Behzad Bushehri1, Mohammad Amin Valizade Hasanloei2, Vahid Zeynalipour3
Introduction
Traumas lead to patient hospitalization in ICU because of several reasons, which finally results in death of a number of these patients. Identifying the pattern and causes of death and confronting with its etiologic factors is one of the most appropriate strategies to increase the life span. Objective of the current study was to evaluate the frequency of demographic characteristics and the causes of death in patients died due to trauma in hospitalization management planning and treatment of patients and their prognosis.
Methodology
The current research is a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out to examine the causes of death of patients died because of trauma in the intensive care units of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Urmia since July 2 of 2012 to July 1 of 2013. Information contained in files of 86 patients died in ICU was recorded by a checklist and data were analyzed using SPSS 17 software.
Findings
The mean age of subjects was 44.8 ± 26.38 years and 72.1% of them were male and 70.9% of them were married. The most common causes of death included multiple trauma and CNS with 48.8% and 39.5%, respectively. Among types of traumatic mechanism, car accident and falling from height accounted for 65.1% and 26.7% of them, respectively. Most of the injured places were multi-organ with 47.7%, followed by head and neck with 38.4%, and majority of patients died within 7 to 2 days of hospitalization in ICU, and mean hospitalization duration was 16.57 ± 26.9 days.
Discussion and conclusion
The prevalence of trauma and injuries caused by it and rate of death were more among males. Its reason may be justified by the fact that most of them are working in high-risk jobs. The highest cause of trauma led to the death was car accidents. Observing the driving and traffic rules and regulations can be very effective in decreasing the number of trauma cases caused by accident.
