Original article
English
Sadek Makhlouf, Mohamed S.Ambarek, Salem El Mahdawi, Mustafa Elfadli, Idris Eltajori, Mabrok Bohalfaya
Orthopedic department, Al-Jala hospital, Benghazi, Libya
Garyounis Medical Journal Vol. 21, No.2. 2004:77-82
Abstract
Background: it is felt that fracture management poses a major burden on health services. Knowing the frequency, type and fracture combinations prevalent locally might help in determining future health and training requirements. Objectives: to determine the magnitude of the problem as well as the frequency of significant fractures in our regional trauma centre. Setting: Al-Jala Hospital, Benghazi, Libya over one year period (Jan. 2000-Dec.2000). Materials and methods: a retrospective descriptive study of some clinicoepidemiologic features of inpatients. Only data of those with significant fractures were analysed. Results: 4380 patients were admitted to Al-Jalla hospital orthopedic department during the study period. Out of whom 1193 patients (27.23%) suffered from significant fractures. Males outnumbered females by a ratio of 2.7: 1. The right side was involved in 58.7 % of the times. The most common fracture sites were In descending order: shaft of femur, the hands and both forearm bones. The fractures were most commonly seen in Spring and Summer. Surgical treatment was resorted to in the following frequencies: shaft of femur (17.3%), both forearm bones (7.04%), suprachondylar fracture of the humerus in children (6.20%) and fracture of both leg bones (5.53%). The upper extremity was involved in 52% of patients. Road traffic accidents and fall were the most common underlying causes. Conclusions: Unlike other reports, we found that all fractures types were common in males except the intertrochanteric fracture. Otherwise , the fracture pattern in our study was similar to other reports.
Keywords: fractures, trauma, Benghazi, Libya
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