List Archives

Tue Apr 12 08:38:39 BST 2005

>From majority of witness statements that is a correct assumption. Pillion riders have always fared worst due to being 'launched'. Fairings protect many riders from additional trauma and 'lock' them more to their machines. 

-----Original Message-----
From: trauma-list-bounces at trauma.org
[mailto:trauma-list-bounces at trauma.org]On Behalf Of susanna mathews
Sent: 12 April 2005 00:07
To: Trauma & Critical Care mailing list
Subject: Re: Not all 16s are equal

Jim,
     Just curious- here in southern Indiana we have a fair amount of motorcycle trama and have observed something.  It seems that the operators fare better than the passengers.  Sometimes they survive when passengers are killed instantly, sometimes they survive a short time but it always seems that they have lesser (if still fatal) injuries.  I have been unable to find anything in the literature which addresses this, and am just curious if you noticed any such trends.  I assume it is due to the fact that the operator has some protection and something to grasp at the last second whereas the poor passenger simply becomes a missle. 
Thoughts, anyone?
Susanna Mathews
CST/CFA intern 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jim Ouellet<mailto:hlmtxprt at yahoo.com> 
  To: trauma-list at trauma.org<mailto:trauma-list at trauma.org> 
  Sent: Monday, April 11, 2005 4:40 PM
  Subject: Not all 16s are equal

  I've got a paper under review by JTrauma right now
  that discusses helmet effect in 1,982 motorcycle
  accidents investigated "on the street" -- as opposed
  to ER admissions, hospital admissions, fatalities,
  trauma registries, etc.

  Our data suggested that somatic (below-the-neck)
  injury severity may have more influence on mortality
  than head-neck severity.   Something like 34 of 35
  riders with AIS-5 injuries below the neck died, as did
  a big chunk (mostly unhelmeted) of those with AIS-4
  somatic injuries.  On the other hand, the fatality
  rate for riders with AIS-5 head injury was something
  in the neighborhood of 50%, and some with AIS-5 head
  injury survived with somatic injury as high as AIS-4. 

  As a result, an ISS>15 that is mostly head injury may
  not be quite as life-threatening as an ISS>15 that is
  mostly due to below-the-neck injury.  

  I hope the reviewer who faulted you for under-triage
  has enough flexibility in his/her opinions to
  recognize that an ISS score is a valuable guideline,
  but not necessarily a bright-line standard.  

  JIM OUELLET

  __________________________________ 
  Do you Yahoo!? 
  Yahoo! Mail - Find what you need with new enhanced search. 
  http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250<http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250>
  --
  trauma-list : TRAUMA.ORG
  To change your settings or unsubscribe visit:
  http://www.trauma.org/traumalist.html<http://www.trauma.org/traumalist.html>
--
trauma-list : TRAUMA.ORG
To change your settings or unsubscribe visit:
http://www.trauma.org/traumalist.html

List Archives

For your convenience, find the Trauma List Archive Below

Not all 16s are equal