title: [Injuries due to falls from a great height. A comparative analysis of injuries and their outcome following suicide-related and accidental falls].
abstract: The aim of this study was to compare the outcome and clinical course of multiple trauma patients with accidental or intentional (suicide related) fall from heights > 4 m. 211 patients with an injury severity score (ISS) > 17 were assigned to the following groups: I: intentional fall, n = 94; A: accidental fall, n = 117) and ISS (I: 28 +/- 1; A: 30 +/- 1), ventilation time (I: 16 +/- 2; A: 15 +/- 1) were not different. Significant differences were found in sex (m/f: I: 56/44; A: 73/27%), fractures of lumbarspine (I: 34; A: 15%), pelvis (I: 51; A: 38%), lower leg (I: 47; A: 20%), pilon (I: 15; A: 5%), and os calcis (I: 17; A: 9%). Liver lacerations occurred more often after intentional fall (I: 16; A: 6%). Single or multiple organ failure (MOF) was diagnosed significantly more often in group A(I: 1; A: 8%). Main cause of death in both groups was single or multiple organ failure (MOF: I: 47; A: 69%) or related to brain-injuries (I: 35; A: 19%). Prognosis and rehabilitation of multiple trauma patients after intentional fall is related to brain-injuries, spine-fractures and the functional outcome of the injured lower leg. Prognosis of patients after accidental fall is related to the development of MOF during the ICU-course.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Unfallchirurgie, Universitätsklinik Essen.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aufmkolk
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Voggenreiter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Majetschak
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Neudeck
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Schmit-Neuerburg
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Obertacke
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D016896:Treatment Outcome