Epidemiology and Pattern of Road Traffic Injuries in Ngaoundere; Cameroon: a Retrospective Hospital Based Study Prior to the Implementation of a Formal Trauma Registry

Low income countries are disproportionately affected by injuries. Most injury related death and disabilities occur as the result of road traffic accidents. This study aims at analysing the epidemiology and pattern of road traffic related injuries in a semi-urban area in the northern part of Cameroon where no such data existed before.This hospital based retrospective analysis was conducted over a period of five years in a level III institution in the Adamaoua region of Cameroon. The records of all patients received in the emergency department of Ngaoundere hospital after a road traffic related injury were reviewed for epidemiological variables; type of vehicle involved; nature and severity of injuries; modalities of management and outcome. A total of 1257 victims of road traffic injuries could be analyzed. Their ages ranged from 2 to 84 years and males were more affected than females. Almost 60 of victims were motorcycle users. Each patient sustained a mean of 1.3 lesions. The head and lower limbs were the most affected body parts. The most frequent lesions were soft tissue injuries and bone fractures; involving mostly the lower limb. Most injuries were of minor or moderate severity and the admission rate was 28. A total of 79 patients (6.3) were reported dead. Most of them sustained a head injury. The massive presence of motorcycles in the Adamaoua region seems to influence the pattern of road traffic injuries. A more comprehensive system of capturing injury cases needs to be developed in Ngaoundere

Les plaies penetrantes de l'abdomen au CHU de Lome; a propos de 44 cas

Les auteurs rapportent les resultats d'une etude retrospective de 44 cas de plaies penetrantes de l'abdomen vue en 5 ans (Janvier 1990 a Decembre 1994) dans le service de chirurgie general du CHU Tokoin; dans le but d'en ressortir les problemes diagnostiques et therapeutiques. Les plaies penetrantes ont represente 0;73 pour cent des urgences abdominales chirurgicales durant la meme periode. La plupart des blesses etaient de sexe masculin (90;9 pour cent) et ages de 20 a 40 ans (70;5 pour cent). L'agent causal etait l'arme blanche dans 72;7 pour cent des cas. La lesion intra-abdominale etait cliniquement evidente dans 45;4 pour cent des cas; devant l'existence d'un choc hemorragique; d'un hemoperitoine ou d'une peritonite. Les plaies par armes a feu ont occasionne plus frequemment des lesions abdominales multiviscerales ainsi que des lesions extrathoraciques associees. Compte tenu de l'insuffisance de ressources humaines et materielles dans les services; l'attitude demeure la laparotomie systematique devant toutes les plaies penetrantes abdominales malgre un taux important de laparotomie blanche (40;9 pour cent). La lourde mortalite (15;9 pour cent) pourrait etre reduite par l'amelioration de mesures de reanimation