Traffic Accidents in Children and Adolescents: A Complex Orthopedic and Medico-Legal Approach

Evaluation of children applying to emergency service after motor vehicle trauma

BACKGROUND

Traffic accidents are significant causes of death and serious injury in children. Children's clinical findings are more subtle and there is a risk of faster deterioration. On the other hand, radiation sensitivity due to imaging is also high. These challenging factors highlight the importance of approaching pediatric trauma cases. In our study, we aimed to contribute to current approaches by examining the clinical course and profiles of children involved in traffic accidents. This study aimed to analyze the profiles and clinical courses of children involved in road traffic accidents.

METHODS

Pediatric patients brought to our hospital due injuries from traffic accidents were retrospectively investigated.

RESULTS

During the two-year period analyzed in the study, 605 child patients applied due to traffic accidents, accounting for 5.4 % of pediatric trauma cases. The majority of the children were between the ages of 12-17, with most accidents occurring in the summer. In total, 56.9 % were from in-vehicle traffic accidents, 36.7 % were from extra-vehicular traffic accidents, and 6.4 % were from motorcycle accidents. The imaging rate among the patients was 89 %, and 50.6 % had more than one tomography. More than half of the cases had no pathological findings, and only 6 % required hospitalization. Most cases were treated successfully with medical care, while 21.4 % needed interventional procedures, and 10 % received no treatment. The most common injuries were superficial skin lesions (11.1 %) and extremity fractures (10.2 %), with orthopedics being the most consulted department. Fractures were most common in the tibia and were more likely in motorcycle accidents than in-car accidents.

CONCLUSION

In-vehicle accidents were the most frequent type of accident, and children under 4 years old had a higher incidence of in-car accidents than other age groups. Males made up 60 % of the cases, with boys having higher rates of motorcycle and extra-vehicular accidents compared to girls. While most children had no injuries from the accidents, those who did generally recovered well with outpatient monitoring. On the other hand, 89 % of patients underwent imaging at a high rate.

Positive Outcomes of Physiotherapy Intervention in a Wedge Compression Fracture of the L1 Vertebra: A Case Report

The thoracolumbar spine is prone to vertebral compression fractures (VCFs). An injury mechanism known as flexion compression is responsible for thoracolumbar spine compression fractures. Usually, this mechanism affects the longitudinal ligament at the front and the front part of the vertebral body as the first components. Pain is the first and foremost symptom; here we present a case report of a 34-year-old male, who came to the hospital with complaints of back pain, and difficulty in breathing followed by a road traffic accident (RTA). MRI and X-ray investigations were done. The patient was diagnosed with a fracture of the anterolateral aspect of the right fourth and fifth ribs and posterolateral aspect of the sixth rib, acute anterior wedge compression fracture of the L1 vertebra, and bilateral minimal pneumothorax and haemothorax. The patient was managed surgically with post-decompression and spinal fusion at the D12-L2 level. The outcomes used were the Oswestry Low-Back Disability Questionnaire, the numerical pain rating scale, and Manual Muscle Testing (MMT). This case report specifies the physiotherapeutic rehabilitation protocol, mainly focusing on techniques like breathing exercises, and upper limb and lower limb strengthening along with trunk and pelvic floor muscles strengthening.

Current Epidemiological Trends of Pediatric Traffic Accidents at a Romanian Clinical Hospital

BACKGROUND

Pediatric road traffic accidents (RTAs) have a substantial impact on the worldwide youth population, resulting in a considerable burden of disability. According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Status Report on Road Safety, around 1.35 million children die each year in RTAs around the world, having a big effect on health and financial costs. Today's high-income countries like the Netherlands have experienced a decrease in the incidence of fatal traffic accidents (TAs) in children compared to countries with higher-than-average scores, including Romania, where roughly one out of every two minor deaths was a pedestrian; however, there is a lack of comprehensive and up-to-date epidemiological data on non-fatal TAs regarding pediatric patients. The objective of this study is to perform a thorough examination of the epidemiological aspects of Tas in pediatric patients admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) of "St. Mary's" Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children in Iasi, Romania.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A descriptive retrospective research study was conducted at the "St. Mary's" Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children in Iasi, Romania, from January 2015 to December 2022. The research population includes all pediatric trauma patients that were between the age range of 1 month and 18 years who were treated by the trauma department. A total of 358 cases met the inclusion criteria and fulfilled fulfilled fulfilled. Data concerning variables such as accident incidents, types of injuries, and length of hospitalization have been gathered.

RESULTS

The average age of the patients was 11.43 ± 4.07 years, with patients of both sexes, the representation of the male sex being 78.5%. The incidence occurred during the summer, representing 15.3% in June. Of the patients admitted to the ED, 55.5% (n = 196) did not require surgery. Most of the patients spent from a minimum of one day to a maximum of 28 days in the hospital, with an average of 8.50 hospital days. The most common injuries were fractures (n = 221), and the most frequent anatomical region affected was the upper limbs (n = 55.2%).

CONCLUSION

While the literature on fatal TA cases shows a declining trend, there is a lack of up-to-date information on non-fatal TAs involving children. The results of our study suggest that there is a high incidence of pediatric TAs due to the scale of "St. Mary's" Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children, from Iasi, which provides medical services to a considerable number of patients coming from both rural and urban areas of the seven counties of Moldova region, in Romania.