Pattern of orthopedic injuries among Victims of Road Traffic Accidents in Aseer region, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND: Road Traffic Accidents (RTA) are one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in Saudi Arabia despite preventive measures and programs. The major factors for the increase in the incidence of mortality and morbidity are due to human factors, such as over speeding, not obeying traffic laws, fatigue, and driving before the legal age. In this study, we aim to report the pattern of orthopedic injuries (OIs) from RTA in the south-western region of Saudi Arabia and to explore the healthcare outcomes of OIs. METHOD: This is a retrospective, record-based, case series study including RTA patients who were admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) at a tertiary hospital in the south-western region of Saudi Arabia. The data was collected for 531 admitted RTA patients with OIs over for five years from May 2011 to May 2016. Patients who were 15 years of age or above were included in this study. The data were analyzed using the statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 21. RESULTS: A total of 531 patients were included with an age range between 15 and 90 years with an average age of 29 ± 2 years. Most of the population was male constituting 91.3% of the sample while 91.9% of the sample were Saudis. About 75% of the OIs had simple fractures and complex fractures were recorded among 10.2% of the cases. About half of the cases (52%) had lower limb fractures and 32% had upper limb fractures. CONCLUSIONS: RTA and the resultant OIs, death, and permanent disabilities cause a tremendous burden on economic resources and should be of concern for local authorities. More attention and regularities should be paid to avoid life-threatening driving behaviors.