Trauma Emergencies at University Hospital of Brazzaville, Congo

Abstract

Background: Trauma is the main reason for consultation in the emergency unit. They deserve particular attention in the Congo where road accidents and violence of all kinds are increasingly observed. Methods: This study who c arried out in the surgical emergencies at the University Hospital of Brazzaville, aims to analyze the epidemiological and etiological aspects, the anatomical lesions encountered; to describe their management, as well as to evaluate the induced mortality while emphasizing their place in all surgical emergencies. The prospective and analytical study included 2127 patients admitted to a traumatic emergency unit from January 1 to June 30, 2018. Medical records served as data sources. The measure of trauma severity was determined using Champion’s Trauma Score. The epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic parameters were studied. Results: The population most affected was adolescents and young adults (mean age, 27.3 years) with a male predominance: 1318 men ( i.e. 61.9%) for 809 women ( i.e. 38.1%). Road accidents (n = 819, or 38.5%) were the main cause of injuries, followed by violence (n = 702, or 33%) and falls (27.3%). The skull, limbs, thorax and abdomen are the main targets. The most observed lesions were limb fractures (n = 344, i.e. 16.1%), intracranial hematomas and contusions (n = 315, i.e. 14.8%), thoracic and abdominal wounds (n = 28, i.e. 1.3%). Mortality was evaluated at 0.6%, and was correlated with the severity of the lesions and the type of trauma . Conclusion: Trauma is very common in emergency consultations in Congo, with a hospital frequency of 75.1% of all emergencies. Preventive actions are essential to reduce their frequency.