TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2011//
TI  - Work-related traumatic spinal cord lesions in Chile, a 20-year epidemiological analysis
JO  - Spinal Cord
A1  - Correa, G. I.
A1  - Finkelstein, J. M.
A1  - Burnier, L. A.
A1  - Danilla, S. E.
A1  - Tapia, L. Z.
A1  - Torres, V. N.
A1  - Castillo, J. C.
SP  - 196
EP  - 199
VL  - 49
IS  - 2
N2  - STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics of patients with work-related traumatic spinal cord injuries (TSCI) in Chile. SETTING: Hospital del Trabajador in Santiago, Santiago, Chile. METHODS: Patients suffering from TSCI incurred at the workplace from 1986 to 2005 were identified through records of the Asociación Chilena de Seguridad (ACHS, Chilean Safety Association). RESULTS: The medical records of 173 patients, 172 men and 1 woman, were analyzed. The yearly average incidence was 7.8 per million workers. Age at TSCI onset was 38.2 ± 12.1 years. The principal external causes for TSCI incurred at the workplace were falls from a height in 86 cases (49.7%) and trauma blows to the vertebral spine in 61 cases (35.3 %). More falls occurred in the field construction, and other traumas occurred as a result of traumatic blows caused by tree trunks and stones in forestry and mining sectors. Mortality in this series was 8.7%, and the worst prognosis was for older patients with complete tetraplegia. The paraplegia:tetraplegia ratio was 3.2:1. CONCLUSIONS: The characteristics of workplace TSCI are specific to this population. It is important therefore to develop prevention programs for specific work-related TSCI.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1362-4393
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sc.2010.71
ID  - ref1
ER  -