title: Evaluation of Severity Score in Patients with Lower Limb and Pelvic Fractures Injured in Motor Vehicle Front-Impact Collisions.
abstract: BACKGROUND Lower limb and pelvic injuries and fractures occur at a very high incidence in motor vehicle accidents. In this study, the characteristics (e.g., body side, bone location, and fracture severity) of lower limb and pelvic fractures that occurred during front-impact collisions were correlated with the injured patients' sex, age, and position in the vehicle. MATERIAL AND METHODS We retrospectively evaluated 191 patients (136 males, 55 females) who were injured in motor vehicle accidents, specifically in frontal collisions. RESULTS This study revealed that most of lower limb and pelvic fractures occurred in males (71.2%; p=.000), 19-36 years old (55.5%; p=.000), small vehicles (86.4%; p=.000), and rear seat passengers (49.2%; p=.000). Fractures most commonly occurred in the left side of the body (46.6%; p=.000) and upper legs (37.7%; p=.000). Severity scores were higher (2.76) in males than females (2.07). No statistically significant was found in severity scores of patients and other personal characteristics and fracture features of patients with lower limb and pelvic fractures who were injured in a vehicle during front-impact collisions (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study will be useful for the automobile industry, forensics and criminal scientists, and for trauma research studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Yuzuncu Yil University, Medical Faculty, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Ata
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gokalp
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Yuzuncu Yil University, Medical Faculty, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yavuz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hekimoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Yuzuncu Yil University, Medical Faculty, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Abdurrahim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gozen
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Yuzuncu Yil University, Medical Faculty, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Savas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guner
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Yuzuncu Yil University, Medical Faculty, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mahmut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asirdizer
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010384:Pelvic Bones / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014421:Turkey