Main Article Content
Pattern of traumatic orthopaedic injuries in paediatric patients at ecwa hospital, egbe, Nigeria.
Abstract
Background: In Nigeria, data on traumatic injuries of paediatric patients in hospitals outside the teaching hospitals are very scanty. We studied the pattern of paediatric traumatic orthopaedic injuries in a secondary health care level hospital in Northern Nigeria. Methods: A total 106 traumatic paediatrics orthopaedic cases at ECWA Hospital Egbe, a mission hospital located in rural part of Northern Nigeria from 1st September, 1990 to 31st December, 1993 were reviewed retrospectively. Results: One hundred and six patients with traumatic orthopaedic injuries were treated were retrospectively reviewed during a period of 3 years and 4 months. There were 60 males (56.6%)
and 46 females (43.3%). The age groups involved were 10-14 years (40.6%), 6-9 years (31.1%) and 1-5 years (25.5%). The group 0-1 year old is rarely involved in trauma (2.8%). The sites involved in fractures of the upper limb were supracondylar part of the humerus (20.0%), radius and ulna (12.3%) and humeral shaft (6.6%). The commonest bones involved in fractures in the lower limbs were femur (9.4%), tibia and fibula (9.4%). Traumatic injuries of the hands and feet were rare in this study. The flat bones were not affected. The left upper and lower limbs were more involved in trauma (55.7%) than the right upper and lower limbs (39.6%), a ratio of 3:2. There were more
cases of the upper limbs trauma (69.8%) than to the lower limbs (29.2%) giving a ratio of 5:2. Conclusion: Children are most vulnerable to trauma as they get closer to adolescence. Preventive measures against all forms of trauma should be available for children during this period.
and 46 females (43.3%). The age groups involved were 10-14 years (40.6%), 6-9 years (31.1%) and 1-5 years (25.5%). The group 0-1 year old is rarely involved in trauma (2.8%). The sites involved in fractures of the upper limb were supracondylar part of the humerus (20.0%), radius and ulna (12.3%) and humeral shaft (6.6%). The commonest bones involved in fractures in the lower limbs were femur (9.4%), tibia and fibula (9.4%). Traumatic injuries of the hands and feet were rare in this study. The flat bones were not affected. The left upper and lower limbs were more involved in trauma (55.7%) than the right upper and lower limbs (39.6%), a ratio of 3:2. There were more
cases of the upper limbs trauma (69.8%) than to the lower limbs (29.2%) giving a ratio of 5:2. Conclusion: Children are most vulnerable to trauma as they get closer to adolescence. Preventive measures against all forms of trauma should be available for children during this period.
