PREVENTABLE PREHOSPITAL TRAUMA DEATHS IN A HELLENIC URBAN HEALTH REGION - AN AUDIT OF PREHOSPITAL TRAUMA CARE

Objective: To identify preventable prehospital deaths, caused by traum a, Design: Analysis of 82 trauma victims who were dead on arrival (DOA ) into our hospital, Setting: General Hospital of Piracus, Greece, Mat erials and Methods: Evaluation of the autopsy findings of 82 DOAs. Mea surements: Demographic, autopsy, and toxicology data, ICD9 codes, Abbr eviated Injury Score (AIS)-90, Injury Severity Score (ISS)-body region s, central nervous system (CNS) deaths, non-CNS deaths, p values, and opinion of a clinical assessor, Main Results: The 29 (35.36%) DOAs had at least one AIS6 injury. Extracranial hemorrhage, airway, and breath ing dysfunction were contributing factors of death of 27 ''possibly pr eventable'' CNS deaths, and the causes of death For the 20 non-CNS dea ths. p value (0.5) indicated that 24 (29.26%) of the DOAs expected to survive. The clinical assessor characterized four (4.87%) as ''definit ely preventable'' and 35 (42.65%) as ''possibly preventable'' deaths. Conclusions: Upgrading of the emergency medical care service is requir ed.