title: Fracture of the sternum in motor vehicle accidents and its association with mediastinal injury.
abstract: Sternal fractures occurred in 78 out of 2097 consecutive victims of road traffic accidents who required to attend hospital; an incidence of 3.7 per cent. They were most common in restrained, front seat vehicle occupants involved in frontal collisions, and their frequency increased with age. There was a positive association with visceral chest injury but the latter was not thought to be the cause of death in any individual. Follow-up of survivors 2-4 years later revealed potential cardiac sequelae in 6 per cent.
authors.affiliation: Oxford Road Accident Group, John Radcliffe Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Otremski
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Wilde
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Marsh
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: McLardy Smith
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Newman
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008482:Mediastinum / Q000293:injuries*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000009:adverse effects; D013249:Sternum / Q000293:injuries*