PATTERN OF FATAL CHEST INJURY DUE TO ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN BIHAR STATE

Bihar is relatively a backward state of India where deaths due to chest injuries in road traffic accidents are very common. Deaths due to chest injuries could be more preventable and treatable than head injuries due to road traffic accidents. OBJECTIVE The main objective of our study is to give emphasis on various aspect of deaths due to chest trauma in road traffic accidents, so that policies could be made by lawmakers to prevent these deaths and also to enrich the knowledge of clinicians about various reasons of death of traffic chest trauma victims. MATERIAL AND METHOD This is a prospective study, consists of 201 fatal chest trauma cases due to road traffic accident, brought for medico-legal autopsies to the mortuary of NMCH, Patna, between August 2011 and July 2013. The data were analysed in tabular form and percentage method. RESULTS The study revealed that most of the traffic fatal chest trauma cases were pedestrians (67.2%), male (92%) and were of productive age group of life (37% between 31 and 45 years' age group). Majority of the accidents took place on highways (62.7%) in winter season (29.35%) and victims died on spot (72.5%). Shock and Haemorrhage (84.5%) was the most common cause of death, while fatal chest injuries generally combined with abdominal injuries (51.3%) also. Liver (50%) and Spleen (28.3%) were also injured in some victims. Contusions (42.7%), Rib fracture (61.2%) and Haemothorax (89%) were the other common findings in fatal chest trauma victims due to Road Traffic Accident (RTA). CONCLUSIONS On the basis of this study, we can highlight various aspects of deaths due to chest trauma in road traffic accidents and accordingly the need to deploy the "Quick response teams" on highways and "Hi-Tech Trauma Centre" at district head-quarters can be justified to reduce the mortality in such cases.