TY - JOUR
T1 - Experience with railroad injuries at a major urban trauma center serving the United States-Mexico border
AU - Chattar-Cora, Deowall
AU - Tutela, Rocco R.
AU - Daum, Allison N.
AU - Cromack, Douglas T.
PY - 2007/5
Y1 - 2007/5
N2 - BACKGROUND: In the United States (US), railroads are commonly used to transport humans and commerce, especially along the US-Mexico border. Some people will use freight trains to travel within the US. Some of these people will suffer a train-related injury with extensive soft tissue and bone trauma. There is little information about the demographics, injuries, or outcomes of these patients, and the financial expense of providing care for these individuals. We attempt to provide insight into some of these issues. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio from January 1996 to September 2003. Various demographic, total hospital costs, operative procedures, and outcomes were examined. RESULTS: Men were well represented (61 of 67 patients), and the overall mean age was 28.8 years. Hispanics (58 of 67 patients) were the main ethnic group and 61% were undocumented aliens (41 of 67 patients). Bony and soft tissue injuries were common, necessitating an amputation in 38 patients. The mean operative procedures per patient were 2.97. Follow-up was poor. Total hospital cost for all the patients was $2,468,004.47 with a mean of $36,835.89 ($1,305.00-$331, 452.74) per patient. CONCLUSION: Victims of train-related injuries were predominantly young and male. Many patients required an amputation. Multistaged and complex reconstructive procedures may not be realistic in a group of patients in whom follow-up is poor.
AB - BACKGROUND: In the United States (US), railroads are commonly used to transport humans and commerce, especially along the US-Mexico border. Some people will use freight trains to travel within the US. Some of these people will suffer a train-related injury with extensive soft tissue and bone trauma. There is little information about the demographics, injuries, or outcomes of these patients, and the financial expense of providing care for these individuals. We attempt to provide insight into some of these issues. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio from January 1996 to September 2003. Various demographic, total hospital costs, operative procedures, and outcomes were examined. RESULTS: Men were well represented (61 of 67 patients), and the overall mean age was 28.8 years. Hispanics (58 of 67 patients) were the main ethnic group and 61% were undocumented aliens (41 of 67 patients). Bony and soft tissue injuries were common, necessitating an amputation in 38 patients. The mean operative procedures per patient were 2.97. Follow-up was poor. Total hospital cost for all the patients was $2,468,004.47 with a mean of $36,835.89 ($1,305.00-$331, 452.74) per patient. CONCLUSION: Victims of train-related injuries were predominantly young and male. Many patients required an amputation. Multistaged and complex reconstructive procedures may not be realistic in a group of patients in whom follow-up is poor.
KW - Demographics
KW - Injuries
KW - Railroad
KW - Urban
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34248350398&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=34248350398&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/TA.0b013e318031cc85
DO - 10.1097/TA.0b013e318031cc85
M3 - Review article
C2 - 17495711
AN - SCOPUS:34248350398
SN - 0022-5282
VL - 62
SP - 1123
EP - 1126
JO - Journal of Trauma - Injury, Infection and Critical Care
JF - Journal of Trauma - Injury, Infection and Critical Care
IS - 5
ER -