Direct admission versus inter-hospital transfer to a level I trauma unit improves survival: An audit of the new Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital trauma unit

• Published in: South African medical journal 2011-03, Vol.101 (3), p.176-178
• Main Authors: CHEDDIE, S, MUCKART, D. J. J, HARDCASTLE, T. C, DEN HOLLANDER, D, CASSIMJEE, H, MOODLEY, S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accidents, Traffic - mortality; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Clinical Audit; Female; General aspects; Hospital Units; Humans; Infant; Injury Severity Score; Intensive Care Units; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Patient Admission - statistics & numerical data; Patient Transfer - statistics & numerical data; South Africa - epidemiology; Wounds and Injuries - mortality; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0256-9574
• DOI: 10.7196/SAMJ.4170

To audit the performance of a new level I trauma unit and trauma intensive care unit. Data on patients admitted to the level I trauma unit and trauma intensive care unit at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, Durban, from March 2007 to December 2008 were retrieved from the hospital informatics system and an independent database in the trauma unit. Four hundred and seven patients were admitted; 71% of admissions were inter-hospital transfers (IHT) and 29% direct from scene (DIR). The median age was 27 years (range 1 - 83), and 71% were male. Blunt injury accounted for 66.3% of admissions and penetrating trauma for 33.7%. Of the former, motor vehicle-related injury accounted for 87.4%, with 81% of paediatric admissions due to pedestrian-related injuries. The median injury severity score (ISS) for the entire cohort was 22 (survivors 18, deaths 29; p