Sandip Chakraborty1, Arunabha Tapadar2, Arpita Sikdar Chakraborty3
BACKGROUND: Road traffic accidents are one of the major hazards of modern existence. The proliferation of motor vehicles and the rapid explosion of population have increased the incidence of traffic accident injuries in most modern countries. A large part of the injuries in such cases is confined to the lower limbs. METHODS The present study was carried out in patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital with road traffic accidents involving the lower limbs over a period of six months. The age distribution and range of injuries in this population was studied and analysed. RESULTS The study showed that traffic injuries occur with greater frequency in young age groups (20-40 years) and in males, with a second surge of cases in persons over 50 years of age. The injuries range from soft tissue injuries consisting of minor cuts and bruises to bony injuries. CONCLUSIONS The commonest skeletal injuries occur in the leg with fractures of the tibia and fibula, followed by injuries to the foot. Knowledge of the age range and spectrum of injuries will help hospital administrators and trauma care specialists to be better equipped to manage traffic accident injuries.
