A three-year follow-up on injuries sustained by cruise ship passengers and crew treated at the Orthopaedic and Traumatology Department at Dubrovnik County Hospital.

Abstract

Dubrovnik is one of the most popular destinations in the world for cruise ships. Several cruise ship passengers and crew members who have suffered different injuries have been treated at our department. This was a retrospective study to analyse injuries that occurred to crew members and passengers on cruise ships that docked in Dubrovnik over a three-year period from December 2010 to December 2013. During this period, a total of 370 patients suffered trauma that needed medical treatment. A total of 119 of these patients required hospitalisation and received medical help based on the nature of the trauma they suffered. The remaining 251 patients were treated at our outpatient clinic. Female patients in this study were exposed to osteoporotic trauma. Male patients presented mostly with injuries sustained during physical activities or because of the nature of their job on board. The leading cause of trauma accidents in the present study was falls on the same level.