Pattern of Fractures Among Road Traffic Accident Victims Requiring Hospitalization: Single-institution Experience in Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

IntroductionA bone fracture is a medical condition in which there is a partial or complete break in the continuity of the bone. One of the factors causing bone fractures is Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs), which is the first leading cause of death among people aged 15-29 years. This study aimed to determine the incidence of bone fractures among RTAs in Buraidah Central Hospital and to identify associations between gender, age, and fractures.Materials and methodsThis is a retrospective study and review of patients’ medical records in Buraidah Central Hospital, of those who had an RTA in 2018 and 2019. The information taken included age, gender, and type of fracture. All patients with RTAs in the period between January 2018 and October 2019 were recruited and data were collected from patients’ medical records. The data analysis was carried out using Statistical Packages for Software Sciences (SPSS) version 21 (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA).ResultsThere were 301 incidences of RTAs with fractured bones presented at Buraidah Central Hospital during the study period. Bilateral or multiple was the most commonly known sites of fractures. We also observed that the most commonly fractured bone among males was the femur (28.2%) while a humerus fracture was the most common among females (20.8%). Males were significantly higher in the younger age group (p<0.001). Additionally, the radius shaft was more associated with the younger age group (p=0.043) while the femur was more associated with the oldest age group (p=0.013).ConclusionFemur fractures were the most commonly known fractures among males while a humerus fracture was the most common fracture among females. In males, a fractured radius shaft and a fractured femur were the factors most associated with the age group.