Abstract
Introduction: Trauma has become a point of major concern these days with increase in its incidence esp. highway trauma due to the increase in vehicular traffic and other personal factors of the drivers.
Aims: To study the changing pattern of trauma case profile that occur along the national highway passing through the state of Andhra Pradesh.
Material & Methods: In the present study for the period 2016 – 2018, about 2,895 I.P. cases of trauma consisting RTA (Road Traffic Accidents) ,falls and assaults cases is analysed in detail to know the implications of trauma burden over the population & economy. It is a retrospective observational study. The cases are reported at a nodal “level one” trauma care center situated at King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam along the National Highway – 5 passing through North Andhra Region as shown in the map. Trauma care centers of various categories like level 1, 2, 3 are established throughout India along the course of quadrangle7national highway at 100 km. one each. The need for the ventilator & emergency surgery are studied. The results are compared with other similar studies in India.
Results: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the commonest (60%) of Road traffic accidents (RTA) and also the commonest cause of death. Trauma due to falls constitute 34% of TBI significantly. RTA is the commonest cause of overall trauma cases reported. Poor lighting, narrow roads, heavy traffic and lack of proper incremental traffic release system at junctions are the causes for RTA. Head injury is still the commonest of RTA and also the commonest cause of death among trauma cases which indicates the non use of helmet by the commonest young passenger two wheeler drivers on highways.
Conclusions: Two-thirds of deaths in the mildly injured patients were preventable, and this subgroup is identified for future intervention. Improvement in Indian trauma care can begin by shifting the focus away from the individual providers and their errors to a system wide perspective.
Keywords: Trauma, RTA, TBI, deaths, epidemiology, changing trend.
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Corresponding Author
Dr Kodandarao Kuna
MSGS, Faculty, GIMSR, Previously I/C trauma care center, King George Hospital – Andhra Medical College Visakhapatnam
Res: Flat No. 401, Orchid’s Apartment, Ocean View Layout, Pandurangapuram, Visakhapatnam 530003, AP., India
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v7i3.123
