Tetanus is still a deadly disease: a report of six tetanus cases and reminder of our knowledge

Abstract

We analysed the data in the medical records of six patients admitted for tetanus in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the anaesthesia department in the Medical Faculty of Ataturk University from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2012. All patients received the generalized form of treatment for tetanus in the ICU. The average age of the patients was 65.33 ± 13.45 years. Treatment modalities were administered to the patients in accordance with the literature. Four patients died despite all therapeutic interventions and two patients were discharged uneventfully. All those who died had chronic disease and infected wounds on their head, but only one patient had an infected wound on his leg. The surviving patients had no chronic illnesses but did have injuries on their legs. The presence of chronic disease increases tetanus-related mortality. More information about the disease must be made available in order to make it preventable with regular vaccinations.