Thoracic trauma in the geriatric population and possible preventive measures: a retrospective analysis of 261 cases

Résumé

Background/aim: The rise in the proportion of the elderly population within society is concurrently escalating their vulnerability to traumas, notably falls associated with age-related comorbidities.Materials and Methods: The retrospective analysis involved the examination of data pertaining to patients aged 65 and above who were admitted to our clinic for inpatient treatment following thoracic trauma. Various parameters were statistically compared between the groups with indoor and outdoor traumas.Results: 59.4% of the 261 patients included in the study were male, and the average age in the entire sample was calculated as 75.52±7.79. 136 patients (52%) had indoor trauma, while 125 (48%) had outdoor trauma. The mean value for all patients on the Itaki FRS II Scale was found to be 11.04±4.18. In indoor accidents, the Itaki scale score was significantly higher at 11.90±4.34 compared to outdoor accidents (10.10±3.78) (p < 0.001). Additionally, in outdoor accidents, the absence of fall history and low risk according to the Itaki scale were found to be higher compared to indoor accidents, with a significant difference observed (p< 0.001). In geriatric trauma cases occurring outdoors, bilateral rib fractures and extrathoracic findings were significantly more prevalent (p=0.011, 0.010). The majority of patients were followed up without any surgical intervention (73.9%), the most common surgical interventions were catheter (10.3%) and tube thoracostomy (10.3%), and 1.5% of the patients required surgical exploration. Trauma resulted in mortality in 1.5% of patients.Conclusion: In the future, specialized measures and prospective studies tailored to the geriatric population, which will constitute the largest demographic segment of our society, can facilitate the prevention of trauma-related morbidity and mortality, including associated financial costs.