ANATOMICAL PATTERNS AND ASSOCIATED INJURIES OF ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-RELATED FRACTURES AMONG PATIENTS ADMITTED TO ADDIS ABABA BURN, EMERGENCY AND TRAUMA HOSPITAL, ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Road traffic accidents (RTAs) are a major global public health crisis, with fractures being the most common associated injury. In Ethiopia, the burden is disproportionately high, yet localized data from major trauma centers like Addis Ababa Burn, Emergency and Trauma (AaBET) Hospital remains limited. Objective: The primary objective of this study is to assess anatomical patterns and associated factors of road traffic accident-related fractures among patients admitted to Addis Ababa Burn, Emergency and Trauma Hospital, Ethiopia. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using 349 patient medical records. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize fracture patterns, demographics, injury mechanisms, associated factors, and clinical outcomes using frequencies, percentages, and means Results: The study population(n=349) had a median age of 28 years with interquartile range of 18, with a strong male predominance (71.3%). The most common mechanism of injury was being hit by a vehicle (54.4%). A total of 500 fractures were recorded, with lower limb fractures (59.8%) more prevalent than upper limb fractures (24.4%). The most frequent specific fracture sites were the tibiofibular region (22.8%), followed by the femoral (17.6%) and pelvis (9.8%). Most fractures were closed (64.4%) and treated surgically (75.1%). Conclusion: RTAs at AaBET Hospital primarily affect young males, with lower limb fractures being the dominant anatomical pattern. These findings underscore the need for targeted injury prevention and optimized orthopedic resource allocation. Keywords: Road traffic accident, patterns of fracture, AaBET hospital