Incidence and Crash Mechanisms of Aortic Injury During the Past Decade

Newer data suggests that aortic injuries may result from crash types such as nearside, a departure from traditional assumptions of aortic injuries resulting from severe frontal crashes. The authors hypothesized that recent safety measure implementation would decrease aortic injuries resulting from fatal motor vehicle crashes. Motor vehicle occupant traffic fatality autopsy reports for 1993-2004 in a large urban county were examined for aortic injury presence, safety measures used, impact types, and demographics. Weighted linear regression was used to evaluate trend significance. During the past twelve years, the incidence level of aortic injuries resulting from fatal motor vehicle crashes has not changed, although frontal crashes are associated with a decreased number of aortic injuries. For crashes resulting in a fatality, aortic injuries associated with farside or nearside crashes show no change, despite increased air bag presence and seat belt use during the period studied. The authors conclude that during the past decade, blunt aortic injuries in fatal motor vehicle crashes have not decreased despite improved safety measures to minimize aortic injury occurrence. Frontal impacts in fatal motor vehicle crashes associated with aortic injuries have decreased, although the difference is not statistically significant. A prominent role continues to be played by the nearside crash mechanism, and vehicle safety improvement efforts should focus on how crash mechanisms relate to aortic injuries.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00225282
• Authors:
  • Schulman, Carl I
  • Carjaval, Daniel
  • Lopez, Peter P
  • Soffer, Dror
  • Habib, Fahim
  • Augenstein, Jeffrey
• Publication Date: 2007-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: pp 664-667
• Serial:
  • Journal of Trauma, Injury, Infection and Critical Care
  • Volume: 62
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
  • ISSN: 0022-5282

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash injuries; Crash injury research; Fatalities; Frontal crashes; Impact; Linear regression analysis; Motor vehicles; Nearside; Safety; Side crashes; Trend (Statistics); Vehicle sides
• Uncontrolled Terms: Aortic injury; Crash type; Farside; Incidence; Motor vehicle accidents
• Subject Areas: Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I80: Accident Studies; I81: Accident Statistics; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01046891
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 29 2007 12:10PM