Penetrating trauma in Auckland.
To establish the spectrum of penetrating trauma presenting to a city hospital and review the results of management, all patients brought to the resuscitation room at Auckland Hospital over a one year period were evaluated. Of 602 patients, only 41 (7%) had penetrating injuries. Thirty-one patients had stab or slashing injuries, seven had gunshot wounds and three had other forms of penetrating injury. Overall mortality was 17% which included 4/31 stab wounds and 3/7 gunshot wounds. Three of the four patients with fatal stab wounds died from exsanguination in the resuscitation room. A system which allows prompt resuscitation and rapid transfer to the operating theatre is needed to improve survival in patients suffering exsanguinating injury.
Civil
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ID
D000328:Adult; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D012151:Resuscitation; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality