An evaluation of outcome after severe trauma.

There is a perception that patients with severe trauma either die soon after the trauma or survive. This study evaluated 123 patients with severe trauma until 6 months after discharge from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). At baseline, the median Injury Severity Score was 29 (interquartile range 20-38) and the median Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score was 13 (interquartile range 9-15). Injuries related to road transport accounted for 79% (97/123) of the injuries and the patients were predominantly male (66%) and young (75% < 38 years of age). The median stay in ICU was 11 days. Ten per cent of the patients (12/123) died during the study period, but one-quarter of the deaths were in hospital after discharge from ICU and one-quarter of the deaths occurred after discharge from hospital. It is impossible to carefully document the mortality due to severe trauma unless the survivors of ICU are reviewed after discharge from hospital.