ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Childhood fractures are frequent. The aim of this study was to evaluate their epidemiological and clinical peculiarities in our context. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study that focused on the files of children with a fracture. They were aged 0-15 years and received between January 2011 and December 2015 at the Emergency Department of the National Teaching Hospital of Cotonou. RESULTS: Two hundred and eighty fractures were recorded in 257 children. The average age was 8.24 years (7 days-15 years). Older children (6-10 years) were the most affected with 33.8% of cases. The predominance was male (sex ratio = 2.3:1). The aetiologies were dominated by road traffic accidents (45.1%) followed by domestic accidents (42.7%). Fractures were predominant in the lower limbs (52.1%). The most affected segments were the leg (25.4%) and the femur (23.6%). The fracture was open in 13.9% of cases. CONCLUSION: Childhood fractures interest preferentially the older boys. Then, road traffic accidents are the most frequent circumstances of occurrence in our context. Measures to prevent the main causes of these fractures must be taken, in order to reduce their frequency and ensure the development of children.
Subject(s)
Emergency Service, Hospital , Hospitals, Teaching , Adolescent , Child , Humans , Male , Benin , Retrospective Studies , Infant, Newborn , Infant , Child, Preschool , FemaleABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Trauma to the cervical spine is a real public health problem. They can cause neurological complications that are sometimes irreversible and mortality remains high. The causes are dominated by traffic and work accidents. We assess their epidemiological and lesional aspects in our work environment. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This was a descriptive retrospective study of any cervical spine trauma patient admitted to the National teaching hospital Hubert Koutoukou Maga of Cotonou between January 2010 and June 2014 for which the clinical file was complete. RESULTS: 57 files were retained. The average age was 38.7 years (19 - 71 years). The predominance was male with a sex ratio of 4.2. The mean admission time was 27.5 days (3 hours - 175 days). As aetiologies, we found: traffic accidents (41 cases or 71.9%), work accidents (13 cases or 22.9%) and domestic accidents (3 cases or 5.3%). From an anatomopathological point of view, there were 16 simple fractures, one compression fracture, 13 dislocation fractures, 15 pure dislocations, 5 sprains, 2 post-traumatic disc herniations and 5 decompensations of cervicarthrosis myelopathy. The lesions involved the upper cervical spine (7%), the lower cervical spine (71.9%), the upper and lower cervical spine (21.1%). Thirty-two patients (56.1%) were quadriplegic and autonomic disorders were present in 7 patients (12.3%). CONCLUSION: Cervical spine trauma is frequent in Cotonou. They are often of interest to the young male subject. The lesions predominate on the lower cervical spine.
INTRODUCTION: Les traumatismes du rachis cervical constituent un véritable problème de santé publique. Ils peuvent engendrer des complications neurologiques parfois irréversibles et la mortalité reste élevée. Les étiologies sont dominées par les accidents de circulation et de travail. Nous étudions leurs aspects épidémiologiques et lésionnels dans notre milieu de travail. MATÉRIEL ET MÉTHODE: Il s'agissait d'une étude rétrospective descriptive portant sur tout traumatisé du rachis cervical admisdans le Centre National Hospitalier et Universitaire Hubert Koutoukou Maga de Cotonou entre janvier 2010 et juin 2014 dont le dossier clinique était complet. RÉSULTATS: 57 dossiers ont été retenus. L'âge moyen était de 38,7 ans (19 - 71 ans). La prédominance était masculine avec un sex-ratio de 4,2. Le délai moyen d'admission était de 27,5 jours (3 heures -175 jours). Comme étiologies, on retrouvait : lesaccidents de circulation (41 cas soit 71,9%), les accidents de travail (13 cas soit 22,9%) et les accidents domestiques (3 cas soit 5,3%). Au plan anatomopathologique, on dénombrait, 16 fractures simples, une fracture tassement, 13 fractures-luxations, 15 luxations pures, 5 entorses, 2 hernies discales post-traumatiques et 5 décompensations d'une myélopathie cervicarthrosique. Les lésions intéressaient le rachis cervical supérieur (7%), le rachis cervical inférieur (71,9%), le rachis cervical supérieur et inférieur (21,1%).Trente-deux patients (56,1%) étaient tétraplégiques et des troubles neurovégétatifs étaient présents chez 7 patients (12,3%). CONCLUSION: Les traumatismes du rachis cervical sont fréquents à Cotonou. Ils intéressent souvent le sujet jeune de sexe masculin. Les lésions prédominent sur le rachis cervical inférieur.
