title: Implementation and analysis of initial trauma registry in Iquitos, Peru.
abstract: Background:In Peru, 11% of deaths are due to trauma. Iquitos is a large underserved Peruvian city isolated from central resources by its geography. Our objective was to implement a locally driven trauma registry to sustainably improve trauma healthcare in this region.Methods:All trauma patients presenting to the main regional referral hospital were included in the trauma registry. A pilot study retrospectively analyzed data from the first two months after implementation.Results:From March to April 2013, 572 trauma patients were entered into the database. Average age was 26.9 years. Ten percent of patients presented more than 24 hours after injury. Most common mechanisms of injury were falls (25.5%), motor vehicle collisions (23.3%), and blunt assault (10.5%). Interim analysis revealed that 99% of patients were entered into the database. However, documentation of vital signs was poor: 42% of patients had temperature, 26% had oxygen saturation documented. After reporting to registry staff, a significant increase in temperature (42 to 97%, P < 0.001) and oxygen saturation (26 to 92%, P < 0.001) documentation was observed.Conclusion:A trauma registry is possible to implement in a resource-poor setting. Future efforts will focus on analysis of data to enhance prevention and treatment of injuries in Iquitos.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Duron
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Mattel's Children Hospital, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: DeUgarte
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bliss
authors.affiliation: Chief of Surgery, Department of Surgery, Hospital Regional Loreto, Punchana, Iquitos, Peru.
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salazar
authors.affiliation: Chief of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Hospital Regional Loreto, Punchana, Iquitos, Peru.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casapia
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Henri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Upperman
keywords: Global health; Injury; Trauma Registry