Citation

Ojo P, O'Connor J, Kim D, Ciardiello K, Bonadies J. Conn. Med. 2009; 73(3): 139-145.

Affiliation

Department of Surgery, Hospital of Saint Raphael, New Haven, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Connecticut State Medical Society)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

19353988

Abstract

Falls are the most common cause of trauma in the elderly. Data regarding patterns of injury following geriatric falls are scant. We conducted a retrospective review of falls in patients aged 65 years and older seen at a trauma center over a nine year period. Two thousand eighty three patients met the inclusion criteria. Hip fracture proved to be the dominant injury (55%), 98% of which were isolated. Five hundred seven (21%) were non-hip fractures. Two hundred thirty eight patients (10%) sustained traumatic intracranial hemorrhage. Chest injury was the next most common injury type (6.7%) with rib fractures comprising 86% of this subgroup. A pattern of association between intracranial hemorrhage and cervical spine fractures was identified. Intra-abdominal injuries are rare.

Language: en