title: Perineal injuries at a large urban trauma center: injury patterns and outcomes.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of this unique patient population, their clinical presentations, and outcomes. The Los Angeles County and University of Southern California Medical Center Trauma Registry was used to retrospectively identify patients who sustained perineal injuries. Information included gender, age, vital signs, trauma scores, mechanisms of injury, studies performed, surgeries performed, and outcomes. Pediatric patients and injuries related to obstetric trauma were not included. Sixty-nine patients were identified between February 1, 1992 and October 31, 2005. One patient died on arrival; 85 per cent (58 of 68) were males, mean age was 30 +/- 12 years, and there was a penetrating mechanism in 56 per cent. Vital signs on admission were systolic blood pressure 119 +/- 33 mmHg, heart rate 94 +/- 27 beats/minute, and respiratory rate 20 +/- 6 breaths/min. Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was 13 +/- 3, Revised Trauma Score (RTS) was 7.2 +/- 1.5, and Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 11 +/- 12. CT scan was obtained for 23 (33%) patients. Lower extremity fractures were 35 per cent and pelvic fractures 32 per cent. The most common surgery was débridement and drainage, diversion with colostomy in five patients (7%). Overall mortality was 10 per cent. Mortality group mean scores were: GCS, 6; RTS, 5.74; and ISS, 34. The survival group mean scores were: GCS, 14; RTS, 7.7; and ISS, 8. There was a statistically significant association between mortality and GCS, RTS, and ISS scores (P < 0.001). Most patients with perineal injuries (93%) can be managed without colostomy. Associated injuries are not uncommon, particularly bony fractures. Mortality is mostly the result of exsanguination related to associated injuries.
authors.affiliation: Division of Colorectal & Pelvic Floor Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine and Los Angeles County Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA. petrone@usc.edu
authors.forename: Patrizio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Petrone
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inaba
authors.forename: Nir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wasserberg
authors.forename: Pedro G R
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Grant
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sarkisyan
authors.forename: Joseph J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Dubose
authors.forename: Maura A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: Frida R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Peña
authors.forename: Margarita A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Adrian E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.forename: Howard S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kaufman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010502:Perineum / Q000293:injuries*; D011379:Prognosis; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014505:Urban Population; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery