis P, Mathieu P, Mariescu M, Goulard J, N'Guyen P, Michaudel P. Med. Intensiva 2002; 26(10): 491-500.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/s0210-5691(02)79845-8

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Introduction. Deaths resulting from trauma are of great social importance due to their moral, corporeal and material costs. They also have a high costs in terms of years of life lost. Consequently, epidemiological autopsy study of such deaths could be a key element in stimulating preventive measures and in improving the quality of treatment.

METHOD. Cross-sectional prospective, analytical study of mortality. From 1 January 1996 to 31 December 2000; we performed an epidemiological autopsy study of all consecutive deaths from trauma in Guipúzcoa (Spain). The severity of the injuries described in the autopsy was determined throught application of the Injury Severity Score (ISS) and the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) version 90.

RESULTS. We studied 784 deaths from trauma, representing 26,148 potential years of life lost (PYLL)/778,1 PYLL/100,000 inhabitants/year). A total of 50.3% of PYLL were caused by the death of young people aged between 16 and 30 years old. The mean age was 45,1 (21,3) years and 79,5% were male. The deaths were provoked by automobiles (31,4%), falls (14,5%), being run over (13,7%), occupational accidents (9,1%) and other causes. A total of 77.5% died within 24 hours of injury and 5.45% died in situ. An autopsy report was available in 612 deaths (78%) with a mean ISS of 58.9 (21,1) points. Lethal injuries affected the head (AIS > 3 points) in 41%, the thorax in 30.4% and the abdomen in 25,1%. The main causes of death were multiple trauma (21%), traumatic brain injury (19%), cerebral hemorrhage (14%), and rupture of the great vessels (13%).

CONCLUSIONS. We believe that both epidemiological and autopsy studies of these 784 deaths from trauma make a valid contribution to primary and secondary prevention studies as well as to the evaluation of the quality of traumatological care.

Language: es

Keywords

Abbreviated Injury Severity Score (AISS); abdominal injury; accident; adolescent; adult; aged; article; autopsy; Autopsy; Avoidable death; brain injury; cause of death; child; Epidemiology; falling; female; human; injury; injury scale; Injury Severity Score (ISS); major clinical study; male; occupational accident; Occupational accident; Spain; suicide; Suicide; thorax injury; traffic accident; Traffic accident; Traumatic death