Abstract

PURPOSE
Although trauma is the most common cause of death under age 18, Korean national pediatric trauma data has lack of clinical data. This study is to prepare manpower resources, equipment, and make a correct policy decision on pediatric trauma victims.
METHODS
The study enrolled 528 patients under age 16 with traumatic injury visited Wonju Severance Christian Hostpital Trauma Center, from February 12, 2015 to December 31, 2016. We analyzed the distribution of gender, age, place and time of the accident, injury mechanism, injury severity, and injured organ by medical record.
RESULTS
The major injury mechanisms were blunt injury in 485 (91.90%), penetrating injury in 27 (5.10%), burn in 13 (2.50%), near drowning in 2 (0.40%), and foreign body ingestion in 1 (0.20%). Ninety-seven (18.4%) patients were injured at home and 67 (12.7%) patients were injured at school. The overall mortality rate was 1.13% (n=6). 5 mortalities were related to automobile accident and one was fall down. Mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 4 (2, 8). No statistical significance was observed in the mean ISS between each age group. The peak time of accident occurrence was between 16 and 17 o'clock. The mean ISS was higher in blunt injury group than penetrating injury with statistical significance (6.50±7.60 vs. 3.00±8.10; p<0.05). The most common injury site was upper extremity. Mean ISS was highest in thorax injury. However, mean ISS of thorax injury was higher with statistical significance only compared with face, neck and upper extremity injury.
CONCLUSIONS
We reported our pediatric trauma patients data of our hospital level I trauma center, which is the only one level I trauma center of Gangwon Province. These data is useful to prevent and prepare for pediatric trauma.

• Keywords: InjuryPediatric emergency medicine