Is it as harmless as it appears? Thoracic traumas caused by Pat-Pat accidents

Abstract

Aim: This study examines the morbidity and mortality of chest traumas due to Pat-Pat accidents, which is one of the most frequently used motor vehicles in agriculture, especially in mountainous regions in developing countries. Material and Method: This retrospective study included 57 patients who were followed up in a single center between November 2018 and 2021 for thoracic trauma due to a Pat-Pat accident. Patients' age, gender, position in the vehicle, trauma mechanism, trauma location and time, trauma-related pathologies, treatments, and length of stay in hospital and intensive care unit were examined. Results: The cases included 44 (77.2%) men and 13 (22.8%) women with a mean age of 49.93±20.9 years. Of the accidents, 54 (94.7%) occurred on rural roads, 35 (61.4%) occurred on weekdays, 29 (50.9%) occurred in spring, and 20 (35.1%) occurred in summer. The cases consisted of 37 (64.9%) drivers and 20 (35.1%) passengers, of which 31 (54.4%) were injured due to collision and 26 (45.6%) were injured due to vehicle overturning and being ejected from the vehicle. All cases had rib fractures, 8 (14%) had sternum fracture, 25 (43.9%) had pneumothorax, 36 (63.2%) had hemothorax, 22 (38.6%) had pulmonary contusion, and 2 (3.5%) had cardiac contusion. While 19 (33.3%) of the cases were discharged after evaluation and treatment in the emergency department, 30 (52.6%) were treated in the ward, and 8 (14%) were treated in the intensive care unit (ICU). Thirty-three patients underwent a surgical procedure. The mean hospital stay was 7.8 days, and the mean ICU stay was 5.47 days. Mortality developed in 3 (5.3%) cases. The rates of ICU admission and mortality were found to be higher in injuries caused by being ejected from the vehicle compared to injuries caused by impact (p<0.05). Conclusion: Pat-Pat accidents cause severe thoracic trauma. In these vehicle accidents with no significant safety precautions, morbidity and mortality are quite high, especially in thoracic trauma caused by ejection from a vehicle.

Keywords

• Agriculture vehicles
• Pat-Pat
• thoracic surgery
• trauma

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