Citation

Lieutaud T, Ndiaye A, Frost F, Chiron M. J. Neurotrauma 2010; 27(6): 1101-1107.

Affiliation

Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Department Reanimation et Anesthesiologie, Pierre Benite, Lyon, France, 69395; thomas.Lieutaud@chu-lyon.fr.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Mary Ann Liebert Publishers)

DOI

10.1089/neu.2009.1197

PMID

20233040

Abstract

Fatalities or injuries following a Motorized and Non-Motorized Vehicles Accidents (MNMVA) are reported by police or health care systems. However, only few data exists for spinal injuries for both fatalities and injuries. Using an epidemiological database of consecutive road accident occurring in a geographic area, we measured the incidence of Major Spinal Trauma (MST: AIS 2 and over), Spinal Cord Injury (SCI: AIS 4 and over), outcome and associated lesions during a 10 year period (1997-2006). Among the 97.341 victims included, 21.623 (22.2%) suffered spinal trauma but only 1.523 (1.6%) and 144 (0.2%) sustained a MST and a SCI respectively among those 10% and 43% of died, mainly before reaching hospital facilities. Men were more likely to have SCI and to die. Cervical injuries were more frequently observed for SCI (58%) than for MST (39%) (p < 0.001). Motorcyclists were over represented in SCI (33%) as compared to MST (21%) (p < 0.001) and were a significant at risk group for fatality. Non-restrained car occupants were at risk of MST and SCI whereas helmet use for motorcyclists was not. The chest, before the brain, was the most frequently associated injured body region. Near half MNMVA victims suffering a SCI die quickly after the crash. Young age, men, motorcyclists and non-restrained car occupants are the most at risk population. These groups should be targeted in specific programs to decrease fatalities, spinal trauma and SCI rates following MNMVAs.

Language: en