Is resuscitation after traumatic suicide attempt a futile effort? A five-year review at a Level I trauma center

A retrospective analysis of all traumatic suicide attempts at a Level I reg ional trauma center between 1990 and 1994 was performed. Data were obtained from the trauma registry, charts, computer data, and telephone interviews. Age, gender, mechanism of injury, and prior mental status were noted. Repe at suicide attempts/ideation, postinjury employment status, and subsequent deaths were recorded. Nontraumatic attempts and successful suicides not tra nsported to the hospital were excluded. Ninety-one patients (71 males and 2 0 females) with attempted suicide were identified. Average patient age was 33.6 years. Method of attempted suicide and deaths by that method were: fir earms (n = 55 attempts/36 deaths), sharp instrumentation (n = 22 attempts/0 deaths), and others. Mortality by firearms and all other mechanisms were 6 5.0 per cent and 8.3 per cent, respectively. Fifty-two patients survived to be discharged from the hospital. Follow-up data were available,for 38 pati ents with a mean follow-up interval of 53.6 months. Three subsequent deaths were confirmed. The mortality from the index attempt was 42.9 per cent. Mo rtality by firearms was significantly higher than by all other mechanisms. Patients with chronic mental illness had a significantly higher incidence o f subsequent suicide attempts/ideation and unemployment. Confirmed mortalit y at follow-up was only eight per cent (mean, 53.6 months), and all were pa tients with chronic mental illness.