Thoracic trauma and mortality in geriatric Turkish population: 6-month follow-up study

Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate survival rates in elderly individuals who have undergone thoracic trauma and to investigate the risk of mortality for 6 months. Method In this study, the mortality rate was evaluated in 400 thorax trauma cases referred to thoracic surgery, between 65 and 101 years of age. Six-month survival rates in discharged cases of thoracic trauma were examined by using Turkey's Health Ministry Death Notification System. Results It was found that thoracic traumas evaluated in the study were due to 314 (78.5%) falls and 51 (12.8%) exterior vehicle traffic accident. It was found that the presence of hemopneumothorax (OR 5.82; 95% CI 1.31–25.98; p = 0.021), and the presence of multiple trauma (OR 16.49; 95% CI 3.13–86.91; p = 0.001) had statistically significant effects on the mortality risk from the moment of the event to the emergency treatment period. In addition, it was found that age (OR 1.06; 95% CI 1.01–1.11; p = 0.011), male gender (OR 2.55; 95% CI 1.15–5.68; p = 0.022), and the presence of comorbidities (OR 3.07; 95% CI 1.29–7.31; p = 0.011) statistically significantly increased mortality during the six months after trauma. Conclusion It should be kept in mind that the presence of multiple trauma and the presence of hemopneumothorax increase the risk of death in elderly thoracic trauma cases consulted for thoracic surgery.