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The epidemiology and outcomes of vascular trauma in Gold Coast, Australia: Institutional experience at a level 1 trauma centre
Author(s) -
Weller Justin,
Bowles Madison,
Summers Zara,
Bhamidipaty Venu
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
anz journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.426
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-2197
pISSN - 1445-1433
DOI - 10.1111/ans.17002
Subject(s) - medicine , epidemiology , major trauma , blunt trauma , amputation , incidence (geometry) , trauma centre , prospective cohort study , penetrating trauma , blunt , injury severity score , emergency medicine , mortality rate , injury prevention , poison control , surgery , physics , optics
Background Vascular trauma is a complex and evolving area. Unlike internationally, the epidemiology of vascular trauma is not well documented in Australia; the most recent study was published in 2013. Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH) is a level 1 trauma centre in Queensland, Australia. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology and outcomes of vascular trauma at a level 1 trauma centre, and compare these with the Australian and international literature. Methods All individuals who presented to GCUH between January 2014 and December 2019 with vascular injury were retrieved from the GCUH prospective trauma database. A descriptive analysis was undertaken on this cohort. Results The incidence of vascular trauma as a percentage of total trauma remained stable over the study period. The study included 5454 trauma admissions to GCUH, of which 213 sustained vascular injuries. Males were more likely to be injured and blunt trauma was more common than penetrating. Blunt trauma was associated with increased injury complexity. The mortality rate was 8.5% and 10 patients required amputation. Conclusions The proportion of vascular injuries as a percentage of total trauma in Australia is higher than in previous studies. Vascular trauma causes significant injuries and has a higher mortality rate than general trauma.