SEVERE MOTORCYCLE INJURY IN MERSEY REGION AND NORTH-WALES

Ninety-three patients were involved in serious motorcycle accidents (d eath or Injury Severity Score more than 15) during a 1-year period amo ng a total of 554 victims of serious road traffic accidents studied at 16 district general and teaching hospitals. There were 91 males and t wo Females. The average age was 29 years (range 15-81 years). Of these , 32 per cent died at the scene of the accident or in transit; 68 per cent arrived alive at the above hospitals. Of the latter 30 per cent d ied in hospital. The commonest cause of death was multiple injuries. T he Injury Severity Score of patients admitted to hospital was a mean o f 32.1. The Glasgow Coma Score was below 9 in 33.8 per cent. OF those admitted to hospital, the average length of stay was 38. 7 days. 67 pe r cent were admitted to intensive therapy unit of whom 41.3 per rent h ad to be ventilated for an average of 3.55 days. There were four preve ntable deaths among the patients who died after being admitted to hosp ital. Many body areas are frequently injured in motorcycle accidents w hich occur usually in fit males. Careful assessment along with vigorou s and aggressive treatment is particularly important for this group. A ccess to a specialized trauma centre would be beneficial.