Craniofacial Trauma Resulting from Motor Vehicle Accidents: Analysis of Data from the Rhône Registry, 2005–2014: Report, April 2018
Traffic accidents are one of the leading causes of head injuries, particularly the most severe ones. They affect a young population, resulting in years of life lost or lived with disabilities. Materials and Methods: The data come from the Rhône Registry. This registry is based on medical records and includes all individuals killed or injured as a result of an accident occurring in the Rhône department. The information collected pertains to the victim, their accident, their injuries, and their subsequent outcomes. Injuries are coded according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS). The selected victims are those with craniofacial injuries during the 2005–2014 period. After synthesizing all existing research on this topic based on the registry, an analysis of injuries to the entire head region was conducted, followed by a more specific study of cranioencephalic injuries. The aim is to describe the accident-related and individual characteristics of the victims, the nature and severity of the injuries, and their progression over time. Results: The average annual incidence is 120/100,000 for craniofacial injuries and 28.5/100,000 for traumatic brain injuries (TBI). The sex ratio is 1.8 and 2.6, respectively. For TBI, the case-fatality rate is 7.7%, and a shift in the peak incidence is observed between men and women, occurring earlier and more markedly in men (ages 15–19) than in women (ages 20–24). Victims with TBI are primarily motorists (36%), followed by motorized two-wheeler users (24%), pedestrians, and cyclists (17% each). Severe head injuries (AIS 3+) are less common among helmeted two-wheeler users: 26% compared to 37% for those who did not wear a helmet. Knowledge of the nature and location of intracranial injuries is essential to understanding the resulting impairments. Injuries are primarily located in the brain in the form of subarachnoid hemorrhages (15%), contusions (8%), subdural hematomas (7%), cerebral edema (6%), intracerebral hematomas (3%), and finally extradural hematomas (3%). The type of injury varies depending on the type of road user: subdural hematomas are common among pedestrians; extradural hematomas are more frequently found among users of motorized or non-motorized two-wheeled vehicles; brain contusions are observed primarily in car occupants. Since 2005, there has been a decline in head injuries: -48% among motorists, -38% among pedestrians, -20% among motorized two-wheeler users, and -11% among cyclists. Conclusion: This study provides new data on head injuries resulting from traffic accidents. Head injuries have nearly been cut in half among motorists, largely due to road safety policies implemented in France since 2002, particularly the introduction of speed cameras. However, further efforts are needed to protect vulnerable road users (cyclists and pedestrians). Preventing craniofacial injuries, and head injuries in particular, requires promoting the use of protective gear. In this regard, an initial measure was implemented in France in March 2017, making bicycle helmets mandatory for children under the age of twelve.
Author(s): Gadegbeku Blandine, Ndiaye Amina, Tardy Hélène, Hours Martine
Publishing year: 2019
Pages: 62 p.
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