Epidemiology and Outcomes of Moderate-to-Severe Trauma Patients in a Regional Trauma Center: Challenges and Future Directions.

Objective: To investigate the epidemiology and outcomes of moderate-to-severe trauma patients in a regional trauma center and to identify key challenges in the current trauma care system.

Methods: From January to December 2023, 1,614 patients with an Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score of 3 or higher were retrospectively analyzed. Data were collected from the Korean Trauma Data Bank and medical records. We examined patient demographics, injury severity, diagnoses by body region, AIS scores, emergency surgeries and interventions, length of hospital stay, mortality, massive transfusion, and any complications.

Results: Slips were the most common injury mechanism (34.9%). The most frequently injured body region was the brain (26.3%), with subdural hematoma (SDH) being the most prevalent diagnosis (56.2%). Rib fractures (45.5%) were the most common thoracic injuries, while liver and spleen injuries (each 29.7%) were the most frequent abdominal injuries. Lumbar spine fractures (35.3%) were the most common spinal injuries, while femur fractures (89.4%) were the predominant extremity injuries. Among the most severe injuries, 4 cases of cervical spinal cord injury were classified as AIS 6. SDH was the most common injury in patients with AIS 4 (21.3%) and AIS 5 (37.0%), while femur fractures were the most frequent in patients with AIS 3 (30.5%).

Conclusion: This study analyzed the epidemiology and outcomes of trauma patients, highlighting the key challenges in the trauma center. The high prevalence of traumatic brain injury and shortage of dedicated neurosurgical trauma specialists remain critical issues. Addressing these challenges is essential to improve patient outcomes.