Introduction of a Genitourinary Trauma Database for Use as a Multi-institutional Urologic Trauma Registry

BACKGROUNDInjury and/or work up of patients involved in genitourinary (GU) trauma often has a urologic component. By implementing a simple, versatile database to categorizing such injuries, we hoped to elucidate issues involved in the treatment of GU trauma. METHODSThe Genitourinary Trauma Database was created using commercially available software (Microsoft Access). It occupies 848 KB (kilobytes) of hard drive memory and is organized into five categoriesPatient Demographics, History/Physical Examination/Etiology, Radiologic Evaluation, Operative Intervention, and Disposition and Complications. RESULTSAll GU trauma patients seen since 1995 have been entered. Thus far, the database has helped assess indications for bladder evaluation of blunt trauma and pelvic fracture and has allowed us to develop a protocol for performing retrograde computed tomographic cystogram in conjunction with abdominal/pelvic computed tomographic scan. CONCLUSIONEase of creating and using this database demonstrate that it could serve as a multi-institutional GU trauma registry and prove invaluable in developing and refining future trauma protocols.