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• The complex multi-ligament knee injury needs a systematic approach. • Patellar tendon tear associated with MLKI, restoration of extensor apparatus precedes other ligament reconstructions. • Further, longer and supervised rehabilitation is needed for adequate recovery. Concomitant patellar tendon (PT) tear with cruciate or multi-ligament knee injuries (MLKI) following high-velocity injury requires a systematic approach. The study is a retrospective case series of patients (2008–2019) with concomitant PT ligament injury with cruciate or collateral ligament injury (MLKI), including bony avulsion injuries. Isolated cruciate and MLKI without patellar tendon tears are excluded. N = 32 patients (1 female and 31 male) are divided into two groups, Group 1 (11 patients) with PT tear and ACL tear and group 2 (21 patients) with PT tear and MLKIs. Patients were taken up for a single stage in types 1,2,3 and staged repair with reconstruction for types 4,5 of our new classification. All the patients are followed up regularly, and IKDC and Lyshom's score and objective radiological stress x-rays taken at each follow-up Incidence of PTT combined injuries among all knee ligament injuries is 0.57%. The mean age was 35.09+/-11.96 SD(group1) and 36.55+/-11.89 SD(group2). The average follow-up was 34.45 months +/- 12.86SD (group 1) and 35.3 months +/- 15.75 SD (group2). Mean post-operative Lysholm score and IKDC score of group 1 and group 2 improvement was statistically significant p -value <=0.01. The mean post-operative ROM of the two groups were 132.73 (SD 6.46) (Group 1) and 111.75 (15.75) (Group 2) and was a statistically significant p -value <0.01. Residual lag of 30° seen in all patients improved by 3rd month in group 1 and 6th month in group 2. Knee stiffness is seen in 2 patients and superficial infection in 2 patients. PTT combined injuries are rare and occurs due to direct impact injuries. Single-stage PT repair with ACL reconstruction gives adequate stability, and extensor lag is eminent and needs supervised rehabilitation. PT with MLKI is a challenging scenario that can be performed in single-stage/multiple stages, depending on the injuries, surgical expertise, and institutional facilities. Newer simplified classification aids surgeons in planning a treatment strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to characterise cycling related injuries presenting to a major trauma centre located within a region with the highest rates of cycling in the UK.Methods: A retrospective analysis of cycling related trauma admissions occurring between January 2012 and June 2020 was performed. Our institution's electronic patient record system was used to collect relevant data for analysis including age, gender, mechanism of injury, Glasgow coma scale (GCS) on arrival, incident date and time, injured body regions, 30-day mortality, helmet use and intubation rate. Comparison was made between groups of patients based on mechanism of injury.Results: A total of 605 cycling related trauma cases were identified, with 52 being excluded due to incomplete data. The most common mechanism was 'fall from cycle' (53.5%). The 'cyclist v vehicle' group was associated with a significantly higher Injury Severity score (ISS), lower GCS and higher intubation rate. Helmet wearers were significantly older than non-wearers and helmet use was associated with a significantly reduced risk of head injury, lower ISS and intubation rate and a higher GCS.Discussion: With a likely increase in future cycling uptake, it is crucial that effective interventions are implemented to improve the safety of cyclists. The findings of this study may be used to guide any such intervention. A multi-faceted strategy involving driver and cyclist education, effective road infrastructure changes and helmet promotion campaigns specifically targeting the younger generation could be employed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the rapidly growing population and expanding vehicle density on the roads, there has been an upsurge in road accidents in developing countries. Knowledge about the causes and patterns of trauma-related amputations helps in the formulation of strategies for limb savage, timely management, and effective rehabilitation.Objective: To study the epidemiology, demographic profile, and outcomes of post-trauma amputations at a level I tertiary care centre in North India.Methods: Retrospective evaluation of the amputee data from 1st January 2018 to 31st December 2019, focusing on demographic details, injury mechanisms, surgical delays, hospital stay, and complications.Results: A total of 17,445 trauma cases were seen in our trauma centre during the study period. Of these, 442 patients (2.5%) underwent major limb amputation. The hospital-based prevalence of traumatic limb amputation was 2.5%. The mean age of the amputees was 35.6years (range 1-75), and the majority were males (n = 369, 83.5%). The lower to upper limb involvement ratio was 3:1 (n = 338:105). A road traffic accident was the most common mode of injury (77.4%), followed by machine-cut injuries (16.1%). On-site traumatic amputation was seen in 23.1% (n = 102), while 43.5% had a mangled limb amputated in the hospital (mean MESS score 9.53). Overall, 27% of cases had a vascular injury after trauma, ultimately ending in limb amputation. The in-hospital mortality was 2% (n = 9/442). 43.7% of patients with a single limb amputation were discharged within 48 h. Extended hospital stay was noted in cases with associated fractures in the other limbs (28.5%), head or facial injury (9.9%), and with or without a combination of chest, abdomen, pelvic, or spine injury (7.2%).Conclusion: A 2.5% incidence of post-trauma amputation reflects on the severity of injury related to road and industrial accidents which predominantly affect the lower limbs at the peak of productive work life. In the absence of national amputation registries, the results underscore the need to focus on road safety protocols, patient transfer methods, and the up-gradation of local hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To determine factors associated with the locations, types and levels of traumatic limb amputations caused by road traffic accidents.Materials and Methods: The files sent by the courts to the expert committee chaired by the authors for the determination of applicants' disability rate over the 10-year period between 2011 and 2020 were examined retrospectively.Results: Of the 27 cases with traumatic amputations caused by road traffic accidents, 63% of them were male and the mean age of the cases was 29.0 ± 20.0 years. The cases comprised 12 passengers, 10 pedestrians, and 5 drivers. Of all, 66.7% of the amputations were caused by automobile accidents, 59.3% of them were in lower limbs, 51.9% of them were on the right side, and most of them occurred below the elbow/knee levels. Amputations occurred more frequently in lower limbs that are contralateral to the side of the traffic flow, in drivers, and in front seat passengers.Conclusion: The findings in this preliminary study need to be confirmed in studies to be conducted in larger series. The findings of these studies will shed light on technological developments that can be used in the prevention of serious injuries that lead to post-accident traumatic amputations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Paediatric traffic accidents (TA) have a major impact globally on youth deaths and disabilities. It is known that the trends of TAs leading to fatal outcomes are decreasing in high-income countries. However, the literature concerning children's non-fatal TAs is scarce and outdated. The aim of this study was to report on the epidemiology of TAs amongst children admitted to the emergency department (ED) in Tampere, Finland.Materials and Methods: We conducted a descriptive retrospective cohort study in Tampere University Hospital from January 2016 to May 2017. The study population consisted of all TA trauma patients aged 16 years or younger. A total of 386 cases (386 visits / 381 patients) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Outcome variables such as length of stay, incidences of different accidents and types injuries, and seasonal variation were recorded.Results: The mean age of the patients was 12.2 ± 4.2 years (boys: n = 247, 64%). The incidence of TAs in Tampere was 26.6 per 10,000 with a peak of 119.6 in children 15 years of age. Most of the TAs occurred during the summer. Of the patients admitted to the ED, 33% (n = 127) did not require any specific medical treatment, and only 16% (n = 62) of the hospital stays lasted for two nights or more. Mopeds/motorcycles were the vehicles most commonly involved in accidents causing 35% (n = 134) of all accidents and resulting in the most severe injuries. The most common injuries were superficial (n = 142, 38%) and the most frequent anatomical region affected was the lower limbs (n = 130, 34%).Conclusion: We found that the majority of childhood traffic accidents in Tampere were mild and required only minor treatment. However, when the child reaches the legal age for acquiring a driving licence for a moped the risk for TAs and resulting injuries increases dramatically. These findings highlight the need for better targeted TA prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent analysis on the epidemiology of traumatic brain injury (TBI) within Europe indicates an increase in fall-related injuries and in the incidence of hospitalization among older adults as well as a decrease in contribution of road traffic accidents (RTA). Given the paucity of recent national data, we analyzed TBI-related admissions from the Athens Head Trauma Registry during the largest part of the past decade (2010-2018), a period marked by a profound national socioeconomic crisis.Methods: Demographic and clinical data of admitted TBI patients were collected and analyzed statistically.Results: The mean age of patients (N=2042, 68% men) was 59 years (median 64 years). Patient age showed an upward trend across the study period. Most cases were mild, while moderate and severe injuries were indicated in, 11% and 20%, respectively. Falls were the predominant cause of injury (46% of cases), followed by RTA (38%). An upward trend in the frequency of fall-related injury was apparent across the study period; RTA-related injury frequency displayed a downward trend during the second part of the study period. Assault-related injury accounted for 6%. Surgery took place in 11% of cases. In-hospital mortality (IHM) was 21%. Fall-related mortality contributed to 56% of total IHM; RTA-related mortality contributed to 30%. The mean length of hospital stay was 13 days (median: 5 days).Conclusions: The present findings suggest a shift in the epidemiologic profile of TBI patients in Greece with a rise in the proportion of elderly patients, a concomitant increase in fall-related injuries and a reduction in RTA-related injury. They also highlight fall-related injury as the predominant cause of IHM. Our results point towards the urgent need for the intensification of fall prevention strategies, continuing medical education as well as public information campaigns on the risks of geriatric fall-related injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cycling as a means of transport or recreational activity is increasing in popularity in Ireland. However, increasing numbers of cyclists may lead to an increased number of bicycle collisions and fatalities. The Road Safety Authority is the statutory body for road safety in Ireland but uses police data alone to collate cycling collision statistics. This may lead to an underestimation of cycling injuries in Ireland. Using hospital statistics may provide a greater understanding of cycling trauma in Ireland.Objective: The present study examines cycling related trauma in Ireland using the Major Trauma Audit (MTA) data collected via the Trauma and Research Network (TARN) from hospitals in Ireland for the period 2014 to 2016. The database was interrogated for demographics, mechanism of injury, injury characteristics and patient outcomes.Results: There were 410 cycling collisions recorded in the TARN database which represented 4.4% of trauma captured by TARN for the study period. Of this cohort 79% were male compared with 58% in the overall (TARN) trauma cohort (p < 0.001) and the median (IQR) age was 43.8 years (31.0, 55.7) which is younger than the median (IQR) of 58.9 (36.2, 76.0) years for the overall trauma cohort (p < 0.001). Cycling collisions had a median (IQR) injury severity score (ISS) of 10 (9, 20) which was higher than the overall trauma cohort ISS of 9 (9, 17). Of the mechanisms observed for cycling trauma, 31.7% (n = 130) had a collision with a motor vehicle. Of those who did not wear a helmet, 52.2% (n = 47) sustained a head injury compared with 27.5% (n = 44) in the group who were wearing a helmet (p < 0.001).Conclusion: The TARN data presented in this paper builds a more complete overview of the burden of cycling collisions in Ireland. Particular points of focus are that serious cycling injuries occur in a predominantly male population, and that only around 30% of cases are recorded as involving a motor vehicle, with the majority having an unknown mechanism of injury. There was an association between helmets and head injuries in this study, but there are likely other contributing factors such as mechanism of injury, velocity or cycling infrastructure. Using hospital data such as the MTA provides valuable information on the injuries sustained by cyclists, but more prospective studies to capture injury mechanism and contributing factors are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Traumatic injury continues to be a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in low-income and middle-income countries (LMIC). The World Health Organization has called for a strengthening of prehospital care in order to improve outcomes from trauma. In this study we sought to profile traumatic injury seen in the prehospital setting in India and identify predictors of mortality in this patient population.Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study of a convenience sample of patients using a single emergency medical services (EMS) system for traumatic injuries across seven states in India from November 2015 through January 2016. Any patient with a chief complaints indicative of a traumatic injury was eligible for enrollment. Our primary outcome was 30-day mortality.Results: We enrolled 2905 patients. Follow-up rates were 76% at 2 days, 70% at 7 days, and 70% at 30 days. The median age was 36 years (IQR: 25-50) and were predominately male (72%, N = 2088), of lower economic status (97%, N = 2805 used a government issued ration card) and were from rural or tribal areas (74%, N = 2162). Cumulative mortality at 2, 7, and 30 days, was 3%, 4%, and 4% respectively. Predictors of 30-day mortality were prehospital abnormal mental status (OR 7.5 (95% CI: 4-14)), presence of hypoxia or hypotension (OR 4.0 (95% CI: 2.2-7)), on-scene mobility (OR 2.8 (95% CI: 1.3-6)), and multisystem injury inclusive of head injury (OR 2.3 (95% CI: 1.1-5)).Conclusions: EMS in an LMIC can transport trauma patients from poor and rural areas that traditionally struggle to access timely trauma care to facilities in a timeframe consistent with current international recommendations. Information readily obtained by EMTs predicts 30-day mortality within this population and could be utilized for triaging patients with the potential to reduce morbidity and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To investigate the changing epidemiology of open fractures in vehicle occupants, pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists.Materials and Methods: Data on all non-spinal open fractures admitted to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh after a road traffic accident between 1988 and 2010 were collected and analysed to provide information about the changing epidemiology in different patient groups. Demographic information was collected on all patients with the severity of injury being analysed with the Injury Severity Score (ISS), Musculoskeletal Index (MSI) and the number of open fractures. The severity of the open fractures was analysed using the Gustilo classification. The 23-year study period was divided into four shorter periods and the results were compared.Results: There were 696 patients treated in 23 years. Analysis showed that the incidence of RTA open fractures initially fell in both males and females and continued to fall in females during the 23 years. In males it levelled off about 2000. The age of the female patients also fell during the study period but it did not change in males. The only patient group to show an increased incidence of open fractures were cyclists. In vehicle occupants the incidence fell throughout the study period but it levelled off in pedestrians and motorcyclists. There was no difference in the severity of injury in any group during the study period. The most severe open fractures were those of the distal femur and femoral diaphysis although open tibial diaphyseal fractures were the most common fracture in all patient groups.Conclusions: Improved car design and road safety legislation has resulted in a reduction in the incidence of open fractures in vehicle occupants, pedestrians and motorcyclists. The most obvious group to have benefitted from this are older female pedestrians. The only group to show an increase in age during the study period were male motorcyclists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Hospital admission rates for a number of conditions have been linked to variations in the weather. It is well established that trauma workload displays significant seasonal variation. A reliable predictive model might enable targeting of high-risk groups for intervention and planning of hospital staff levels. To our knowledge there have been no systematic reviews of the literature on the relationship between weather and trauma workload, and predictive models have thus far been informed by the results of single studies. Methods We conducted a systematic review of bibliographic databases and reference lists up to June 2014 to identify primary research papers assessing the effect of specified weather conditions including temperature, rainfall, snow, fog, hail, humidity and wind speed on trauma workload, defined as admission to hospital, fracture or a Road Traffic Accident (RTA) resulting in a seriously injured casualty or fatality. Results 11,083 papers were found through electronic and reference search. 83 full papers were assessed for eligibility. 28 met inclusion criteria and were included in the final review; 6 of these related to the effect of the weather on trauma admissions, one to ambulance call out for trauma, 13 to fracture rate and 8 to RTAs. Increased temperature is positively correlated with trauma admissions. The rate of distal radius fractures is more sensitive to adverse weather than the rate of hip fractures. Paediatric trauma, both in respect of trauma admissions and fracture rate, is more sensitive to the weather than adult trauma. Adverse weather influences both RTA frequency and severity, but the nature of the relationship is dependent upon the timecourse of the weather event and the population studied. Important methodological differences between studies limit the value of the existing literature in building consensus for a generalisable predictive model. Conclusions Weather conditions may have a substantial effect on trauma workload independent of the effects of seasonal variation; the population studied and timecourse of weather events appear critical in determining this relationship. Methodological differences between studies limit the validity of conclusions drawn from analysis of the literature, and we identify a number of areas that future research might address. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In Brazil, trauma occupies third place among the various causes of death and is the first cause of death among young people. Among the various approaches to the study of trauma, analysis of the organisation and quality of care has been frequently reported in the literature. The objective of the present study was to assess the quality of care for victims of trauma due to traffic accidents provided at the Emergency Unit of the University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. The quality of care was compared between two different periods, i.e., before and after the introduction of modifications in prehospital care, and was also compared to the North American standards of the Major Trauma Outcome Study (MTOS). The Trauma Score and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) was used to calculate the probability of survival and the Z statistic was used for comparison with the MTOS. During both periods studied, the results were inferior to those obtained by the MTOS, although positive signs were detected at the Emergency Unit regarding the organisation of the system of trauma care during the study period. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Gastric rupture following blunt abdominal trauma is rare, with a reported incidence of 0.02–1.7%. Road traffic accidents remain the most frequent cause. The factors most often implicated in the genesis of this entity are: a history of a recent meal, trauma to the left side of the body and an inappropriate use of seat belts. Splenic injury is generally the most common associated injury. The high morbidity and mortality are directly related to the number of associated injuries, delays in diagnosis and the development of intraabdominal sepsis. We performed a retrospective study of 1300 patients with blunt trauma to the abdomen from 1973 to 2001. Seven patients sustained a gastric rupture (five men and two women). The following associated characteristics were analysed: mechanism of injury, clinical presentation, possible associated injuries and postoperative complications, diagnosis methods and surgical treatment. We found an incidence of gastric rupture of 0.5%. We emphasise an early diagnosis and aggressive surgical treatment as a key to decreasing the mortality and morbidity from this injury. However, in our series, the morbidity is mainly from associated injuries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]