Epidemiology of Traumatic Orthopedic Injuries: A Cross-Sectional Survey from Northern Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Background: Trauma is a leading cause of death and morbidity in developing countries. Previous research has revealed that epidemiological features of fractures may change from one study to the next. National Trauma Registry of Iran (NTRI) was launched in 2015, but it did not include any centers in northern Tehran, Iran. This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of fractures in the only Level 1 Trauma Center in that area. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on all patients with the primary diagnosis of orthopedic injury, from July to October 2019, who referred to the emergency department of Shohada Tajrish Hospital, Tehran. The patients’ files and operation notes were reviewed for demographics, medical history, physical examination, referral time, mechanism of injury, hospital stay, level of education, and intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization. Results: 398 patients with orthopedic trauma were referred to the hospital with a mean age of 40.85 ± 21.03 years. 317 patients (79.65%) were men. The peak referral time was between 12 AM and 12 PM. A road traffic accident was the main cause of orthopedic trauma (39.4%). The mean days of hospital stay were 6.29 ± 5.36 days. The waiting time for surgery and days of hospital stay were related to the fracture site (high in lower extremity fractures) and older age. Conclusion: Trauma in northern Tehran is primarily caused by motor vehicle accidents and falls, respectively. Patients with older age and lower extremity fractures need more time of hospitalization.