Emergency Surgical Management of Trauma Patients: Pattern and Outcomes

Abstract

Trauma remains a major global health problem and an important cause of death and disability. The incidence of trauma-related injury and mortality remains a significant public health challenge worldwide. Unintentional injuries account for over 110,000 deaths annually, with road traffic collisions contributing to more than 40% of these cases. Despite the high burden of trauma, information about the outcomes of polytrauma patients in resource-limited settings. This retrospective observational study aimed to evaluate the pattern and clinical outcomes of trauma and polytrauma patients managed at Tobruk Medical Centre during the study period. The overall mean age was 40.8 ±16.5. Trauma patients accounted for 85.57% (n=599), while polytrauma accounted for 14.42% (n=101) of cases. Regarding the distribution of injury mechanisms among the study population (Total N =700). (RTAs) inside the car were the most frequent mechanism, accounting for 46.1%. Extremity injuries were the most frequent anatomical site affected, accounting for 31.2%. The morbidity rate was 25.8%, and the overall mortality rate was 2.6%. Mortality was also higher in polytrauma patients (77.77%) compared to trauma patients. Recovery rates were higher in trauma patients 88.46%, while polytrauma patients had relatively poorer outcomes 11.53%. In conclusion, trauma represents a high-risk clinical entity requiring prompt management, and enhancing multidisciplinary collaboration is an essential strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality in this patient population.