Neurological Outcome and Associated Injuries In Near-Hanging Patients: A 10-Year Songklanagarind Hospital Experience

Abstract

Objective: Death and injury from attempted hanging is common in Thailand. To date, few studies that have collected and analyzed treatment outcomes following near-hanging in this country. This study was conducted to examine factors associated with treatment outcomes in near-hanging injury patients. Material and Methods: The records of all near-hanging injury patients who visited Songklanagarind Hospital between 2009 and 2018 were reviewed. Data collected and analyzed included patient characteristics, imaging, and neurological outcomes from their arrival at the emergency department to their last follow-up or death. The treatment outcomes were classified into favorable and unfavorable outcomes. Results: Twenty-one cases were included in the study and the median age was 36 years. Of the 21 cases, 13 cases were categorized as incomplete hanging, seven were complete hanging and one had no recorded type of hanging. Six of the patients died, four at the emergency department and two after being hospitalized. Fourteen patients had favorable outcomes, the patients in this group had higher systolic blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and Glasgow Coma Scale Score on admission. Conclusion: Near-hanging injury patients had a high mortality rate. The factors associated with unfavorable outcomes were history of cardiac arrest before hospitalization, initial Glasgow Coma Scale Score, systolic blood pressure, and oxygen saturation on admission.